Deep Tissue Massage Explained

 

What is Deep Tissue Massage?

A type of massage therapy, deep tissue massage uses deep, slow strokes to reach deeper layers of muscle and fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). It’s used for chronic aches and pain and contracted areas such as a stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle tightness, and sore shoulders.

How Does It Work? Techniques

While some of the strokes may feel the same as those used in Swedish massage therapy, deep tissue massage isn’t the same as a regular massage with deep pressure.

It’s used to break up scar tissue and physically break down muscle “knots” or adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) that can disrupt circulation and cause pain, limited range of motion, and inflammation.

At the beginning of the massage, lighter pressure is generally applied to warm up and prep the muscles. Specific techniques are then applied. The most common techniques include:

Stripping – deep, gliding pressure along the length of the muscle fibers using the elbow, forearm, knuckles, and thumbs

Friction – pressure applied across the grain of a muscle to release adhesions and realign tissue fibers

Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage usually focuses on a specific problem, such as chronic muscle pain, injury rehabilitation, and the following conditions:

• Low back pain
• Limited mobility
• Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls)
• Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• Postural problems
• Muscle tension in the hamstrings, yea, IT band, legs, quadriceps, rhomboids, upper back
• Osteoarthritis pain
• Sciatica 
• Sports concerns (runners, athletes)
• Piriformis syndrome
• Tennis elbow
• Fibromyalgia
• Upper back or neck pain

According to Consumer Reports magazine, 34,000 people ranked deep tissue massage more effective in relieving osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescription medications, chiropractic, acupuncture, diet, glucosamine and over-the-counter drugs.

Deep tissue massage also received a top ranking for fibromyalgia pain. People often notice improved range of motion immediately after a deep tissue massage.

Will a Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?

At certain points during the massage, you may feel some discomfort or even some pain as the massage therapist works on areas where there are adhesions or scar tissue.

You should always tell your massage therapist if you feel pain during a deep tissue massage. The therapist can adjust the technique or further prep the tissues if the superficial muscles are tense.

Pain isn’t necessarily good, and it’s not necessarily a sign that the massage is working. In fact, your body may tense up in response to pain, making it harder for the therapist to reach deeper muscles.

What Can I Expect During My Visit?

Massage therapists may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during the deep tissue massage.

You may be asked to breathe deeply as the massage therapist works on tense areas.

After the massage, you may feel some stiffness or soreness, but it should subside within a day or so.

Be sure to contact your massage therapist if you have concerns or if you feel pain after having a massage.

Drinking water after the massage may help to flush the metabolic waste from the tissues.

Precautions

Deep tissue massage may not be safe for people who with blood clots (e.g. thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis), due to the risk that they may become dislodged. If you have blood clots or are at risk of forming blood clots, it’s essential that you consult your doctor first.

If you’ve had recent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or any other medical procedure, it’s wise to check with your doctor before starting massage therapy. Some people with osteoporosis should avoid the deeper pressure of this type of massage.

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

If you have any condition, it’s important to consult your primary care provider beforehand to find out what type they recommend. For example, people with certain conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis, may not be able to tolerate the pain of a deep tissue massage.

Pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting a massage. Deep tissue massage (or any strong pressure) should be avoided during pregnancy, but your doctor may suggest a massage therapist trained in pregnancy massage.

Possible Side Effects

Deep tissue massage may result in bruising. Case reports have reported venous thromboembolism, spinal accessory neuropathy, hepatic hematoma, and posterior interosseous syndrome after deep tissue massage.

The Takeaway

Deep tissue massage is more than just a massage with deep pressure. The goals and techniques are different. It may help with certain conditions, but remember to communicate with your massage therapist to get the most out of the massage.

Self Massage Tips for Myofascial Trigger Points

 

Massaging yourself might seem as useless as trying to tickle yourself. But if there is a good reason for rubbing your own muscles, it’s probably muscle “knots” or myofascial trigger points: small patches of clenched muscle fibers that are sensitive and cause aching and stiffness. They may be a major factor in many common pain problems like low back pain and neck pain. Most minor trigger points are probably self-treatable.

You can often get more relief from this kind of discomfort with self-massage than you can get from a massage therapist. Professional help can be nice — and sometimes essential — but it can also be cost-effective to learn to save yourself from trigger points. It is a safe, cheap, and reasonable approach to self-help for many common pain problems.

It’s also a controversial one: there is plenty of scientific uncertainty about trigger points. It’s undeniable that mammals suffer from sensitive spots in our soft tissues … but their nature remains unclear, and the popular idea that they are a kind of mini-spasm could be wrong.

Why are minor trigger points so easy to deal with?

A lot of trigger point pain can be relieved with a surprisingly small amount of simple self-massage with your own thumbs or cheap tools like a tennis ball. Although trigger points can be amazingly nasty, most are fairly easy to find and get rid of with a just little rubbing.

Dr. Janet Travell wrote that “almost any intervention” can relieve a trigger point, and self-massage is usually the simplest, cheapest, safest, and most effective. Which sounds to good to be true, so we should probably be suspicious of it. How can such a trivial treatment work?

The pain may be more of a sensory phantom than something wrong with the tissue. It may be relatively easy to change with massage because there’s not much to “fix” — just a sensation to change.

Or maybe the rubbing actually helps muscle tissue directly in some way, like stirring a sauce until it’s free of lumps. Maybe massage works because it’s literally pushing and flushing waste metabolites out of a trigger point5 — which, in theory, interrupts a vicious cycle and prevents the trigger point from coming back. But, so far, no one has actually been able to demonstrate how a muscle “knot” can be untied by massage.

Isolated trigger points are probably much easier to manage — neurologically simpler. If the problem is limited to one body part, there’s a better chance of dealing with it.

Basic self-massage instructions for trigger points

Just a few moments of gentle rubbing can be enough for an easy case. For moderate cases, several larger doses — a minute or two — of rubbing over a couple days will usually do the trick. The toughest self-treatable cases might need an investment of about a half dozen 5–minute treatments per day for a week. But none of this is science-based, and treatment can definitely fail.

Here are a bunch more basic tips …

Rub with what?

Rub the trigger point with your fingertips, thumbs, fist, elbow … whatever feels easiest and most comfortable to you. Simple tools are handy for spots that are harder to reach — various balls and other handy objects. Tennis ball massage is surprisingly good stuff! You can use a foam roller, of course, but the contact area is just too wide for many jobs.

Rub in what way?

For simplicity, either simply press on the trigger point directly and hold for a while (10–100 seconds), or apply small kneading strokes, either circular or back and forth, and don’t worry about the direction of the muscle fibres. Really, anything goes. But, if you happen to know the direction of the muscle fibres — sometimes it’s obvious — then stroke parallel to the fibres as though you are trying to elongate them, because that might be more effective.

Rub how hard?

This matters more! Because massage is mostly about having a conversation with your nervous system, you want it to have the right tone: Friendly and helpful! Not shouty and rude. The intensity of the treatment should be Goldilocks just-right: strong enough to satisfy, but easy to live with. On a scale of 10 — where 1 is painless and 10 is intolerable — please aim for the 4–7 range, and err on the side of gentle at first. Beginners are often much too aggressive. (And the pros too!)

What should it feel like?

Pressure on a muscle knot should generally be clear and strong and satisfying; it should have a relieving, welcome quality. This is “good pain.”

Massage is a conversation with your nervous system. So you want it to have the right tone. Friendly and helpful! Not shouty and rude.

If you are wincing or gritting your teeth, you probably need to be more gentle. You need to be able to relax. See the next section for more information about how trigger point massage should feel.

What if it backfires?

It probably won’t, especially if the pressure is reasonable. But if you experience any negative reaction in the hours after treatment, just ease up. In basic therapy, you can count on tissue adapting to stronger pressures over the course of a few days of regular treatment. If they don’t, either the problem isn’t really trigger points, or they are (much) worse trigger points than you thought.

Rub where?

For basic self-treatment, you can trust your instincts: rub where it hurts! Do explore for sensitive spots, but you can limit your exploration to a fairly small area of muscle tissue around the “epicenter” of your symptoms. So, for instance, if the top of your shoulder aches, search for trigger points mainly in the top of your shoulder. (You will not necessarily be able to feel a bump or “knot” in your muscle, so don’t worry too much about that.)

What if the trigger point is not where the pain is?

Trigger points may generate symptoms that aren’t where the trigger point is. What’s a beginner to do? Don’t worry about it too much — this is basic trigger point treatment. Bear in mind the possibility of confusing referred pain, but don’t worry about it unless basic therapy is failing.

Rub how much?

Massage each suspected trigger point for about 30 seconds, give or take depending on how helpful it feels. This is actually enough for many trigger points — especially if you think that you have several that all need attention! Five minutes is roughly the maximum that any trigger point will need at one time, but there is not really any limit — if rubbing the trigger point continues to feel good, feel free to keep going.

Rub how often?

As long as you aren’t experiencing any negative reactions, you should massage any trigger point that seems to need it at least twice per day, and as much as a half dozen times per day. More is probably too tedious and involves too great a risk of just pissing it off.

How do you know it’s working? Getting a trigger point to “release”

The goal of self-massage for trigger points is to achieve a “release.” What is trigger point “release” and what does it feel like? How do you measure success? It mostly refers to an easing of sensitivity of the trigger point, and/or a softening of the tissue texture — the melting of the knot.

But release is a vague term with no specific scientific definition. It’s a label for the unknown: whatever going on when the trigger point seems to goes away. Maybe it refers to the literal relaxation (or violent disruption!) of the tightly contracted sarcomeres. Or maybe it’s “just” a sensory adaptation, which might be a kind of healing (it just stops hurting), or trivial and temporary (like scratching mosquito bite).

A release may not be obvious. In fact, things could even feel worse before they feel better: tissue might remain “polluted” with waste metabolites even after a successful release. Release might even require some damage to the tissue of the muscle knots — that is one theory. If so, the area would probably still be quite sensitive even if you’ve succeeded.

In my experience — both treating and being treated — it’s a weird mixture of these possibilities: initially there’s a satisfying but profound sense of scratching an itch, but the tissue is actually more sensitive afterwards, not less.

For beginners, don’t worry about the details: just stimulate the trigger point, and trust that you probably achieved a release, or a partial release, and then wait for the trigger point to calm down. If you were successful, you will notice a reduction in symptoms within several hours, often the next morning.

If you were successful, you will notice a reduction in symptoms within several hours, often the next morning.

Good pain?

With easy trigger points, successful release is typically associated with “good pain” — that clear, strong, and satisfying sensation that is somehow both painful and relieving. It is positive in the same sense that barfing is positive: it’s not pleasant, and yet your body “knows” that it needs and wants that much pressure. Usually, if you feel “good pain,” a trigger point release is more likely.

On the other hand, if you are wincing or gritting your teeth, you probably need to be more gentle. Comfort is an important component of successful treatment for most people! If you can’t massage the trigger point without wincing, you’re being too brutal on yourself, especially in the early stages. Sometimes a trigger point will feel nasty and hot and burning and still release anyway. But often such a rotten trigger point will need more persistent or advanced treatment. The “pressure question” — how much is too much? — is surprisingly complicated.

This is the tip of the trigger point iceberg

There are many reasons why basic self-massage might fail. The skeptics could be right: maybe there’s really nothing there but an abnormal sensation, nothing in the flesh to fix. Or it could fail for quite technical reasons — due to the neurological phenomenon of “referred pain,” the trigger point may not actually be located in the same place as the pain. This sends people on wild goose chases, rubbing the wrong things, and the only solution is education and experimentation.

Benefits of Foot Massage

 

Not only is a foot massage pleasurable, it can also promote health and well-being. According to Chinese medicine, most of the sensory nerves of your internal organs are in your feet. During a reflexology session, the practitioner will use your foot as a detailed body map, and treat any health ailments by using massage and pressure on the meridian points that correspond to specific organs, purportedly sending energy to them. Both reflexology and traditional foot massage have been shown to promote psychological and physical health.

Relaxation and Improved Well-Being

Receiving a foot massage can improve feelings of well-being and be deeply relaxing, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer center. In a study conducted by Brighton University, those patients who received foot massages after receiving coronary artery bypass graft surgery experienced higher levels of calm and feelings of psychological well-being than those who didn’t receive massages. Foot massage can be an effective tool to not only decrease post-operative stress and anxiety, but to promote relaxation in your daily life.

Nausea and Pain Relief

If you experience nausea or general pain, a foot massage may provide you with some relief. A study was conducted by the University of Canberra in Australia to learn if foot massage can be used as a healing tool for patients hospitalized with cancer. Eighty-seven patients were given foot massages of four-minute increments per foot, which were found to have an instant beneficial effect on their feelings of nausea, pain and relaxation The study discovered that foot massage can be an effective complementary treatment for cancer patients to decrease symptoms of pain and nausea during their illness.

Healthier Feet

A foot massage stimulates your muscles, improves circulation, lessens stiffness and tension, and can eliminate pain, according to Harvard Medical School. To give yourself a massage, purchase a foot roller from your local pharmacy or health food store. Remove your shoes and roll the foot roller back and forth for a quick and invigorating massage. Make sure to roll it over the top of your feet, not just the soles. If you have a serious foot injury or serious pain, see your doctor before obtaining a foot massage to prevent aggravating the injury.

Multiple Sclerosis Relief

Reflexology can improve symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. In a study conducted by the Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation of Sheba Medical Center, 53 multiple sclerosis patients completed an 11-week series of reflexology treatments. The reflexology treatments included manual pressure and massage of specific points on the feet and calf areas. The reflexology treatments proved beneficial in lessening sensory, motor and urinary symptoms in the multiple sclerosis patients.

Fatigue and Stress Improvement

If you’re middle-aged and female, receiving a food massage may relieve symptoms of stress and fatigue, and increase your circulation. A study conducted by the Department of Nursing of Songwon College found that foot reflexology was effective in reducing stress and fatigue in middle-aged premenopausal women, along with helping their blood circulation.

60-Second Fix for a Stiff Neck

 

It’s 7 am. Time to start your day! You go in for a big stretch when…ooouucch! Neck cramp!

A knot in any muscle is a nuisance, but it’s especially frustrating when the offender is lodged in your neck or upper back. (You know when you wake up and can’t turn your head one direction, well turning your head should not induce searing pain…)

Relax (well, figuratively speaking): You can actually knead away the cramp yourself to a degree with this quick routine.

Here’s How:

Step 1: Find the sore spot. If it’s on the right side of your neck or upper back, place your right hand on the area. If it’s on the left side, use your left hand.

Step 2: Push into the knot with your fingers, using firm pressure. Beware: This may hurt, but it should be a good hurt that you can tolerate, not a sharp pain. If you can’t quite reach it, a tennis ball or other prop can do the work for you–just lean against a wall for leverage.

Step 3: Turn your head slightly in the direction opposite the cramp, and bend it diagonally, as if you were trying to touch your armpit with your chin. Activating the cramped muscle, when partnered with pressure, can help relax the kink.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1 through 3 about 20 times in a row. Afterward, give your neck and upper back a nice, long, just-got-out-of-bed style stretch. Complete the series throughout the day to keep your muscle relaxed.

Suns Out Guns Out Arm Toning

 

Foot Massage Therapy

 

Foot reflexology is “pressure therapy” and involves applying focused pressure to certain known reflex points located in the foot to cure or prevent disease. Foot reflexology is based on the premise that our nerve zones or reflex points go from the bottom of our feet to the top of our head, encompassing all vital organs on the way. A well-trained reflexologist can put pressure on different meridians or energy lines on the sole and side of the feet to determine the cause of illness.

Foot massages are one of the best techniques to relax a person and to increase the flow of oxygen and blood within the body. A professional massage therapist will apply pressure on various reflex points and never endings and as a result toxins are expelled from the body and energy is regained. While foot massages are very useful in helping the body, it can also cause some side-effects as well. Some people develop cold or flue symptoms from the toxins that were released during the foot massage. Typically after any type of massage a person should drink a lot of water to help get rid of the toxins and to prevent from cold or flu like symptoms.

Often people are more relaxed with getting a foot massage as opposed to a full body massage. According to reflexology practitioners, reflex points on your feet and hands correspond to your whole body, so stimulating those points helps release tension and gives you a felling of overall well-being. Below is a picture of pressure points and what they could cure.

Workplace Chair Massage

Today, many companies are increasingly turning to onsite chair massages at the office, for its proven benefits to their employees. 

Chair massages are performed using a specially designed massage chair that is comfortable for employees to sit in and give the massage therapist the ability to work on their neck, shoulders, back, arms, and hands. Because employees remain fully clothed, the chair massage sessions takes less time and less cost than full table massages. The onsite chair massages have become a popular way to offer the benefits of a professional massage to the general workplace.

Tight muscles cause by stress and sitting behind a desk all day can impede blood and lymph flow through the body. The result is decreased energy and susceptibility to repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel. Chair massages helps the circulatory problems inherent with office work and offers a rejuvenating break for the employees.

Got A Headache? Try Trigger Point Massage

 

A Trigger Point is a hypersensitive spot in a muscle that when stimulated, produces pain that is referred in a predictable pattern usually away from the Trigger Point.

Trigger Point is often used when a client has been in an accident –automobile, fall, stress strain from lifting and many others.  Trigger Point is used to treat other kinds of headaches as well-migraines, cluster.

When the injury is still acute, muscles have not had time to develop patterns of bracing and splinting, which can lead to postural distortions the body uses to “accommodate”, or “mask” pain.

Inactivating Trigger Points in the trapezius muscle may relieve headaches in a short amount of treatments.  Trigger Point sessions may include a specific at home exercise program.  The combination of the two can speed up healing time to become free of pain.

Migraine headaches often start during the teen years and people suffer for years with them.  Trigger point has been shown to be effective in reducing and in some cases completely eliminating the pain without medication.

Sometimes headaches can be caused by problems in the neck.  If the sternocleidomastoid ( you can feel this when you turn your head to the left or right, it is the muscle running vertically from the front up the neck up into the head).  Some of the symptoms of problems in the neck affecting the head can be trigger points could be tearing of the eyes, runny nose, nausea, dizziness, loss of balance, and blurring and dimming vision, similar to migraine headaches.

Sometimes our jobs and our body positioning  or inappropriate head positioning, such as working at a desk with the head turned to one side and projected forward to see documents or a computer monitor can activate pain in the neck and head. 

In addition, falling asleep with the head and neck bent in a crooked position, as with the head on the armrest of a sofa or sleeping on an airplane can activate Trigger Points.

Treatment also includes identifying and eliminating perpetuating factors such as reviewing correct posture, workstation ergonomics, sleeping positions and body mechanics.  Modifications are made when necessary.  Sometimes, relieving head pain can be as simple as teaching someone how to properly adjust their car seat.

The New Face of Today’s Geriatric Massage Clients

Baby boomers the giant generation are turning 65+ at the rate of 10,000 per day.  The growing senior  population can provide a steady, specialized client base for massage therapy.

Gone are the days of “the elderly”; we can no longer use that term to apply to everyone older than 65.  We now have seniors, elders, robust seniors and robust elders.  The 65-plus age group has become an amalgam of personalities and activity levels that rival those of Generation X.

This has created a new clientele for therapists and caregivers alike; stronger, more active elders, as well as older elders.  Massage Therapists interested in adding Geriatric Massage to their services must learn to accommodate clients who have undergone surgery, have accumulated a lifetime of injuries, can’t maneuver themselves onto a massage table and might be yearning for human touch.

Geriatric massage is not simply a lighter form of Swedish massage.  It involves specialized strokes and techniques designed for aging skin and muscles.  It is crucial for therapists interested in working with old clients to learn the basics of geriatric massage before practicing their craft with this diverse group of people.

As massage therapists, it is important not to lose sight of the power our hands can contribute to clients.  When working with the older generation, this is all the more true.

In fact, this can be one of the greatest rewards of working with older clients:  We can feed the souls of our elders who may be starved for caring, friendly touch.  Touch helps humans organize information and understand the world around us, and it is essential to human happiness.  Sometimes a reassuring touch is all one needs to feel better.

The specific characteristics that is used when receiving Geriatric massage it will include:

§  A thorough intake form.  Be sure to include all physician care, medications and recent surgeries.  Also be aware a physician’s approval is sometimes necessary.

§  Shorter sessions.  A geriatric massage session sometimes lasts no longer than 30 minutes, as a longer session may be too much for an elderly person.

§  Utilize special hands-on work.  The massage techniques used for middle-aged clients often prove inappropriate for older adults.

§   For example no long stripping strokes should be used on old clients, as the skin thins with age.

§  Fluffing is the proper technique to use, so as to not tear or bruise the skin.

§  Always starting with the feet with all strokes moving upward toward the heart.

§  Do not use stretching techniques.

Massage therapy benefits seniors just as it does any massage client.  Including improved blood and lymph circulation; faster healing; pain relief; restored range of motion and flexibility; reduced anxiety, tension and stress; relief from depression; and enhanced immune function.

Additionally, geriatric massage offers specific benefits including:

§  Boosts Memory – repetitive touch can help the elderly, especially those with Alzheimer’s retain some body memory, which in turn might trigger the recall of other memories

§  Soothing for Alzheimer’s patients – Alzheimer’s Association recommends using massage to sooth an Alzheimer’s patient who has become irritated and aggressive.

§  Physiological gains – a 2004 research found changes in blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin values and respiratory rate in patients as a result of being touched by a nurse.

§  Better sleep, relief from arthritis and chronic pain , increased recovery time from surgeries, better circulation, lower blood pressure and relief from some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

8 Easy Stretches to Improve Posture

 

8 Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

 

The benefits of deep tissue massage therapy is similar to Swedish massage, but the deeper pressure is beneficial in releasing chronic muscle tension. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).

Unlike Swedish massage, which has a relaxing effect and uses lighter pressure, deep tissue massage is done using deep finger pressure with strokes that are firm and slow. Deep tissue massage has several therapeutic effects and can be used to treat many different conditions. This type of massage is ideal for the treatment of major muscle groups like the neck or lower back. It can also be used to relieve strain and treat injuries in your joints and tendons.

What To Expect

The first thing to bear in mind is that deep tissue massage is used for therapy and rehabilitation, not relaxation. So you need to be prepared to feel some discomfort during a deep tissue massage and even after. You will most probably lie on your stomach or back while the massage therapist applies various degrees of pressure on tight muscles that have issues and are lying dormant in your body.

You will experience some pain during the massage as this form of massage concentrates on relieving strain and tension from tissues that go deeper. The pain could also be because the massage uses movements against the muscles rather than moving with them. But if you think you’re experiencing intense pain, immediately inform your therapist. The best way to make the most of a deep tissue massage is to be as relaxed as you can and trust your therapist to massage your pain away. That’s why it’s important to go to a certified and experienced massage therapist for a deep tissue massage.

1. Lowers High Blood Pressure
2. Treats Back Pain
3. Helps Arthritis Pain/Symptoms
4. Muscle Rehab
5. Breaks Down Scar Tissue
6. Relieves Stress
7. Increase Joint Mobility
8. Reduces Chronic Pain

Precautions

Because of the therapeutic nature of deep tissue massage, you should be careful on some fronts before you have one. Here are a few precautions to remember:

• Do not opt for deep tissue massage if you have been diagnosed with blood clots in the past since the massage may dislodge the clots. Talk to your doctor of you have or are at risk of forming blood clots.
• Check with your doctor if you have had chemotherapy, radiation, recent surgery, or any medical condition. Also, avoid deep tissue massage if you have osteoporosis.

Some Surprising Reasons You Need Massage Therapy

 

Some Surprising Reasons You Need Massage Therapy: Let’s face it, the winter months can drag on and do terrible things to our physical and mental health. Luckily there’s an easy remedy, Massage Therapy!

Dry Skin

Massage therapy is great for your entire body, but it is especially good for your skin. When you receive your massage, the oils used will hydrate your skin. Using oils that are rich in nutrients such as vitamin E, jojoba, sesame, primrose, and almond will help introduce moisture into your skin.

Mental Stimulation

How does massage actually work all these wonders in our brains and bodies? A deep tissue massage stimulates receptors to different areas in the brain.  It requires the massage therapist to go deeper into the layers of muscle and soft tissue where the stronger connections to the brain are found. When the brain receives these signals from the muscles, neurotransmitters and proteins are released to benefit the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems.

Muscle Rejuvenation

A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people — both athletes and health professionals – have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect.

Why You Need To Try A Student Massage

You might be thinking that you would rather go to a professional to get a massage than going to a massage student . By the time you are done reading this post, you might change your mind.

Cost

On average, people spend nearly $60 for an hour long massage. This average can change dramatically depending on where you live – it also depends on why you are getting a massage, for reasons such as therapy or stress relief. By going to a massage student, it is only cost what ever you are comfortable tipping for 60 minutes. That can be significantly less than that of a professional therapist. If you have always wanted a massage but never wanted to spend the money on it, going to massage student would be the best option for you.

Experience

The famous saying, “practice makes perfect,” definitely applies here. If you go to a professional, who has been out of school for a very long time, they will most likely make you feel awesome – that doesn’t mean that they are doing it correctly, though. Over the years they may have found different ways to cut corners.
Students are in their learning prime; they are constantly going over the correct form and techniques for massages in their everyday classes. Getting massaged by someone who is currently going through the curriculum will help make sure the procedures are as accurate as possible.

Same Benefits

Whether you go to a student or a professional, the benefits are the same. You will get a great massage and feel revitalized after the session. When getting a massage on a regular basis, you will see improvement in your health and wellness.

Wouldn’t you rather pay a tip for a massage with a student rather than $60, and you are receiving treatment from someone who is actively getting trained to do a good job? It’s a no brainer, of course you would.

Massage Therapy for Thyroid Health

 

Signs of a Challenged Thyroid

The term hypothyroidism encompasses any condition witnessing the thyroid gland’s inability to produce adequate levels of hormones known as T3 and T4. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune inflammatory condition that destroys the thyroid gland, is the leading cause of hypothyroidism. The other major cause indicates a broad medical treatment term that includes surgical procedures to remove all or a portion of the thyroid. Removal of cancerous tissue in thyroid cancer patients is a prime example of this cause.

Major signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue; muscle weakness; fluctuations in weight without an obvious reason; dry, thinning hair; rough skin patching; cold intolerance; depression; abnormal menses; decreased libido; and cognitive challenges.

A patient may be difficult to diagnose by her physician due to not manifesting many of these symptoms initially. Insidious changes occur slowly, leaving a patient wondering why he feels off-balance. Most people will not think to consider their thyroid as the culprit, resulting in symptoms worsening slowly over time. Serious complications can occur, including heart failure, coma and severe depression.

The Enlarged Thyroid

Goiters, or enlarged thyroids, may be witnessed in hypothyroid patients. These result from an

overproduction of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. The constant stimulation from TSH will cause the thyroid tissues to swell. If the thyroid gland still cannot produce adequate T3 and T4 hormones, the patient will be considered to have goitrous hypothyroidism.

It is important to note that the presence of a goiter does not always equate to hypothyroidism. Other conditions featuring the development of a goiter include dietary iodine deficiency, the patient taking lithium carbonate, infectious disease, postpartum complications or a rare fibrosis condition called Riedel’s thyroiditis.

A massage client with hypothyroidism could be on one of several different medications for the treatment for hypothyroidism. The most common drug is a synthetic thyroid hormone usually sold under the brand name Synthroid or Levothroid, according to the website of the Mayo Clinic. The generic name of the drug is Levothyroxine. This drug is a synthetic form of T4 hormone (the most significant of thyroid hormones) and is used to replace one’s T4 hormone levels. Evaluation of dosage can be tricky for some patients. Proper communication with the endocrinologist is key to determining the proper dosage daily. An annual evaluation of the drug’s effectiveness is expected as well.

The half-life of Levothyroxine is six to seven days, meaning it takes this time period for the drug serum levels to drop significantly enough to become insufficient in the patient. Because of such a long half-life, massage therapists must communicate effectively with the client to determine how the drug is affecting the client at the time of massage treatment.

Common side effects of Levothyroxine and other hypothyroid medications include chest pain, changes in menses, headache, fatigue, heat intolerance, hives, facial swelling, breathing challenges, fainting and tremors, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website. Overdosing symptoms include changes in consciousness, skin pallor, vertigo, changes in pulse, confusion and sudden headaches, aphasia and apraxia. It is important for massage therapists to recognize these signs and symptoms with their hypothyroid clients.

Massage Therapy for Thyroid Health

Massage therapy and related bodywork can benefit the hypothyroid patient in many profound ways. First, a significant reduction in the patient’s symptoms can be witnessed with the usage of acupressure. This benefit was demonstrated by a research study in Russia conducted in 2011. Reflexology and Gua Sha technique were also utilized in this study involving Chinese medicine theory in addressing hypothyroidism.

A second benefit of massage therapy for the hypothyroid patient is aiding improved blood and lymphatic circulation. Since proper blood and lymphatic flow is vital for all endocrine organs, the thyroid could benefit from improved circulation.

Reduced inflammation is a third benefit derived from massage therapy and related bodywork. Research through the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California, and McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, indicates that massage therapy may create a result similar to anti-inflammatory medications at a cellular level. This benefit will aid the hypothyroid patient with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or similar inflammatory concerns.

A fourth benefit of massage treatment is reduced stress within the body. This benefit can decrease cortisol and other stress hormones to help manage weight healthily.

Finally, increasing muscle strength will combat the fatigue and weakness often felt by the hypothyroid patient. A Swedish massage including a large percentage of petrissage strokes can enhance the size, strength and stamina of muscle tissue. Massage Therapy for Thyroid Health can be beneficial and is a valuable technique to learn. 

 

Please note that the information presented here is not intended to replace advice from a medical professional.

4 Massage for Sciatica Tricks

 

What is Sciatica Pain?

Sciatica is characterized by pain, tingling, or numbness going down the leg from the lower back.  It is common for the pain to be on only one side of the body, but in some cases, both sides can be affected. The pain can be down the front, back or side of the leg. Weakness, numbness, and tingling may also occur in the leg or foot. Lower back pain is sometimes present.

Where is the Sciatic Nerve Located?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest spinal nerve in the body. This nerve starts at the back of the pelvis (sacrum), the sciatic nerve then runs from the back, under the buttock, and downward through the hip area into each leg, and then branches out into the lower legs and feet.

What Causes Sciatic Nerve Pain?

 

There are a number of common causes including:

• Bulging Disc or Herniated Disc: This occurs when the soft jelly interior of the disc pushes out through a tear in the exterior disc.
• Trauma: Such as sports injuries, car or motorcycle accidents
• Spinal Tumors: Although rare, a tumor can cause compression on the sciatic nerve.
• Spondylolisthesis: Usually affects the lumbar spine, where one vertebra slips over another.
• Piriformis Syndrome: This develops when muscles spasm in the Piriformis muscle and compress the sciatic nerve.
• Spinal Stenosis: Nerve compression disorder
• Pelvic injury or fracture: Falling or even twisting the pelvis while lifting can cause sciatic pain.

How is Sciatica Diagnosed?

Your doctor diagnoses sciatica through a physical and medical history. Medical tests may be ordered including x-rays, CT scans or MRI’s to help determine the potential cause of the problem.

Common Forms of Treatment

There are numerous treatment options for sciatica based on the origin of the problem. Treatments include, but are not limited to:

• Chiropractic Care
• Acupuncture
• Acupressure
• Yoga
• Massage
• Ice or Heat
• Topical Preparations
• Muscle Relaxants
• Pain Relievers
• Exercise
• Physical Therapy
• Pilates
• Radio Frequency Infections (RF Therapy)
• Surgery

4 Simple Massage Techniques at Home For Relief

Finding a massage therapist familiar with sciatica is a wonderful option. Give us a call at Renaissance College and one of our trained therapists can help you. Ask them about specific stretches and self-massage that you can do at home to provide relief when you need it.

1. Palm and Thumb Massage

1. Place the palms of your hands on your lower back. Rub the pelvic area towards your spine and down towards your buttocks.
2. Next, place your hands at your waist with your thumbs on the ropelike muscles near the spine. Wrap your fingers around your sides.
3. Using your thumbs, apply a firm and steady pressure toward the spine on the outer edges of the ropey muscles, so that your thumbs are about four inches apart.
4. Apply pressure without causing discomfort.

2. Tennis Ball Massage

1. Using tennis balls is an easy way to apply acupressure to your lower back.
2. Place the two tennis balls close together in a towel or sock. Place them on the floor.
3. Sit down on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, place the balls behind you.
4. Gradually recline your body until you are lying on your back on the floor, with the balls on the sore area of your back. Rest in this position if you can for one minute.
5. When the back tension is relieved, move the balls to another area of your back.
6. Slowly roll onto your side into a comfortable fetal position, using your arm under your head (as a pillow). Rest in this position for five minutes before getting up.

3. Knuckle Pressure

1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Make fists and carefully place them on the left and right side of your lower back.
3. Position your fists so your palms are facing down and your knuckles are against your back.
4. Your fists should be between the spine and your lower back muscles. Rest in this position if you can for one minute.
5. Slowly roll onto your side into a comfortable fetal position, using your arm under your head (as a pillow). Rest in this position for five minutes before getting up.

4. Sciatica Stretches

Check out this video:

SciaticaTreatment.net

Consider Investing in Personal Care Equipment

If you have any type of back, hip or leg pain, you might consider purchasing some items to help relieve the pain with acupressure.

• Tennis Balls as described in #1 above.
• Kong Dog Toy: This wedge-shaped toy can be placed under your hip, while you lie on your side. It increases pressure as you roll on it.
• Spinal Roller – This hard tube is covered with a thick foam. These work well for hip pain.
• Knobble – This is for a more focused pressure applied to specific spots on the hip.
• Body Back Buddy – This is my favorite tool for acupressure. It is an S-shaped tool with knobs of various sizes and shapes for different pressure points on the body.

When Moving Hurts

The challenge with sciatica and with any type of pain is movement. Lying or sitting down for extended periods of time can cause muscles to become stiff and weak. Exercise will increase blood flow, provide additional oxygen to the body and as the muscles warm up, they will also loosen up.

If exercise is a challenge, consider something with a low impact such as swimming, water aerobics or yoga. As always, before taking up any exercise or self-treatment talk with your health practitioner first.