The Healthy Fix

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and Muscle Spasm

adminjg — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:24:00 +0000

Everyday activities basically determine just how and where we develop Repetitive Strain Injury and the inevitable Muscle Spasm relationship that develops. Tasks we perform over and over – static, awkward positions we assume daily are at the root of the problem. Does this sound familiar? And it doesn’t happen out-of-the-blue as much as it seems – it’s usually accumulative. We just don’t always recognize it, or rather, we foolishly ignore it. The problem is, the more we dismiss the irritant, the worse the condition becomes. This is generally when we meet you.

Jaw Pain and TMJ

adminjg — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:21:14 +0000

Jaw pain – Temporo Mandibular Joint Syndrome or TMJ. Massage Therapy can often be the solution to seemingly unrelated problems. TMJ-related tension headaches is an excellent example. Patients that we have seen are often surprised that muscle imbalance and tightness in their jaw muscles are directly contributing to their headaches. In many cases, patients may experience referral pains (pain patterns remote from the source) in parts of their head or jaw. Invariably, toothache, root canal, or wisdom tooth involvement is suspected. Thorough evaluation from a dentist via X-ray and/or palpatory findings often rules this out. Tooth wear may also indicate bruxism – stress induced grinding of the teeth usually in your sleep. A good Massage Therapist too can usually quantify likely causes. And a good dentist will tell you in these situations, “It’s not the tooth…”

The good news is in most cases, once identified, the condition can quickly be remedied. We have had cases where one treatment session has immediately resolved the condition. Others may take longer but rarely has no improvement been noted. Both intra-oral and extra-oral* work is indicated as the structures involved may only be accessed in this fashion. PLUS, this approach is exponentially more effective. Once symptoms decrease, an individualized exercise program is demonstrated to the patient and given as self-care, and it doesn’t involve gum chewing. Resistance exercises are also incorporated into the treatment session and progress is charted. Any and all contributing or aggravating factors are identied, eliminated, and at the very least, modifed to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Just remember… it may not be the dreaded toothache or wisdom tooth acting up on us. It may be TMJ mimicking a dental emergency…

* intra-oral work is done inside the mouth, wherein (non) latex gloves are used much to that of a dentist, while extra-oral work is done on the outside of the mouth.

Swedish Massage

adminjg — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Swedish Massage employs a series of long, gliding strokes, kneading of the muscles, and vibrational taps that are so common when one thinks of massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking. These strokes may be applied to encourage blood circulation, relaxation or stimulation of muscles and nerves, reduce stiffness in joints and connective tissue and provide a therapeutic outcome. Therapists use massage oils and lotions to achieve these smooth, long and deep strokes to reduce friction. Swedish Massage principles and techniques are taught in the top Massage Therapy Colleges.

Sports Injuries

adminjg — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:58:06 +0000

Sports bring out the best and worst in us, and when we fall, we fall hard. Every type of injury can result from our relentless pursuit of bettering our performance, setting personal goals, or just having fun.

One way to encourage muscle repair during and after training is with Sports Massage. Sports Massage will help release any built up tension and lactic acid in the overworked muscles so that blood and oxygen can return to the muscle and effectively promote muscle repair. More

Trigger Point Therapy

adminjg — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:22:42 +0000

A trigger point is a hyper-irritable spot usually within a taut band of skeletal muscle or its fascia that is painful on compression and can give rise to characteristic referred pain, tenderness, and autonomic phenomena – they reduce full range of motion by preventing full lengthening of the muscle.

Trigger Point Therapy releases these spots by using repetitive muscle stripping, ischemic compression, and the cold distraction technique “spray and stretch.”

Immunity Boost

adminjg — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:51:48 +0000

Don’t like getting sick? A recent study showed that people who received a Swedish massage on a regular basis were less likely to get a winter cold.

Five Surprising Benefits of Massage

We know a massage feels good, but it can have a host of therapeutic advantages, too.

Newseek Magazine: The newest cure-all may be an ancient one: simple touch. The Chinese have been using massage for all kinds of medical conditions for centuries. Now, Western research is confirming that massage isn’t just for muscle pain. One of the most surprising findings: massage may help premature babies gain weight. When Tiffany Field, a professor of pediatrics, became a new mother, she massaged her premature infant daughter and was so impressed with the results she later founded the Touch Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Massage, it turns out, may boost immunity and help people with a range of conditions from premenstrual syndrome to high blood pressure. It also seems to help soothe pain from arthritis, burns and even surgery. Here are five surprising facts about massage from the research findings at TRI and elsewhere that you can put to use:

1. Pick Your Spot: You don’t have to massage the part of the body that hurts most. If you’re shy about letting a friend touch your aching lower back, for instance, she could help by massaging your shoulders instead. This is because massage creates chemical changes that reduce pain and stress throughout the body. One way it does this is by reducing a brain chemical called substance P that is related to pain. In a TRI study, for example, individuals with a form of muscle pain called fibromyalgia showed less substance P in their saliva (and they reported reduced pain) after a month of twice-weekly massages.

2. De-Stress, Stay Healthy. Massage may boost immunity. Several studies have measured the stress hormone called cortisol in subjects’ saliva before and after massage sessions, and found dramatic decreases. Cortisol, which is produced when you are stressed, kills cells important for immunity, so when massage reduces your stress levels and hence the cortisol in your body, it may help you avoid getting a cold or another illness while under stress.

3. Blood Pressure Benefits: Massage reduces hypertension, suggests a good deal of research. This may be because it stimulates pressure receptors that prompt action from the vagus nerve, one of the nerves that emerges from the brain. The vagus nerve regulates blood pressure, as well as other functions. In a 2005 study at the University of South Florida, hypertension patients who received 10 massages of 10 minutes each over three weeks showed significant improvements in blood pressure compared to a control group who simply rested in the same environment without any massage.

4. Technique Tactics: There’s little evidence to support one kind of massage over another, says Field, so don’t worry about whether your therapist is schooled in Shiatsu, Swedish or some other technique. The key is pressure firm enough to make a temporary indentation in the skin. If you try massage with a partner, use massage oil, which you can find in a health-food store or pharmacist, but test a little on your skin first to make sure you are not allergic.

5. Self Help. You can massage yourself. Although you don’t have to massage the part of the body that hurts to relieve pain, targeting that area does tend to help more. One example is massaging the arms. If you’re in danger of developing inflamed nerves in your hands or arms from repetitive movements (like typing on a keyboard, or even gripping a steering wheel for hours at a time) try massaging your arms for 15 minutes a day. Stroke from the wrist to the elbow and back down on both sides of the forehand.

Originally published in Newsweek Magazine.

Massage Therapy Benefits

adminjg — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:42:14 +0000

Who benefits? The question is who doesn’t?

In fact there are very few instances where therapeutic massage does not provide some form of relief.

People of all ages with all types of different conditions can, and do, benefit from massage treatments, and most of them will experience improvement in their condition during their initial visit.

Certain conditions do have specific contra-indications but these can all be modified to provide a safe and effective outcome. For example, certain massage techniques are ill-advised as courses of treatment in cases such as recent burns, severe/unstable hypertension, and post-injection sites amongst various others.

General benefits include:

speedy recovery from injury
a diminishing of chronic pain
a reduction of tension headaches
general relaxation
an increase in flexibility and range of motion
a calming of the nervous system
strengthening of the immune system
promotes healthy skin
improvement in quality of sleep

See Conditions for more information.

Deep Tissue Massage

adminjg — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:10:56 +0000

Deep Tissue Massage is performed to help release restrictions within the layers of the body’s muscles (or myofascia). Proper technique, care, and strength by the therapist maximizes its effectiveness to gradually penetrate into the deeper underlying tissues and to minimize patient discomfort. When applied properly, chronic adhesions and myofascial restrictions can be isolated and suitably addressed. Deep Tissue Massage is basically a more aggressive form of Swedish Massage and a good patient-therapist raport is vital to stay within a tolerable pain zone for the patient.

Electrotherapy, Laser Therapy, IFC, and TENS

adminjg — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:13:50 +0000

Electricity has been used to treat pain for over 100 years. Scientific studies have proven that electricity can reduce both acute and chronic pain.

Several different electrical stimulation devices exist, each producing different frequencies, waveforms, and effects. Electrical modalities include:

* Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) (the most commonly used)

* Interferential Current (IFC)

Electrical stimulation may directly block transmission of pain signals along nerves. In addition, electrical stimulation has been shown to promote the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers produced by the body.

Phototherapy or Laser Therapy is “a therapeutic physical modality, using photons (light energy) from the visible and infrared spectrum for tissue healing and pain reduction”, as defined by the North American Association of Laser Therapy (NAALT). Also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), cold or soft Laser Therapy, low energy Laser Therapy or simply Laser Therapy, the therapeutic light energy can be produced by either LED (light emitting diodes), SLD (superluminous diodes, or super bright LEDs), or low-level laser diodes.

The Fix uses Laser Therapy in conjunction with Massage to encourage a speedier recovery from ailments (such as soft tissue injury) and to treat chronic problems (such as arthritic joints). In most cases, our findings and scientific studies indicate that this form of treatment compliments the Massage component well.

Stress and Anxiety

adminjg — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:25:02 +0000

We all experience Stress in our lives, it’s normal. The trick is learning how to manage it. Sometimes stress levels can increase to the point where it negatively affects our lives. When we feel threatened (stressed) our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is stimulated. If the threat of stress is removed after a short time, there is no problem. But continued Stress moves the body out of balance. Stress can build up in our bodies much like snow accumulating on a mountain. Sometimes it just takes a little thing to set off an avalanche.

While not everyone has the same reaction to Stress, elevated levels of Stress generally translate into an inability to function at your peak, resulting in poorer grades. Numerous scientific studies have shown Massage Therapy to be highly effective in reducing stress levels as well as having a host of other very impressive health benefits.

Anxiety is not fear or stress (though it may be related to those two!). Fear and stress both have specific contributing factors that can be identified. Anxiety’s cause is usually much harder to find. Anxiety is also a continuum, from everyday worry to panic, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, and post-traumatic stress.

There are many ways to relieve Stress and Anxiety and it is important to learn what works for you. For many, a stress-reducing massage session is an excellent tool for coping. By using a variety of hands-on techniques, a skilled Therapist can help reduce Stress by affecting the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and repose). Massage can help you relax, get back into balance, step back, and get refreshed and energized so you can go back to productive work.