Bizarre Massages

I'm a huge advocate of massage therapy. I have chronic (hereditary) back pain that got worse during my pregnancy, and which continues to ail me now as a busy Mommy.  I love professional massages, and they do so much to relieve my back pain, but seriously who can afford to get one as often as they'd like?  I'm always looking for new exercises and stretches to help alleviate my discomfort.  I've also noticed stress and tension causes my muscles to knot up and my back pain gets worse, so I am always trying to keep my body (and mind) as relaxed as possible.

During my pregnancy I read an article describing 10 "under-the-radar remedies" that help relax and relieve tension. I read through the 10 remedies and found one that has always stuck out in my mind for its absolute ridiculousness (is that a word?).  Although probably unnecessary, let me preface the description of this particular remedy by making very clear that I would never entertain this remedy... atleast not in this lifetime. 

Apparently, some (very crazy) people like the feel of reptiles slithering across their bodies in spa-like settings, with larger, heavier snakes providing a deeper kneading as they crawl across the flesh. According to some massage therapists, a snake's general pressure on the body can be really relaxing, and contact with the reptiles can be soothing.  (One reporter documented his experience with an authentic Israeli snake massage.  Just as he was psyching himself up for the treatment [which costs about $80], one of the snakes opened its mouth and coughed up a half-digested mouse.  Oh hell no.) 

What kind of stress are these people dealing with that a snake massage is relaxing and therapeutic for them? If you are dealing with that level of stress, I don't think snakes will do the trick. A hospital setting may be more appropriate. But that's just my unsolicited, non-medical advice.  What ever happed to relaxing music and aromatherapy? 

And I seriously have no idea what this fool is trying to do or how he finds this remotely relaxing or therapeutic.  I would love to hear how the masseuse convinced him this was a great idea.  I would not feel bad if one of those snakes bit him on his ding-ding.  That would really give him something to stress about.