Do you find yourself with the winter doldrums? Are you feeling a little down from the lack of sun in your life? Then pick up a bottle of sunshine in the form of Lemon oil from Young Living! This lovely little oil has antidepressant effects (helps you feel happy:), it promotes clarity of thought, it is invigorating and warming and has been found to dramatically improve mental accuracy and concentration! Lemon is also a natural antiseptic, an immune system stimulant (by increasing white blood cells) and it is shown to improve memory and relaxation! In your next massage incorporate some of this happy oil or call me and order your own to boost your spirits through these winter months.
Pan Away is an essential oil blend from Young Living that includes wintergreen, helichrysum, clove and peppermint. It is a natural anesthetic, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant. It can help regenerate nerves and it is a natural pain reliever. It can help alleviate nerve/muscle pain and or soreness from sprains and strains. It can also help relax a stiff neck or an overworked muscle from your latest workout! It is also helpful in reducing joint pain from arthritis, and it is useful with circulatory disorders! If you are experiencing any of these issues, feel free to call to order it or request it in your next massage!
Do you suffer from pain on the sole of your foot, especially first thing in the morning? Well, you could be suffering from plantar fasciitis, also known as plantar heel syndrome. Luckily this is a common pathology that can be alleviated through deep tissue massage.
Usually with plantar fasciitis, the pain is worse in the morning and when coming up on the toes of the affected foot. The muscles are often tender to the touch and may even contain trigger points. While there is limited knowledge on what clinical treatment is effective for plantar fasciitis, massage therapy and stretching are viewed as first-line interventions.
Massage therapy to the plantar flexor (major ankle) muscles is common in patients with plantar fasciitis; however, a recent study has shown that deep tissue massage of the calf muscles reduces plantar fasciitis symptoms as well. This clinical trail, based at on outpatient physical therapy clinic in Israel, was published in the journal Manual Therapy in September 2013.
The study compared massage intervention to ultra sound, which is commonly used in physical therapy treatments. Researchers found that deep massage of the calf combined with stretching improves the function of patients with plantar fasciitis more so than ultrasound and stretching. Luckily, ten minutes of deep pressure massage easily fits into most therapeutic massage sessions.
While regular self-stretching is dependent on the commitment of the individual, massage therapists at Heidi’s Healing Hands are skilled in trigger point and deep tissue massages. Even though massage therapy combined with regular stretching is not a cure for plantar fasciitis, they are effective and necessary steps towards alleviating pain.
To read more about the clinical trail visit MassageToday. To find out how Heidi’s Healing Hands can help your plantar fasciitis, stop in or visit our website!
Did you know that thoracic outlet syndrome is rarely found in people under the age of 20?
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition whereby symptoms are produced from the compression of nerves or blood vessels, or both, due to an inadequate passageway through an area between the collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet). This firmness can lead to pain in your shoulders and neck as well as numbness in your fingers and weakness in extremities.
While thoracic outlet syndrome can be a result of a car accident, repetitive injuries from job or sports related activities or even pregnancy, doctors usually cannot determine a single cause. Therefore, beginning with conservative therapy is incredibly smart, beneficial and safe.
Massage therapy is an extremely efficient method to help loosen the tight muscles that are causing you pain, by stretching the tissues between the collarbone and first rib. Therapists working on a patient with thoracic outlet syndrome will focus on relaxing the muscles that cause poor posture, checking for areas of extreme tension as well as testing for trigger points. Doctors might suggest physical therapy in combination with massage therapy to strengthen the muscles and reduce tension.
Luckily, thoracic outlet syndrome can also be prevented by regular massage therapy. Massage therapists can loosen and relax the tissues around the shoulders and neck before thoracic outlet syndrome has a chance to develop.
Did you know, according to the American College of Rheumatology, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects anywhere from 4-10 million Americans?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a common disorder that causes numbness, pain and weakness in the wrists and hands, is often found in adults as a result of compression of a nerve in the wrist. It is most common in older adults and, unfortunate for us women, females are three times more likely to develop the syndrome.
I have great news though: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can easily be treated and prevented with massage!
While the usual solution for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is surgery, massage offers a less invasive alternative with comparable results. The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine explains the process well in stating, “massage therapy that is used for alleviating pain does so by relieving the pressure on the nerve and increasing the micro-vascular blood supply to the nerves so that the pain is lessened. The massage therapy is affected by frequent massage of the hand, the anterior musculature, the forearm flexors and the wrist.”
By coming in for regular appointments, I cannot only help relieve pain for patients currently suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but I can help everyone with massage for prevention. Additionally, I am happy to teach my patients self-massage techniques to use at home and on a daily basis!
Massage is not only great for preventing and treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but other syndromes such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a disorder causing pain in the shoulders and neck.
Contact me today to learn more about massage as an alternative form of treatment for common syndromes!
