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3 Things Massage Can Help You With Right Now

brett March 31, 2016 Massage Therapy
by Allissa Haines

We know massage will make us move better and feel happier, but not everyone can make time for regular appointments. Luckily, massage is great preventive care and it can have some instantly-gratifying results. Check out these 3 things massage can help you with right now.

Headaches  

Tension headaches (often called stress headaches) are the most common type of headaches among adults.

Pain or pressure in your forehead or on the top or sides of your head? Could be a tension headache. It’s especially likely if you’ve been hunching over a desk or some knitting, spent a ton of time in a car, or if you’re still shivering and huddling to keep warm as spring slowly creeps in.

Massage can help get rid of that headache and regular massage may well keep it from coming back. (If you want to geek out about tension headaches and try a few self-massage techniques, check out this article.)

Low Back Pain

A major research study was published in 2011 showing that massage therapy was better than drugs and usual care for general lower back pain. Better than drugs. I just had to say that twice.

Just about everyone will experience low back pain at some point in their life. If it happens to you, don’t suffer. Schedule a massage and get back into action.

Irritability

Have you ever been so cranky you got on your own nerves? Yeah, me, too. It isn’t fun. When you feel yourself biting everyone’s head off when they ask you a question, it might be time for some self-care.

Massage is great for stress relief. You get to shut off all the things that buzz and chime and aggravate you to the point of eye twitches. Music, silence, warmth, massage. All the cranky disappears.

This is dual purpose. You’ll feel better and all the people around you will be happier that you’re back to your sunny self.

Got a headache, low back pain, or a case of the grumpies? Get a massage scheduled and we’ll handle that fast.

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Pain-Relieving Creams Enhance Massage for Athletes

brett March 24, 2016 Massage Therapy

By

Exercise and sports are an integral part of everyday life for many people. The 2015 Physical Activity Council Report noted that 209 million active Americans participate in a variety of fitness activities, from running and playing basketball to biking and hiking.

Engaging in sports and physical activity sometimes comes with a price. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, in 2012 nearly two million individuals experienced some sort of sports-related injury that required medical attention in the emergency room.

Whether your clients prefer individual or team sports, gym activities or outdoor adventures, chances are you will encounter clients who are under a physician’s care for injuries, or dealing with less-serious conditions such as strained or sore muscles. Massage for athletes may help facilitate quicker recovery—and by adding the right type of cream, gel or lotion, sports massage can be more effective in relieving pain and restoring ease of movement.

Topical Menthol Analgesics

Shelly Yusko, owner of Strong House Spa in Quechee, Vermont, noted that her practice treats clients with a range of injuries and usually incorporates analgesic products to enhance massage sessions. “We use a number of pain-relieving gels that range in menthol content from 5 to 10 percent,” she said. “They are mostly applied during some of our sports massages and therapeutic treatments for folks with chronic and acute pain.”

Research backs up the use of menthol for delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). A small, randomized study in 2012 demonstrated its benefits. In the study, 16 subjects received topical application of either a gel containing 3.5 percent menthol or ice to the elbows following a workout designed to induce muscle soreness. The findings showed that the menthol-based analgesic reduced perceived discomfort better than ice.

A larger crossover study in 2014 mirrored these results. The authors applied a topical menthol analgesic during the working day, then a placebo 48 hours later, to the arms and hands of 645 slaughterhouse workers and 10 individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome. At the conclusion of the study, pain intensity and global rating of change had improved with the use of the topical menthol treatment.

In addition to menthol, Yusko noted that ilex, an herbal extract from a South American holly shrub; MSM, methylsulfonylmethane; and boswellia can help reduce pain and inflammation.

Reduce Pain During Massage for Athletes

Therapists at Strong House Spa also recommend clients use topical analgesics before, during and after exercise; or when they need pain relief to decrease the risk of injury.

“Reducing pain, even temporarily, can allow manual manipulation to be more comfortable and expedite recovery,” Yusko said. “We use topical products as part of a treatment plan, along with other self-help tools.

“We advise clients to apply pain-relieving products four times a day and have had no reports of safety issues with this regimen,” she added. “I have not heard of an overdose effect with any of the topicals I am familiar with.”

Regardless of ingredients, Yusko prefers gels to creams since she feels they tend to penetrate skin better. “But for others who massage, they often feel cream works better because the gels tend to ball up when rubbed in too much,” she said.

 

Techniques & Self-Care

Together with analgesic gels and creams, Yusko said her therapists use a variety of massage techniques. “The types of massage can range from sports, deep tissue and myofascial release to acupressure and neuromuscular re-education,” she said. The addition of foam rollers, physio balls and other specialized tools helps relieve sore muscles and sports injuries as well.

The use of analgesics during massage for athletes may enhance treatment, but Yusko also emphasized that “self-care is health care—meaning caring for yourself—and therefore we include this instruction as part of our education, self-empowerment and treatment plans.”

About the Author

Phyllis Hanlon has written nonfiction articles and book reviews as well as human-interest stories, profiles and award-winning essays. Her specialty areas include health and medicine, religion, education and business. She regularly delights in the joys of massage. She also wrote “Foot Reflexology: Lending a Healing Hand” for massagemag.com.

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What Is Deep Tissue Massage?

brett March 22, 2016 Massage Therapy, Massage Video

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Massage As Medicine

brett March 16, 2016 Massage Therapy
 16 Feb 2016
By Leah Sorli

Regardless of whether you book in for regular weekly massages or you’ve yet to treat yourself, there are numerous benefits to using massage therapy. From relieving stress and reducing muscle fatigue to increasing blood flow, this form of manual therapy is perfect for people of all ages, and with all manner of ailments.

But how do you know what type of massage is right for you? Should you try a shiatsu massage if a remedial massage will do? Would a reflexology session be better for your body than a Traditional Chinese Massage? And what about myotherapy – does this massage technique trump them all? I get asked a lot about this last, lesser-known form of massage, so I thought why not share my myotherapy knowledge. After all, when you’re onto something good, why wouldn’t you share it!

What is myotherapy?

Myotherapy is a manual therapy that combines a range of traditional and contemporary massage techniques. Soft tissue therapy, myofascial stretching, rehabilitative exercises as well as temperature therapy (the use of hot and cold packs), can all be used within this highly individualised therapy. Myotherapists may even make nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, offering clients a holistic treatment that will improve their physical and emotional health.

What conditions can it treat?

Myotherapy can be used to treat a range of physical ailments including:

  • Chronic pain
  • Muscle sprains, tears and/or injuries
  • Tendonitis
  • Lower back pain
  • Poor posture
  • Tennis/golfer’s elbow

This form of massage can also be used as a preventative method to keep the body functioning at its best. Myotherapists may also recommend that other forms of massage, acupuncture or physiotherapy be used in combination with your treatment in order for you to get the best results.

Can anyone use myotherapy?

Regardless of your age, current physical status or past experiences with massage therapies, a professional myotherapy treatment session can help you get back to your best. Recommended for athletes and active people alike, myotherapy can help to reduce the effects of muscle spasms, strains and tears.

Not an overly active person? Still looking for a proven way to reduce chronic pain and muscle stiffness? Myotherapy treatments are also perfect for people who are suffering from lower back pain, stiff necks, carpal tunnel syndrome as well as headaches, making it a go-to treatment for treating ‘office injuries.’

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The Healing Power Of Touch

brett March 10, 2016 Massage Therapy

The Healing Power Of Touch: 3 Surprising Benefits Of Massage Therapy

Feb 12, 2016 08:00 AM By @lizcelineb
Massage
Feel the surprising benefits of massage therapy, from boosting immunity to improving sleep, with just a touch.
The antidote to a stressful day, relationship woes, or ailments could lie right at our fingertips. An affectionate touch is an intimate act that could channel feel-good energy through our bodies, and help build a connection between two people. Massages can be a form of intimacy that benefits our wellbeing, but are we being touched enough?

Boost Immunity

Getting a massage not only helps us relax, but also gives our immune system a boost. Receiving a 45-minute massage has been found to increase the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells that help defend the body from disease, according to a 2010 study. Other physical changes included: Lower levels of cytokines, molecules that play a role in inflammation; a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol; and a decrease in vasopression, a hormone that plays a role in aggressive behavior. One session of massage therapy is enough to produce measurable changes in the body’s immune and endocrine response.

Improve Sleep

About half of Americans say that poor or insufficient sleep has affected their daily activities at least once in the past seven days. A bad night’s sleep can be remedied with massage therapy, according to the National Institutes of Health. Several studies have found that getting a massage reduced fatigue and improved sleep in infants, children, adults, and the elderly, including those with psychiatric disorders, cancer, and heart disease, among many others. Most studies credit it to massages increasing delta waves, brain waves connected to deep sleep, which would explain why it’s easier to drift off on a massage table.

Manage Anxiety and Depression

It’s easy to feel anxious or fall into depression when we’re going through tough times. However, a massage can soothe these feelings by reducing cortisol levels. Previous research has found adults asked to relax in a massage chair for 15 minutes, two times per week for five weeks, experienced an increase in frontal delta waves (slow, loud brainwaves that suspend external awareness and are a source of empathy), which promoted feelings of relaxation. Meanwhile,  frontal alpha brainwaves and the strength of beta waves (present in the brain when we’re alert) decreased. This helped adults fall into deep relaxation and decrease their anxiety.

A similar study found that depressed adolescent mothers who received ten, 30-minute sessions of massage therapy over a five-week period had less anxious behavior and reduced heart rates and cortisol levels.

Considering all of its mental and physical benefits, it’s little surprise that the desire for touch doesn’t vary by gender, age, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, according to Dr. Garcia: “It’s fundamentally human.” A massage is one of the most simple and effective ways to be touched and feel a sense of intimacy with someone, especially if you’re single.

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Hot Stone Massage – Benefits Plus Tips To Get The Most Out Of Stones

brett March 1, 2016 Massage Therapy
Alternative Medicine Expert
What is a Hot Stone Massage?

Hot stone massage is a variation on classic massage therapy. Heated smooth, flat stones are placed on key points on the body. The massage therapist may also hold the stones and use them to massage certain areas of the body.

The use of hot stones for healing dates back to ancient times, but it wasn’t until Arizona massage therapist Mary Nelson introduced her hot stone massage technique, called LaStone Therapy, that the use of hot stones for massage caught on.

Nelson conducts workshops to train other massage therapists in LaStone. While LaStone continues to be popular, massage therapists and spas have also developed their own versions of the hot stone massage using heated, smooth rocks.

Description of the Stones

The hot stones are usually made of basalt, a type of rock that is rich in iron, so they retain heat.

River rocks are normally used because they are smooth – they are smoothed over time by the river current.

The stones are immersed in water and heated in an electric heater until they are within a certain temperature range. The placement of the stones is usually at specific points on the back, in the palms of the hand, or between the toes but may vary depending on the client’s condition.

The heat of the stones warm and relax the muscles, which allows the therapist to apply deeper pressure, if desired.

The warmth of the hot stones improves circulation and calms the nervous system.

Some massage therapists place stones on points that are thought to be energy centers of the body to rebalance the body and mind.

Benefits of Hot Stone Massage

A common question people have is whether to get hot stone massage vs Swedish massage or a regular massage. Some people find the warmth of the hot stones to be comforting and get this type of massage for relaxation.

Hot stone massage is suited to people who tend to feel chilly or who have cold feet.

It’s also suited for people who have muscle tension but prefer a lighter massage. The heat relaxes muscles, allowing the therapist to work the muscles without using deep pressure.

People also get hot stone massage for a variety of health conditions:

How Do the Stones Feel?

The hot stones are never rough. They are always flat and smooth. The hot stones used on the back are about the size of a large egg, only flat.

The stones are heated in an electrical heater that either provides a temperature reading or has an adjustable thermostat control.

The massage therapist always holds the stones first before touching them to your body, which ensures that the temperature will not be too hot. Everyone, however, has their own comfort range. Be sure to speak up if the stones are too hot for you.

Cool marble stones are occasionally used during a treatment, particularly if there is inflammation.

What Can I Expect During my Hot Stone Massage?

The massage therapist often begins by applying oil to the body, which allows the hot stones to glide smoothly along the muscles. You are lying face down, and the massage therapist often then uses the hot stones to massage the back.

After the hot stones have relaxed the muscles, the massage therapist may put down the stones and use his or her hands to directly massage the skin.

The hot stones may then be placed back onto the body and left for a short period of time.

You are then asked to turn over onto your back. The massage therapist may place small hot stones between your toes or in the palm of your hand and repeats the sequence.

A typical hot stone massage is between 60 and 90 minutes long and ranges between $50 and $190.

Caveats

Massage is not recommended for certain people:

  • People with infectious skin disease, rash, neuropathy, or open wounds
  • Immediately after surgery
  • Immediately after chemotherapy or radiation, unless recommended by your doctor
  • People prone to blood clots. There is a risk of blood clots being dislodged. If you have heart disease, diabetes, or circulatory conditions, check with your doctor before having a massage.
  • Pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting a massage during pregnancy. A full body hot stone massage or placement of hot stones over the abdomen is not recommended during pregnancy, however a massage therapist trained in prenatal massage may be able to do a spot treatment for certain areas of muscle tension. In pregnancy, the core body temperature should not be raised during treatment. Women with high-risk pregnancy should avoid hot stone massage.
  • People with rheumatoid arthritis should avoid hot stone massage because the heat of the stones may trigger a flare-up.

Massage should not be done directly over bruises, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures.

If you are considering getting a massage, talk with your doctor first. Keep in mind that alternative medicine should not be used as a substitute for standard care in the treatment of any health condition.

Additional Tips

  • Don’t eat a heavy meal before the massage
  • If it’s your first time at the clinic or spa, arrive at least 10 minutes early to complete the necessary forms. Otherwise, arrive 5 minutes early so you can have a few minutes to rest and relax before starting the massage.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen.