STD's and Massage (Part 1)

In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist.

STD's and Massage (Part 1)

Although most sexually transmitted diseases are only spread through sexual contact, there are a few exceptions.

Mollusum Contagiosum Virus (MCV), Genital Warts (HPV), and Syphilis

These viruses can be spread through any kind of skin to skin contact. They can also be spread with contact to contaminated linens. Treat these STDs first and postpone any massage appointments until there is no chance of spreading the infection to others.

If you know that you have any type of STD, make sure you treat your infection. Once the infection is cleared up, you can make your appointment for massage.

Hepatitis

Let your therapist know if you have any open wounds, or small cuts anywhere on your body. Your therapist may wear gloves during your massage as a precaution for two reasons: first to protect you, and second to prevent transmission of the disease. Please do not take offense if they choose to wear gloves. They may have a cut on their hand, or fingernails. I have had quite a few massages where we practiced with gloves during my massage training. If your therapist is good, you won't even realize the gloves are on.

If your Hepatitis is in the acute stage, certain types of massage strokes should not be used, so please make sure your therapist is aware of what stage you are in. If your Hepatitis is in the chronic stage, you may have the option to get a circulatory massage. You may not, if your overall health isn't well. Each person is different, and you should discuss with your massage therapist what your benefits are from having massage. Energy work and non-circulatory massage are options that you might consider during all stages.

As always, if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about let me know by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

I have brittle bones, is massage safe for me?

In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist.

Yes, massage can be a safe option for you to relieve any discomfort you are experiencing from having weakened bones.  Keep reading to find out what you should know to keep your massage safe.

Do you have Osteoporosis?

It is very important to inform your massage therapist that you have Osteoporosis. You would not want to get a deep pressure massage, as that could have the potential to fracture your bones. That wouldn't be very relaxing now would it?

That being said, gentle massage can be very beneficial to someone with Osteoporosis. It can naturally relieve the pain and discomfort, however temporarily, that you feel from the loss of bone density.

If there is ever a time where you feel your massage therapist is giving you too much pressure, please tell them right away.  Remember, the time you have on the massage table, is YOUR time.  If you are ever uncomfortable, let your therapist know.  

Do you have a current fracture?

Inform your massage therapist how acute the fracture is, the degree of fracture (hairline fracture or complete broken bone), and the location.

You can not receive massage in the local area of the fracture, but the rest of your body can receive bodywork.

Example of how massage can help you:

If you have a hairline fracture on your left foot, your right leg will be working harder to compensate for the lack of movement from your left leg. You will not get massage on your left foot, but it would be beneficial to you to get massage on your right leg and foot since those muscles are currently working harder than they are used to.

I will continue to post about some other conditions such as Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Arthritis and Massage

A few days ago I wrote about having a fever, cold or flu and obtaining a massage. Yesterday it was Diabetes. I tend to talk about all the times when you should get a massage, such as to relieve tension, ease back pain, or many other times when it is appropriate. In this series of posts, I will give tips for people with certain conditions to let them know if they should even obtain a massage or not, and what are the important points to go over with your massage therapist. Tonight’s topic is Arthritis.

Do you have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Your basic Swedish Massage can help you as long as your RA is not in an acute stage. If it is, you will want to make sure to explain that to your massage therapist, as it will determine the type of strokes they use with you during that time. During the subacute stage of RA, it is safe to obtain a circulatory massage such as Swedish. Massage can help maintain and even increase joint function.

Do you have Septic Arthritis?

Do not get a massage! SA is a kind of arthritis that is brought on by a bacterial infection. Massage would only make that infection spread. Massage is advised, however, once the infection is completely gone. It will help regain some of the range of motion that was lost due to the infection.

Do you have Osteoarthritis?

If you are in an acute stage where you have pain, heat, and redness at the joints affected, then do not get massage in those areas. If you are in the subacute stage of Osteoarthritis, then massage can be very helpful in reducing pain with soft stretches included in the massage.

Over the next few days I will post about some other conditions such as Osteoporosis, Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Diabetes and Massage

A few days ago I wrote about having a fever, cold or flu and obtaining a massage. Tonight I will write about Diabetes. I tend to talk about all the times when you should get a massage, such as to relieve tension, ease back pain, or many other times when it is appropriate. Over the next few days, I will talk about times when you shouldn't get a massage, or should find a massage therapist with extra training that specializes in your condition.

Do you have Diabetes?

Some tips for you if you want to get a massage:

1. Make your appointment at least an hour after you have taken your insulin injection, or before you are going to eat/take your insulin shot.
2. At your appointment, before your massage, inform your therapist where you inject your insulin. This will help your therapist choose what type of strokes to use and where during your massage.
3. Make sure to tell your therapist when you last took insulin.
4. During your massage, if you are starting to feel dizzy, weak, or have any other symptom of insulin shock, please tell your massage therapist. Do not be afraid or embarrassed if you need to stop your massage. Your health is the priority.
5. If you have advanced Diabetes with kidney failure or arherosclerosis, a Swedish massage would not be advised. Find a therapists that specializes in energy techniques instead.

Over the next few days I will post about some other conditions such as Osteoporosis, Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Massage and Fever

I tend to talk about all the times when you should get a massage, such as to relieve tension, ease back pain, or many other times when it is appropriate. Over the next few days, I will talk about times when you shouldn't get a massage, or should find a massage therapist with extra training that specializes in your condition.

Do you have a high fever?

Do not get a massage when you have a fever. There are a few simple reasons as to why.

1. Massage can be taxing for your body. If you have a fever, your body is already fighting something in your system.
2. You should be at home, resting so you can feel better.
3. If you have a fever in conjunction with a cold or flu (or some other underlying infectious disease), you could pass that on to not only your massage therapist, but to anyone that enters the same building after you.
4. Do you really want to get massaged when you have a fever? I know I wouldn't want to.

What if you have a cold/flu?

Massage during a cold or flu can make your symptoms worse, but the duration of your sickness will be shorter. But once again, if you have a cold or the flu, you should stay home and take care of yourself until you are not contagious anymore.

Over the next few days I will post about some other conditions such as Osteoporosis, Diabetes, Asthma, Cancer, etc... Let me know if there are any subjects you would like me to talk about by commenting below, or by sending us an email to info(at)melrosemuscletherapy(dot)com

Stress and Disease

So many problems are related to being overly stressed. Here are quite a few of them:

Loss of sleep

Can't concentrate

Can't seem to remember much

Always tired

Constantly suffering from pain

Anxiety

Depression

Stroke

Heart Disease

Change in your weight

Heart Attack

Headaches

Alzheimer's

Diabetes

Asthma

So what can you do if you are suffering from any of these, or prevent you from getting any of these? How can you change your stress levels to a much lower manageable state?

Figure out what is causing you to stress. What can you do to relieve some of those stressful agents? Just taking a few moments to yourself to clear your mind can help. Turn off every distraction for a moment. Focus on your breathing so that you can't think of anything else. If you can't find a place to be free of distractions, then get a massage. Even a short 30 minutes can help you de-stress so that you can get back to solving any problems that are in front of you.

Have you ever heard of the 42 lb. head?

To quote Eric Dalton, “According to research, every inch the head moves forward of the shoulders, weight is amplified by 10 pounds. As a result, a 12 pound head held 3 inches forward causes the cervical extensors to isometrically battle 42 pounds against the relentless force of gravity.”

You can see an article that he wrote about this here, complete with a few pictures that you can reference.

When you think about it, it is pretty crazy to think that just a small amount of movement forward, can cause such strain for your neck muscles. These muscles are meant to hold up your head in an upright position quite easily. They are not meant to carry such a heavy load, or force. If you have been having a lot of headaches lately and your neck has been bothering you, you may have what is called upper-crossed syndrome. (More about upper-crossed syndrome in a future post)

What causes you to have a 42 pound head?

Technology isn't helping. If you have a smart-phone, a tablet, or an mp3 player, you may be constantly holding these items down as you look at them.

The same goes for reading too. Watch the way you hold your newspaper, books, magazines, or e-reader. If you are keeping your head held down for a long period of time, you are straining your neck muscles.

What can you do to reverse the damage done?

Raise your electronics up so that they are at your eye level instead of holding them in a way that forces you to look down. This will greatly reduce the strain in your neck muscles.

Get a massage. Actually, get a few of them. This will help remind your muscles how to relax, and this benefit will compound each time you receive bodywork.

If you are having headaches and/or neck pain, make some changes to your daily habits, and make an appointment with us.

Backpacks and Back Pain

Did you know that choosing the right backpack can help prevent serious back pain and injury? Did you also know that the way your child chooses to wear your bag can also affect back pain? Here is a simple list to follow on what to do and what not to do when it comes to choosing and wearing a backpack.

1. Look for a backpack made out of a lightweight canvas material. The lighter, the better.
   
2. Find a backpack with thick, padded straps. Wider straps provide optimal support.
   
3. Adjust the shoulder straps so that the bag sits close to your child's body.
   
4. If you find a backpack with an extra waist strap, make sure your child uses it for even better for weight distribution.
   
5. When wearing the backpack, your child should use both straps, and not carry it on one shoulder. If he/she does do that, it will lead to uneven weight distribution and can lead to long term back problems in the future.
   
6. When filling the backpack, make sure to put the heaviest items in first so they are closest to your child's body. This will help keep your child standing upright and minimize leaning forward.
   
7. Make sure your child's backpack isn't too heavy for them. The full bag should not weigh more than 15% of his/her body weight. So for a 100 pound child, their bag shouldn't weigh more than 15 pounds.
   
   
   While you are purchasing all the basic school supplies such as pencils, pens, notebooks, rulers and so on, make sure that the backpack they keep everything in is right for them.
   
    
   

Make your own foam roller

Have you heard about foam rolling and its benefits? It is basically a way for you to be able to massage your muscles on your own.  It is a great way to save some money, and take care of yourself between massage appointments.  The use of foam rollers has become widely popular to athletes and workout enthusiasts, but you don't need to have an intense workout routine to get the benefits of self massage through foam rolling.

Foam rollers come in different sizes, and vary in density.  There are ways to make your own by covering pvc pipe with layers of foam, but I have found an even cheaper way to make one.  You know those pool noodles that keep you afloat?  they make monster size ones, and that is what I used.  To give it a bit of support, insert a broom stick, or a skinny pipe, or you can even cut the noodle in half and use one half cut to size to fit inside the other.

Here is a picture of the homemade foam roller that I created.  It works great and better yet it cost less than $5 to make.  I cut the noodle in half, and took a plastic broom handle to add support.

Here it is!  My DIY foam roller.

That's it.  How simple is that? 

Now you want to know how to use it?  A quick search on youtube will get you many results, but we found this very well put together video.  http://life.gaiam.com/video/roll-it-out-myofascial-release
I would just suggest going a bit slower to really feel out the areas that need extra attention, and when you find one, sit there for a while with your foam roller pressed into that area and breath into that spot until it relaxes a bit.

10 Reasons to Get a Massage Today!

Here are my top 10 reasons to get a massage:

1. Reduce Fatigue – If you are really tired, a massage can give you a few moments to relax, even if it is just a few minutes out of your day. That can leave you feeling re-energized!
2. Increase Mental Clarity – At some point I'm sure you have felt mentally exhausted either from a project you are working on, or from a personal problem that has taken all of your energy. You may feel like you have a foggy brain. The simple act of touch, as in a massage, will help you to focus your energy. All that tension you had been experiencing begins to dissipate. Once that mental stress is reduced, you will feel more alert and energized.
   
   
3. Reduce Stress - Recent scientific research has found that massage affects the immune system in the following ways: it decreases arginine vasopressin, a hormone that contributes to aggressive behavior, and also decreases the amount of cortisol also known as the stress hormone.
   
   
4. Relieve Muscle Tightness and Tension – This one is no secret. You make an appointment to get a massage because your body is sore from working out, gardening, or moving boxes, etc... and after the massage is over, you feel like you can climb Mt. Everest. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration there, but if you have ever had a really good massage, you know what I mean. And if you haven't, then make your appointment now.
   
   
5. Increase your Range of Motion (ROM) – When a muscle is so tight that it begins to hinder your range of motion, say to raise your hands over your head, or behind your back, it can really start to affect your daily life. Getting regular massage will help you to regain and keep your full ROM.
   
   
6. Reduce Muscle Cramping – Have you ever ran a race, and afterward you begin to cramp up? If there is a massage therapist on site, he/she can take care of the cramp right away. Being hydrated will help too!
   
   
7. Boost Immune System – Massage increases the amount of lymphocytes in your body, cells that help the immune system defend the body from harmful substances. 
   
   
8. Improve Posture – Ever really notice when you are slouching during the day? When you do, do you find your self automatically stretching your arms back behind you? Your body knows which muscles are feeling tight, and that is your automatic response to slouching. Now, getting a massage on those tightened muscles can help you improve your posture so much more. Ask me to assist you with a Snow Angel stretch for your pectoral muscles, and you will notice your upper back feeling less tense.
   
   
9. Get Healthier Skin – Depending on the massage people are getting from me, I use different emollients. Most of the time it is pure jojoba that I use. Technically not an oil, it is a liquid wax ester from the jojoba plant. This emollient is the closest to our natural oils. It does not clog your pores and it soothes and conditions the skin. Jojoba is naturally full of Vitamin E.
   
   
10. Improve your workout - Think of a cold rubber band. If you stretch it what will happen? Probably will snap and break off. Now think of your muscles. If you don't warm them up, stretching them can be harmful. They say to 'never stretch a cold muscle' for a reason. Getting a quick sports massage right before a 5k walk/run or marathon, or game, or even a workout can help to warm up your muscles so that you can have a longer endurance and work stronger.

So tell me, why do you get massage? Enter your comment below to let us know.

Deep Tissue vs. Deep Pressure Massage - Do you know the difference?

Have you ever become nauseous from a massage before? To my knowledge none of my clients ever have, but I had someone the other day ask me about that very thing. A friend of hers had a very “deep tissue” massage while on vacation and became very ill right after the massage. Notice I put “deep tissue” in quotes here. Here is why:

Myth: Deep tissue massage should hurt, and have a huge amount of pressure.

Truth: Deep tissue massage is not deep pressure massage!!! Rather, it is quite slow and not so painful, unless the therapist and client are working through some trigger points. Trigger points can be painful, but should never go above the 4-6 range on a pain scale. (0=no pain and 10=worst pain you have ever felt) Deep tissue massage is also not a full body massage. It is contained to only a couple of areas of the body.

There are a few possible reasons behind why this person became sick after her massage.

1. She was dehydrated. You definitely want to make sure you are drinking enough water each day, and especially before and after a massage. Not because it removes toxins from the body, but because keeping hydrated helps your body do what it needs to do on a cellular level. When you are dehydrated, your body has a difficult time coping with anything you put it through. If you don't like water, then read my post about how to give your water some excitement.

2. It wasn't a deep tissue massage, but a deep pressure one. Much too deep a pressure of one. When causing so much pain to someone through a full body deep pressure massage, the body can go into shock. This can cause the nausea that this person was feeling.

3. The face cradle was not positioned correctly. I stress to my clients of how important it is for them to tell me if they are ever uncomfortable before, during and after a massage. This is a key in point reason. If the face cradle was positioned so that it was hitting pressure points on the client, it can cause sinus pain, headaches, dizziness, and of course nausea. Please don't be afraid to speak up to your therapist if you are ever uncomfortable on the table, or in a massage chair for that matter. Even if you started out comfortable, but after a few minutes, or even halfway through the massage, let your therapist know. A skilled therapist will be able to work on your muscles in any position that you need to be in. I can work on your back, even if you are laying on your back.

So now you have a bit more information about why a massage could not make you feel so great afterward, and what do to to make sure that doesn't happen. Drink plenty of fluids, talk to your therapist about his/her pressure, and let your therapist know if you are ever uncomfortable during the massage. If you do become sick after a massage, please let your therapist know about it, so you can figure out why that happened, to prevent it from happening again.

An object in motion, stays in motion....works for me!

A client of mine recently told me about this video.  It holds true to what I tell many of my clients. 

Notice how stiff you feel when you wake up in the morning.  Lack of movement does that.  It leaves you feeling stiff.  If you want a better range of motion, you have to get moving.  Even a little movement will help you get going.  Moving your joints, moving your muscles helps to get you to feel fluid again.  So let's get moving!!!! 

If you are feeling too stiff, and it is difficult to get moving, maybe a massage would help?  =)