This past week I began seeing new client seeking relief from her jaw pain. When her husband past away a year and a half ago, her new life became overwhelmed with stress and anxiety. It led her to begin grinding her teeth in the night. It has gotten to the point where on a bad day, she can barely open her mouth a half an inch. It limited her diet to consist of only soup and smoothies. She is now dangerously underweight.
This is an extreme case, but an excellent example of how emotional stress manifests into physical dysfunction. Her doctor diagnosed her with Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome. Because the crux of the pain occurs as a result of chronically contracted chewing muscles, he recommended massage therapy in addition to her spinal and cranial chiropractic adjustments.
The massage I do with her is, as always, a mix between a relaxation treatment and functionally restorative. I begin with a completely unrelated area to the pain: usually her feet or legs. This is sedating to the mind and allows me to feel more deeply using less effort once I get to a more sensitive area, like the head and face. Massage to a painful area can be deep or light, but most importantly, the therapist should move slowly and carefully. This is truly therapeutic.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Colds & Flus
Tis the season for sniffling! It happens to the best of us. What happens if you become ill and you have a massage appointment?
Colds and flus are invasions to the body. Your immune system is like the military strategizing and implementing an attack. Lymph and blood carry white blood cells around the body sweeping up the infection. Lymph glands become centers for harboring the foreign substances.
One of the primary effects of massage is an increase in fluid circulation. The therapists hands, forearms, elbows, knees and/or feet are mechanically pushing blood and lymph around in your body. The problem with this is that your immune system has already made a very specific and careful plan of attack. Getting a massage while fighting the infection can have one of two possible reactions:
A) The body expels the infection faster than it would have otherwise and you are healed.
B) The body is overwhelmed by the new and unexpected activity, causing a set-back in the recovery process. You become even sicker than you were before.
It is because of this second possible reaction that we recommend calling to reschedule your appointment. As always, "cause no harm" is most important to us. Stay home and get some sleep!!
Colds and flus are invasions to the body. Your immune system is like the military strategizing and implementing an attack. Lymph and blood carry white blood cells around the body sweeping up the infection. Lymph glands become centers for harboring the foreign substances.
One of the primary effects of massage is an increase in fluid circulation. The therapists hands, forearms, elbows, knees and/or feet are mechanically pushing blood and lymph around in your body. The problem with this is that your immune system has already made a very specific and careful plan of attack. Getting a massage while fighting the infection can have one of two possible reactions:
A) The body expels the infection faster than it would have otherwise and you are healed.
B) The body is overwhelmed by the new and unexpected activity, causing a set-back in the recovery process. You become even sicker than you were before.
It is because of this second possible reaction that we recommend calling to reschedule your appointment. As always, "cause no harm" is most important to us. Stay home and get some sleep!!
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