Did you know the average person spends 1/3 of their life sleeping? Sleep is vital to our health and well being. Nothing feels better than waking up from a great night’s sleep. The National Sleep Foundation reports, “Almost half of Americans say they don’t sleep well, which can negatively affect health, productivity, relationships and more.”
As a massage therapist, I see clients with a variety of aches and pains. One Read the rest of this entry →
As the use of computers increased, so have back and neck discomfort; the hallmark pain associated with having a desk job. The reason for this common problem is that it is not natural for humans to sit in the same position for prolonged periods of time, let alone all day.
Sitting in front of the computer desk for long hours can increase muscle stress and put pressure on the spine. Sitting with a rounded back does several things to cause injury and/or pain. Rounding your spine forward (slouching) when sitting holds your muscles in a longer than normal position, which weakens them. It can also slowly degenerate your discs, the little cushions between your back bones, and push the discs outward to the back. This is how discs can bulge. Holding your neck tilted forward for much of the time, or angled back with the chin jutting forward may also mechanically harm discs. Even without disc involvement, soft tissue pain from slouching is uncomfortable.
Here are a few things to be mindful of that may help you to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Read the rest of this entry →
Menopause, the point in time when a woman’s period stops permanently, is one of the most important journeys in a woman’s life. Perimenopause is the transitional period leading up to menopause which lasts an average of anywhere from 6 to 13 years. The average age for a woman to reach menopause is 52 years, but some women reach their last as early as 40 and as late as 58. The symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, heart palpitations, migraines, breast tenderness and bone loss.
The transition to menopause is created by changes in the brain and body that affect hormone levels, most notably estrogen, progesterone and/or testosterone. The severity of physical and emotional symptoms during perimenopause depend greatly on how out of balance with wellness your lifestyle has been in the years leading up to this point. If you approach menopause in a state of physical, emotional and nutritional depletion your symptoms will most likely be more severe than someone who has lead a healthy lifestyle. Read the rest of this entry →
Shin splints is a common injury/issue within the running community. It occurs primarily because of a muscle imbalance. The calf muscles are stronger than the muscles in the front of the shin. The problem comes when the tibialis anterior (front shin muscle) starts to pull away from the bone. This creates pain along the bone and if not treated can create stress fractures in the tibia.
Treatment:
The best thing to do for shin splints is rest and treat the problem. There are many ways our office can treat shin splints. From a massage perspective, we would loosen up the calf and bring the tibialis anterior back onto the bone. Graston and acupuncture are also great techniques to help alleviate the pain. Read the rest of this entry →
I’ve had the opportunity to work with many expectant mothers during my years as a massage therapist. Everyone knows that massage feels great (whether you’re pregnant or not!) and has many health benefits, but I’ve been asked the same question several times this month, and figured I’d address it in a blog: What are the benefits of prenatal massage?
Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.
Massage addresses different needs through varying techniques, which aim to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body. Prenatal massage addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy. Read the rest of this entry →
Millions of Americans suffer from arthritis, the most common of which is Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both forms of arthritis can be debilitating and quite painful to live with.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, a condition in which synovial joints (especially knees and hips), lose healthy cartilage, usually as a result of the aging process, often exacerbated by everyday activities that contribute to the thinning of the cartilage that cushions the synovial joint.
For people suffering from Osteoarthritis, a massage, combined with gentle stretching and passive range of motion exercises, can relieve pain in muscles that cross the affected joint.
Stress is a natural part of life, but what is stress? Cortisol is a steroid hormone, produced by the adrenal gland and it is released in response to stress. It is important that the body’s relaxation response be activated so the body’s functions can return to normal following a stressful event. Unfortunately, the body’s stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal, resulting in a state of chronic stress. Prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream have been shown to have negative effects, such as impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decreased bone density, decrease in muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body.
Lowering stress is important to your overall health and well-being. Try these simple tips during your hectic day to give yourself a mini break, lower stress, and quiet your mind.
Turn your shower into a relaxing ritual.
Keep your speedy suds-up-and-rinse routine, but add a small pampering element to upgrade an everyday shower into a spa experience. Trade your plain old soap for a rich body wash (pick a fragrance that reminds you of a favorite place). Or try a scented shower infuser. Toss a tablet on the tub floor; as it dissolves in the water, it will fill your bathroom with its aroma. Take a couple deep breaths to calm your nervous system and ease stress.
The longer I’ve been practicing massage, the more I’ve noticed an increase in the number of clients who come to get massage purely for stress reduction. Not only is massage good for your body, but it can help soothe your soul as well. Massage is a natural way to lower stress for those who don’t want to turn to medication, and it feels much better than swallowing a pill.
Stress is an automatic biological reaction to a real or perceived threat. The body enters a state of alertness in order to fight or flee a dangerous situation. The body tenses, breathing slows, and heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline production all increase. Ideally, this reaction subsides once the threat passes, enabling your body and mind to return to a calm and relaxed state. For many people, however, the body becomes stuck in a chronic fight-or-flight state.
This type of chronic stress takes a toll on the mind and body, causing negative symptoms such as irritability, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, weight gain, and insomnia. Chronic stress inhibits your ability to function effectively.
