Blaine Healng Arts Blog

Therapeutic Yoga

9/6/2011

Laura just got back from a 35 hour course in Therapeutic Yoga. She is now certified in Therapeutic Yoga and will be soon offering individual therapeutic yoga sessions, which combine yoga and massage.

"Therapeutic Yoga is a particularly effective practice for those recovering from, or living with, injury or illness. Therapeutic Yoga blends restorative yoga (supported postures), gentle yoga,breathwork, hands-on healing, and guided meditation techniques combined in such a way that it is an excellent choice for those who need something gentle yet effective for bringing the body into balance and reducing stress. Therapeutic Yoga is a deeply meditative experience - it provides the opportunity to step away from the busy-ness of the outside world and access the deeper wisdom that resides within us." ~www.therapeuticyoga.com

For more information visit the Therapeutic Yoga website at: http://www.therapeuticyoga.com/

0 Comments

Ice Vs Heat

6/15/2011

4 Comments

When to use ICE or HEATWe are frequently asked when to use heat and when to use ice. The basic rule is to use ice for recent injuries with swelling or inflammation and to use either heat or ice for chronic injuries.

What is Hydrotherapy?
The use of hot or cold water for therapeutic effects is hydrotherapy. Moist heat is used to enhance relaxation, treat chronic injuries and pain, and to help prepare for an activity. Ice is used to decrease swelling, relieve pain, and treat injuries. The most common question we get is when to use heat and ice, so we have provided some guidelines below to help you make your decision to use heat or ice at home. If you do use heat or ice always monitor the area under the heat or ice pack to make sure it does not get too hot or cold. Do not lay directly on heat or ice.

Stop use of hot or cold if any of the following occurs:

Dizziness
Headaches
Heart Palpitations
Hyperventilation
Fainting
Skin Sensitivity or irritation
Shivering
Nausea
Excessive redness in the area being treated
Cramping both in the area being treated and/or other areas of the body during treatment

Do not use hydrotherapy if you have any of the following conditions:

Over open wounds or rashes
If you have malignancy, lymphedema or undiagnosed conditions
If there is a possibility of internal hemorrhage
Areas with decreased circulation or numbness
Use caution during pregnancy: localized application is okay, but do not do full body immersion or apply heat or ice to the abdominal region

Ice: CryotherapyCryotherapy is the application of ice to any part of the body for a therapeutic affect. Ice can be applied to an injured or painful area or injury at any time. It is especially helpful when there is swelling or inflammation. Ice is usually applied for about 10-15 minutes every 2 hours depending on the area of the body (longer duration for areas with lots of tissue such as hips, back, and legs. Shorter duration for bonier areas such as wrists, ankles, and fingers). When you first apply the ice pack it will probably be uncomfortable and cold. After a few minutes you will feel a tingly burning sensation. Keep the ice pack on until the skin under the pack is numb to the touch. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the area.

When to use:

As soon as possible after an injury
If there is any swelling, inflammation, and/or heat at an injury site
Painful areas and injuries
After surgery
For the first 3-5 days after any kind of acute injury such as a sprain, strain, pulled muscle, post surgery, or any type of swelling
For 10-15 minutes every 2 hours at least 3 times per day (i.e. when you wake up in the morning, at lunch time, at night before bed)
On areas of chronic pain or injuries directly after an activity. Do not use ice before the activity

Benefits:

Facilitates healing
Decreases inflammation
Helps prevent further damage after an injury
Decreases muscle spasm and relieves tense muscles
Decreases pain
Causes vaso-constriction which limits blood flow and decreases pain
Offers localized analgesic affect by numbing the tissue
Interrupts the pain cycle (Gate Control Theory of Pain)

Do not use if you have the following conditions:

Areas without feeling or sensation (i.e. neuropathy, numbness)
Areas with previous frostbite
If you have hypersensitivity to cold such as Reynaud's syndrome or Lupus
Use caution if you have uncontrolled blood pressure and/or circulation issues

What to use
Always put a thin barrier between the ice pack and your skin

Our favorite: Gel ice pack in a pillow case
Ziploc bag filled with ice in a pillow case
Frozen vegetables are best when eaten rather than used as an ice pack because they do not hold cold for very long and are not the best type of ice pack...and after successive thawing and freezing they do go bad.
Disposable baby diaper soaked in water and frozen: although this may sound strange, it works very well when you have access to diapers!

Use of Ice During Massage:

Ice packs: We might use ice packs on an area of your body if there is any inflammation or swelling or after we work on a specific area. We will put an ice pack on for 8-15 minutes depending on the area.
Ice massage: ice massage is done by a massage therapist with ice directly on your skin for 3-5 minutes. We use circular motions with a small piece of ice over a specific painful area. This is often done over a muscle or tendon that we have done concentrated work on.
Immersion: this is done by placing an extremity such as a hand or foot in a bucket of ice water for 3-10 minutes to help decrease inflammation or swelling.

Heat: ThermotherapyThe application of heat to a specific area of the body is called thermotherapy. You can apply heat for 15-20 minutes depending on the area being heated. Moist heat is best because it penetrates farther into the tissue. Remove the heat if pain is increased, you start to overheat, and/or there is any cramping. Do not use heat if there is any inflammation! Don’t lie directly on the heat source. Always remember to drink lots of water because heat can be dehydrating.

When to use:

Heat works best on chronic injuries and repetitive stress injuries as long as there is no inflammation
Planter Fasciitis: Use heat on feet before walking or getting out of bed. It helps to warm up the tissue and decreases pain.
Use heat on an area of chronic pain or injury before an activity to help prepare the tissues for activity.
Use on stiff tight muscles

Benefits:

Facilitates healing (after swelling is gone)
Increases relaxation
Can decrease pain
Increases blood flow
Decreases muscle tension and spasm
Helps to soften and spread fascia so that there is more room for the muscles to move and relax
Decreases joint stiffness, which can help with range of motion
increases lymph flow

Do not use if you have the following conditions:

Areas without feeling or sensation (i.e. neuropathy, numbness)
Areas with swelling or inflammation: heat can increase swelling and inflammation, which can lead to more pain and increased healing time
Open wounds/rashes
Fever: can increase overall body temperature so do not use if you have a fever
Infection: do not use over areas with infection as it can increase and spread the infection
While sleeping
Severe arterio or artherosclerosis
Uncontrolled hypertension/high blood pressure
Thrombophlebitis
History of Hemorrhage

What to use:
Always use a barrier between the heat source and the skin

Hydrocollator packs: moist heat
Heating pad: dry heat
Thermophore: moist heat
Wet towels heated in the microwave
Hot water bottle
Whirlpools/hot tub
Steam/Dry Sauna
Hot bath

Use of Heat during Massage:

We may use heat during your massage to help relax your muscles for deeper work and for overall feeling of relaxation
Hydrocollator packs: These are clay filled packs heated in a hydrocollator filled with water. Always let us know if you get too hot!
Hot Stone Massage: This is the use of heated stones during a massage to provide an overall feeling of relaxation. Stones are placed on the body and used for massage. This is something we are planning on offering in the future.
If you want to add heat to your massage ask us!

Contrast TherapyContrast therapy is alternating heat and ice over tissue for a therapeutic affect. Heat acts as a vasodilator, which expands the capillaries and brings nutrient rich blood to the surface area. Ice is a vasoconstrictor, which contracts the capillaries and sends the blood towards the body’s core. Contrast therapy alternates expansion and contraction of the capillaries, which acts as a vascular pump/flush to help reduce edema and swelling. Contrast therapy also interrupts the pain cycle by distracting the brain receiving pain messages through contrasting hot and cold.

How to do contrast therapy

Alternately apply heat and ice: heat for 2 minutes then ice for 2 minutes for 10-20 minutes.Always begin and end with ice!

When to use:

A few days to a week after an injury when swelling has decreased and there is no heat or inflammation in the injury site.

Benefits:

Reduces edema
Flushes injury site and improves drainage of waste products
Feels good
Reduces pain
Increases circulation in tight muscles
Increases oxygen supply to soft tissue

When not to use:

Do not use in the first few days after an injury
Do not use when there is excessive swelling
The contraindications are the same as heat and ice

What to use:

Same as heat and ice

Use of Contrast Therapy During a Massage

We may use alternating ice gel packs and hydroculator packs during a massage to assist in flushing an injury.

4 Comments

Hydrotherapy

6/10/2011

0 Comments

This is a great article on hydrotherapy and the use of ice and heat both during a massage and at home:http://massagenerd.com/pdf_massage_ebooks/Hydrotherapy_Ryan_Hoyme_.pdf

0 Comments

Find us on Yelp

6/1/2011

0 Comments

http://www.yelp.com/biz/loomis-hall-massage-therapy-blaine

0 Comments

We now have a Hydrocollator!

6/1/2011

1 Comment

We now have a Hydrocollator so we can use heat during your massage. It is a great way to warm up your muscles for added relaxation!

Our next newsletter will be on when to heat and ice and the benefits of using heat and ice during a massage.

1 Comment

Massage and Pain Relief Article From AMTA

5/19/2011

1 Comment

An article summarizing recent studies on pain relief through massagehttp://www.amtamassage.org/uploads/cms/documents/MassageAndPainRelief.pdf

1 Comment

Pain Pathway Video

5/19/2011

1 Comment

I found this great video on transmission and perception of pain.

1 Comment

Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

5/16/2011

7 Comments

The experience of pain can be influenced by emotional state, stress, culture, past experiences, learned behaviors, motivation, depression, anxiety, and injury. One of our main goals as massage therapists is to help you identify where your pain is coming from and help reduce pain so that you can live without pain and discomfort. Many of us don’t know how much pain we are in on a daily basis until we experience relief from some of that pain. Pain affects all aspects of our daily life including our ability to heal, how we sleep, our interactions with others, our perception of the world around us, what we eat, how we exercise, how we feel about our selves, our work performance, and our abilities to complete our daily activities. Massage can reduce your experience of pain, which can lead to a higher quality of life and increase your ability to heal. It is an amazing and wonderful thing to live without pain!
How does massage relieve pain?

Relaxation: by providing an overall feeling of relaxation, massage helps to decrease pain associated with tight muscles, stress, and tightness.
Reconnecting with Your Body: We often get so caught up in life and what we are doing that we tend to ignore our daily aches and pains or we take medications to reduce the pain so we can keep going. Rather than treating the source of pain pain relievers and ignoring the pain can eventually lead to problems such as repetitive stress injuries. By treating the source of pain and reducing overall pain and discomfort massage helps to localize where the pain is coming from and helps you to reconnect with your body so you can learn to identify what is causing the pain. For example, after hours of typing and sitting at the computer my whole shoulder aches. While receiving a massage the muscles in my shoulders have relaxed and I notice that the pain is coming from a localized area next to my shoulder blade. Now that I know where the pain is coming from I can use ice, heat, stretching, strengthening exercises, massage, and change my posture to treat the area and reduce my overall pain.
Decrease Stress: Our bodies hold stress in a variety of places, which are usually painful/tender. By massaging these areas we are releasing the stress, which decreases pain. By decreasing the feeling and symptoms of stress, massage allows the body to relax and decrease pain caused by stress. For example, stress tension headaches are often caused by tight muscles in the neck, shoulders and face. By decreasing the tension in these muscles massage helps to decrease the frequency and severity of stress tension headaches.
Reduction of Muscle Pain: massage can reduce pain by improving tissue flexibility, increasing range of motion, and reducing muscle tension, spasms, cramps, tender points, and trigger points. For more information on what these are visit our webpage: What are Knots?
Increase Sleep: by relaxing the body, massage can lead to increased sleep, which allows the body to rest and recover from injuries, stress, and fatigue.
Endorphin Release: Massage releases endorphins, which are a pain reducing neurochemical
Injury Recovery: Massage can decrease the time it takes for the body to recover from an injury by relaxing the muscles, decreasing the formation of adhesions and scar tissue, and decreasing inflammation. When a muscle is injured the body responds by trying to protect the injured muscle. For example, the natural response to twisting an ankle is to try to stay off the injured ankle, tightening all surrounding muscles to keep the ankle stable, and to guard the injured ankle to prevent movement. The bodies responds by swelling in the injured area and surrounding areas in it’s attempt to bring nutrients to the injured area. The tense swollen tissues eventually leads to the reduction of blood flow to the area, causing a build-up of metabolic wastes, which leads to more pain and a longer healing time. By reducing inflammation through ice and/or manual lymphatic drainage more nutrients are able to get to the injured tissue and the injury is healed faster. Massage can also relax the muscles surrounding the injury, which helps to decrease over all pain and allows nutrients to move through the muscles to the injured site allowing the body to heal.
Gate Control Theory of Pain: Massage can override pain receptors in the muscles, which decreases the feeling of pain. When an injury occurs pain messages travel from nerve endings in damaged tissue through the peripheral nerves to “gates” at the spinal cord and up to the brain where the message is interpreted as pain. The speed of nerve transmission is affected by the diameter of the nerve. Sensory nerves for pressure, temperature and sharp acute pain are in large concentrations near the body’s surface and have a large diameter, which allows quick transmission of a pain message to the brain so that we can protect ourselves from injury. The sensory receptors for aching or chronic pain are in the deeper tissues and are shorter and thinner then those near the bodies surface. These nerves transmit signals at a slower speed because they are stimulated by a chronic condition rather than an immediate threat. The purpose of these deep slow nerves are to let you know that a problem exists so you can prevent further injury. Nerve impulses from large and small diameter nerves may go through the same “gate” at the spinal cord and compete for transmission to the brain, so that only one message may make it to the brain and the other is blocked.
The role massage plays in the gate control theory of pain relief is that if there is chronic pain in a muscle that is sending messages to the brain through the slow thin nerves the pain message can be blocked by stimulating the larger outer nerves through massaging and applying pressure to the area. One example of this is if a runner experiences pain and soreness in the left calf muscle she can stop and apply pressure to the area, which sends sensory input along the fast large nerves to the spinal “gate” where it closes the “gate” and blocks the slower deeper pain sensation from the sore calf muscle. Massage, heat, and especially ice can all be effective ways to close the “gate” at the spinal cord and decrease the sensation of pain.

7 Comments

Thumbtack reviews

5/4/2011

1 Comment

Loomis Hall Massage Therapy

I just posted my service Loomis Hall Massage Therapy on Thumbtack. Now my clients can learn more about my service and even book me without picking up the phone. Would you mind leaving a short testimonial about your experience with me? Your testimonial will make my posts appear higher in search results which helps me find more customers.

Leave a testimonial now!

Thanks!

Loomis Hall Massage Therapy

1 Comment

Stress Relief

4/25/2011

8 Comments

Everyone has some sort of stress in their daily lives. What do you do for stress relief?

We would love to hear your ideas!

You can answer in comments or on Facebook

8 Comments

<<Previous

Forward>>

Therapeutic Yoga

Ice Vs Heat

Hydrotherapy

Find us on Yelp

We now have a Hydrocollator!

Massage and Pain Relief Article From AMTA

Pain Pathway Video

Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

Thumbtack reviews

Stress Relief

Author

Archives

Categories