The Gift of Medical Massage Therapy

By Kym Thomas, Medical Massage Practitioner

 

 For those of you who may not know what to expect when you schedule a Medical Massage treatment, here is a list of what your Medical Massage Practitioner may include (all or some) of these areas of the body and why they should be receiving massage.

Face – Acupressure to help drain the sinus areas, increase oxygen and blood flow in the skin, thereby helping to reduce puffiness and increase collagen to help prevent wrinkles. Some people might say, it’s a “natural face lift”.

Scalp – Nerves are close to the surface of the skin, which thereby will relax the nervous system and can result in lower blood pressure, reducing stress and tension and slow down the heart rate. It can also stimulate hair growth. It’s a natural remedy for migraines and all types of headaches.  Since it can also boost your mood by increasing the serotonin, which some people call the “happy hormone”.

Neck – the neck has a pair of arteries that supply blood flow to parts of the brain. Excessive stress, bad posture, computer usage or neck trauma can decrease the blood flow to the brain and that may cause dizziness, headaches, insomnia, panic attacks thereby the immune system will be functioning at a poor level.

Shoulders - stiffness or soreness can be reduced with a fresh supply of blood flow to your muscles which can increase your range of motion by providing them with oxygen-rich nutrients.

Breast/Chest – Although it’s uncommon in many massage practices and sometimes controversial on the health front, the breast/chest area should be a higher priority for women and their physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. For men and women, the chest also includes the muscles between the ribs (intercostals) that may need to be released of toxins. The lungs use these rib muscles to expand and contract daily, so we can breathe. It can also clear the lymphatic channels. When you clear fluids that are stuck in the tissue, pain may be reduced in the entire body. The massage technique used will help open up the shoulders and chest and help restore range of motion that may have been restricted.  This will be extremely useful for anyone who sits at a desk or drives a vehicle. By women instituting breast massage treatment as a regular health practice, we can prioritize preventative breast care and encourage a healthy and open connection to one’s breasts—free of shame, innuendo or societal taboos.

Arms/Hands/Fingers – massaging these areas will provide relief from carpal tunnel, shoulder joint pain, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, impingement of nerves and good circulation of blood flow.

Abdominal – to strengthen and detoxify the body, energy flow for the internal organs and improve physical and emotional wellness.

Legs – to assist with shin splints, plantar fasciitis, tight IT bands and muscle spasms.

Back – to treat major pain complaints such as pelvic tilt, post-op back surgery, sciatica, kyphosis and lordosis.

Glutes (buttocks) - the gluteal muscles—those that make up your derrière—are an important connection between the upper and lower body. Some clients only request gluteal massage when there is an issue such as tight hamstrings, sciatic pain or tight calves; however, it should be included in every massage to help maintain your physical health. When the gluteal muscles aren’t working properly, they can contribute to low-back pain, shoulder issues, even pain in the foot or ankle. Some massage therapist will work this area through the sheet, while other massage therapist prefer to work on exposed skin with appropriate draping.

Feet – when the feet get massaged, it can help with joint pain and aid recovery after an injury, as well as reduce muscle soreness. It’s also been known to help reduce anxiety and depression.

The “Holidays” can be a very stressful time in everyone’s life, which will lead to a lot of tension at work and home.  To help reduce a small portion of this stress, a lot of people are buying gifts online, or giving gift certificates.  Giving Gift Certificates is a very simple and easy procedure, to accomplishing your goal, to give during the holidays.  Think about all the people you care about, or someone you work with that you want to give them something special, or the person who is hard to buy for and look around you to see if you know someone who looks and acts very stressed out, these are the people who would really appreciate receiving “The Gift of Medical Massage Therapy”, so call your Medical Massage Therapist today and ask for a Gift Certificate, you’ll be glad you did, and your recipient will be very thankful.  Happy Holidays to all and may your gift giving be simple, easy and Stress Free.

Medical Massage of Idaho ~ 214-674-8370 text/call or email medicalmassageofidaho@gmail.com