Massage Therapy and Arthritis

First of all let me plainly state massage therapy and/or body work cannot cure either rheumatoid or osteo arthritis. However, it can have a positive effect on the persons quality of life.
For a person suffering from arthritis who does not, or cannot, exercise massage therapy can help in the following ways.
1. It can improve and maintain the circulatory system which carries away waste materials to be eliminated and brings in fresh oxygen and nutrients for the body to function properly.
2. It promotes the flow of lymphatic fluid which carries toxins and disease to the lymph nodes to be dealt with thus bolstering the immune system.
3. It helps the muscular system maintain more normal muscle tone.
4. It reduces or eliminates muscular pain. And, when you have arthritis who needs more pain?
5. Finally, with the muscular system more relaxed, joints can enjoy a little more range of motion.
In conclusion, massage can never cure either type of arthritis, but it can help you feel better, move more freely and be healthier. This is especially true if you do not or can not exercise effectively.
Don’t procrastinate another day! Get a massage. You’ll be glad you did.
“Nuff Said”
Ben Gustafson ; LMT

$1 chair massage available Sat. Sept. 27 at the annual MS Walk/Run at Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, TX! Come out and participate in the fun and festivities for a good cause. And, get a relaxing chair massage at the following rates.
$1 for three minutes
$5 for six minutes
$10 for twelve minutes
Proceeds got to the MS Foundation.
See ya' there between 7:30 and 10:30 am.

Deep-tissue vs. Deep-Pressure
Sometimes people misunderstand these two terms.
Deep pressure means the therapist is pushing as hard as they can creating the maximum force against the body. In other words, someone getting this type of massage will be getting a simple Swedish massage with just a lot of extra pressure.
But, a deep-tissue massage is something very different. With deep-tissue the therapist slowly sink down through the various layers of muscle to get to the true problem area while causing as the least pain possible. While deep, hard pressure may be used at times the therapist uses his knowledge of where the specific muscles are located and where they attach. He focuses on the area giving the client the most problem. This target area is relaxed using several differing techniques. Some of these techniques are trigger-point, muscle energy testing, cross fiber friction, positional release etc.
Please note a hard pressure Swedish massage may be enjoyed without correcting the underlying problem causing pin or tension. Deep- tissue therapy targets specific areas alleviating the root cause of the problem leaving you feeling much better.

Many people never stop to consider that they feel older than their age. This happened to me in my early forties. The lack of energy, drive and stamina mixed with mental fatigue and ma laze I attributed to just getting old. However, with some simple life changes I suddenly felt much younger and could actually work harder, and smarter, than when I was young. Therefore, If you are in your thirties, forties, fifties or older here are a few things you can try to help you feel better and have more energy and zest.

* Improve your diet - Eat more fruit and vegetables while cutting down on sugar and simple starches
* Get some exercise.
* Do some community service-help others and forget about yourself for a while.
* Go to church and pay attention to what's going on.
* Exercise your mind-learn something.
* Get a massage at least once a month to help improve your circulation, relax tense muscles and relieve stress.

If you do the things listed above you should begin to feel a lot younger than your age. If not, check with your family doctor to make sure there are no medical problems involved.
"NUFF SAID"

DEEP-TISSUE MASSAGE ARTICLE

On Tuesday March 18, 2008 the Waco Trib ran an article entitled "There's the rub" written by Pamela Lelanc. The article was mostly positive towards deep-tissue massage as relating to working with athlete; however, it pushed the idea that deep-tissue therapists used pain at a Machiavellian level to help the athlete heal. Now, most athletes can have very tender muscles, tendons and ligaments since thy push themselves to one hundred percent or more during completion. And, due to soft tissue tenderness they can go through a lot of pain during a massage session. But, I want to emphasize one piece of Ms. Le Blanc's article.

"I had promised to tell the [therapist] if the pressure was too much, and once or twice I did. Sometimes clients don't--usually men. She said she could usually tell anyway by the subconscious way they pull back from the pressure."


So, it is very important you communicate with the therapist during a deep-tissue session.

You should tell the therapist:
1. If you have any areas on your body that are very tender to the touch.
2. If you bruise easily.
3. If during the massage your pain level goes to five or better on a scale of 1 to 10 with one being no pain and ten being unbearable.

During a nice relaxing Swedish massage its fine to lie there and quietly listen to the music and zone out for an hour or so, but deep-tissue requires you to talk to the therapist and tell them to back off if the pain is too much. And, don't feel like your bing a baby if you tell the therapist something hurts too much. For the therapy to be most beneficial you need to relax as much as possible. If you are seriously hurting, your muscle are tightening up and not relaxing.

So, keep getting a deep-tissue massage if you are doing so now. And, if you've never gotten one try it whether you are an athlete or not. Just make sure you communicate with your therapist.
"Nuff Said"

I HAVE TO TAKE OFF EVERYTHING!
Well, that's the myth. When you receive a massage you are in charge, and you don't have to take off anything you don't want to take off. In fact, you can receive a chair massage and not even have to take your shoes off. So why miss out on all the benefits of massage therapy just because you're shy.
BUT, WHAT IF I NEED SERIOUS MASSAGE THERAPY TO RELIEVE MY PAIN?
No problem. Therapists trained to use the Critz Technique can be the answer. With this technique you wear loose fitting clothing.
So, don't worry. A massage is healthful, safe, effective, and can even be very modest at the same time. So, get a massage today!