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Help Me Help You!

howtomassagetherapy

I was talking with a client the other day and I was telling them why I am passionate about what I do and I realized that it has taken me 5 years to figure out how to effectively communicate what separates me from other massage therapists out there! So here goes my new and improved mission statement. 🙂

I am a perfectionist and very thorough! I carry that into every massage with each of my clients. I always want people to leave their massage with me feeling like they are better, healed or on the mend from whatever brought them into my massage studio.

I am dedicated to meeting each one of my client’s personal goals and needs for his or her massage. I don’t have a routine that I am stuck in that is the same for every client. I listen to each person and set up an individualized plan to help them reach their goals. Whether it is a need to just relax from an intense workweek, preparing for an upcoming athletic event, helping a mother through her pregnancy, to releasing chronic pain or injury rehab! I am committed to listening and working with my clients to help them have the best massage they’ve ever had, because it is exactly what they want! Everyone is different in his or her preferences and needs. That is what keeps my job so interesting and challenging! I love it.

If you are tired of feeling like you have been subjected to what your therapist wants to do, or that you are not improving after your bodywork, give me a call and I will do my best to listen to you and create a plan to help you feel better and reach your goal of a soothed, healed and healthy body!

~Heidi

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Raindrop Therapy

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This is the newest addition to my variety of modalities. I am excited to share this technique with you because I believe it can be a powerful tool to keep your body healthy! I enjoy adding new tricks to put up my sleeve and learning new ways of helping my clients live life well! So what’s so great about this type of massage? Well, here is an overview of what it is and why it is an awesome modality to use in your next massage!

Raindrop Therapy is based on the theory that many types of scoliosis and spinal misalignments are caused by viruses or bacteria that lie dormant along the spine. These pathogens are thought to create inflammation, which in turn, contorts and disfigures the spinal column resulting in weaken body systems. Raindrop therapy helps enable you to restore balance and normal function to weak body systems.

This technique combines aromatherapy with Vita Flex massage. Carefully selected essential oils are dropped directly onto and next to areas of the spine as well as the insides of the feet. The oils are gently massaged into these areas where they work to align and detoxify the spine and back tissues.

The essential oils used in the Raindrop Massage have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They promote back and spine health by aiding in detoxification. These essential oils help the body rid itself of the viruses, bacteria and toxins that cause inflammation, pain and disfigurement in the spine.

Each of the nine essential oils used in Raindrop Massage provide specific benefits. Although other oils may be added to customize treatments, the following are the nine primary oils used in the Raindrop Massage technique, along with some of their beneficial properties:

1. Thyme: strong antiseptic, antimicrobial, revitalizing and energizing

2. Oregano: highly antimicrobial and antiviral

3. Wintergreen: antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, eases bone, muscle and joint discomfort

4. Cypress: anti-infectious, antispasmodic, increases circulation

5. Peppermint: soothes digestion, improves concentration, promotes mental clarity

6. Basil: relaxes muscles, soothing

7. Marjoram: soothes muscles, calms nerves, antimicrobial, antiseptic

8. Valor: helps to balance the body, promotes balance and alignment

Aroma Siez: relaxes muscles, soothes aching or sore muscles

It is a great idea to receive one of these massages right before each season change. You know how you get the “sniffles” or a cold right when it turns a little cooler from summer to fall or winter to spring etc.? Well these 9 different therapeutic oils applied to your spine can help “kick out” those nasty little viruses that would try to come and get you ill up while your immune system is down due to the weather change! So get a leg up on the cold & flu season and book a Raindrop Therapy massage with me!

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Rotator Cuff Stuff!

Today I want to talk about Anatomy and Physiology a little bit. I am going to focus on your rotator cuff, AKA: your shoulder muscles. Your shoulder is a ball in socket joint that is entirely held in place with muscles, tendons and ligaments. Obviously we use our shoulders constantly whether for driving, carrying loads or equipment, even typing & using a mouse or just reaching for things! All of us say we carry our tension in our neck and shoulders, and it is my passion… nay my calling to help you live life well! Part of that is helping your muscles go back to their healthy, natural state that they already want to go back to for you!

  • Muscle Whisperer

My goal is that you will never get a massage from me and leave feeling like it was ineffective! I had a new client recently tell me that after I worked on them that, “all the other massages that they had ever had before were ineffective and insignificant!”

My “Muscle Whispering” Technique includes a variety of therapies but today I want to focus on specifically  Neuromuscular Therapy or Muscle Activation Technique. This is one of the most effective forms of massage that I utilize. It involves me applying pressure to the muscle group while the client activates the muscle slightly and then releases. This causes the fibers to work and then let go a little bit more every time until it has fully let go!

Now, I never want anyone to feel that they are subjected to what I want to do or my agenda! I always use a pressure scale with my clients & communicate with them throughout the massage because honestly sometimes less is more!

Ok, so the rotator cuff is made up of the SITS muscles or Supra Spinatus, Infra Spinatus, Teres Minor and Subscapularis. This is where they are located

  • Scapula has a lateral spine ~ Supra above and Infra below
  • Teres is on the lowest part of the scapula. But it is the “Humdinger” of the 4 in my opinion! When that thing gets overtaxed it can single-handedly lock up the whole rotator cuff causing major pain and really limited range of motion!
  • The Subscapularis is located “under” the Scapula, so in your armpit!

Really quickly I am going to have you all try a little Neuromuscular Therapy on yourselves for your rotator cuff! Lift your right arm out to your side like you are going to wave to someone. Your arm should be 90 degrees from your body. Now put your left thumb into the bottom of your armpit! Rotate your arm down to the table and while pushing into your armpit press your hand into the table slightly. That is your subscapularis! This muscle works so hard and it will be sore, so be nice to it! If your do this a couple times you will feel it begin to let go or relax!

So when someone comes in to see me and is complaining of decreased range of motion, weakness, numbness or tingling, pain or cramping of any area of the shoulder or arm I will automatically work the whole rotator cuff or SITS muscles.
I have seen more often than not, immediate improvement after a massage, from little to no pain and increased range of motion and eventually total recouperation. Many people have come to me as a last ditch effort before they check out surgery! So if you are dealing with any of these symptoms or if you hear anyone complaining of any kind of shoulder pain send them into Heidi’s Healing Hands your “Muscle Whisperer”!

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Essential Oils

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I have recently been introduced to essential oils and I have been incorporating them in my massages as my clients ask. But not just any essential oils, Young Living Essential Oils. 🙂 They are the best of the best, top of the line, purest of the pure oils produced! I actually am highly sensitive to fragrences and purfumes and have shied away from using oils the last 5 years because of that problem and not wanting my clients to have the same issue.

But after having several requests to carry and utilize oils in massages, I did some research and found a dear woman who is a distributer and fell in love with the products! Since this company is so dedicated to keeping their products pure, I know that I am applying only the oil of the pure herb, fruit, plant that is in the bottle. Since the skin is the biggest organ in the body I believe that it is immensely important what is applied to it!

So now that you know why I back this company, I would like to tell you why I am so excited to use them. 🙂 Each oil has specific health properties and uses, for example, Lavender is used for restlessness, insomnia, nervousness, and depression. It is also used for a variety of digestive complaints including meteorism (abdominal swelling from gas in the intestinal or peritoneal cavity), loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, intestinal gas (flatulence), and upset stomach.

Some people use lavender for painful conditions including migraine headaches, toothaches, sprains, nerve pain, sores, and joint pain. It is also used for acne and cancer, and to promote menstruation.

Lavender is applied to the skin for hair loss (alopecia areata) and pain, and to repel mosquitoes and other insects.

Some people add lavender to bathwater to treat circulation disorders and improve mental well being.

By inhalation, lavender is used as aromatherapy for insomnia, pain, and agitation related to dementia.

In foods and beverages, lavender is used as a flavor component.
Just to name a few uses! And that is just one oil!! So come in & see me and we will see what an oil or two can do for you. 🙂

~ Heidi

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TMJ Massage

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TMJ syndrome is short for temporolmandibular joint syndrome and it is a fairly common problem for many people. Some estimate that as many as 1 in 4 people suffer from it! TMJ is usually caused by teeth grinding or clenching, but it can also be caused by having one dominant chewing side, a whiplash Injury to the neck, and repetitive chewing or consistent gum chewing. The symptoms may begin by including headaches, earaches, toothaches, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizzines and then eventually leading to the full TMJ syndrome which is the slow, painful failure of jaw joint function.

Well, that sounds aweful! The good news is that it is possible to help get your jaw back in shape with TMJ specific massage techniques. I have seen relief and significant improvement with my clients by utilizing this approach using Trigger Point and Neuromuscular therapies.

The muscles that I incorporate in my TMJ specific massages are the temporalis, masseter, lateral pterygoid, and medial pterygoid facial muscles. But there is also evidence that points to the trapezius, sub occipitals and SCM muscles playing a key role in contributing to the syndome. When also intigrating these muscles, I have already seen a notable difference in my practice to help alliviate TMJ symptoms for my clients!

So suffer no longer! Book an appointment with me and see how good your jaw and neck feel when you leave. 🙂

http://saveyourself.ca/articles/perfect-spots/spot-07-masseter.php

http://www.jingmassage.com/articles/advanced-massage-technique-for-tmj-face-and-jaw-pain/

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