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Medical Massage Therapy

male exerciser

Does it get boring?

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Client question of the day, from a new-to-me client:
“Does it get boring rubbing peoples’ muscles all day?”

I wanted to holler, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”
 
Massage therapy is so much more than a mindless rubbing of muscles. Anyway, do you know how many different muscles there are in the human body? How about that muscles when “knotted” (creating what we call “trigger points”) can create pain causing those all-too-common issues of headaches, back pain, tingling and reduced range of motion?

Massage therapy dates back thousands of years. It was praised for health and wellness in ancient writings from China, Japan, India and Egypt. It has fascinated practitioners and helped their lucky clients and patients in thousands of ways. The more I learn about massage therapy, the more I discover there is to learn. It has become my life’s work!
 
Massage may help to improve quality of life by reducing pain. Research has proven massage has a place in the therapy for people with cancer, depression or chronic conditions.
 
Massage Therapists can jump from sports massage, medical massage, manual lymphatic drainage and educating people of perpetuating factors to their pain and discomfort. Massage therapists can dramatically improve people’s lives, both from the manual therapy itself and from helping change peoples’ mindsets and behaviors.
 
Frankly, I don’t often think about rubbing muscles. I am treating a person that is presenting with a condition that involves soft tissue.

Massage therapists are committed healthcare professionals. We become part of an individual’s healthcare TEAM. The goal is to support their goal of improving their health and quality of life or help maintain what they have already achieved.

Clearly, my dear new patient didn’t realize how much he was missing in his understanding of massage therapy. And I am an educator. So I responded to him with this:

Massage Therapy is a practice like any medical profession or skill. We learn as we go and further our scope of practice through knowledge we have gained. The more we know, the more we can do what we came to do: help people.

There are many soft tissue issues that are best resolved by massage. I am a life-long learner, and this field provides me endless opportunities to learn. So, no. It is never boring, not by a long stretch (to any muscle).
Lorrie with MM certficate

Overtreatment For Pain is Common – Medical Massage Therapy is a Great Option

I had a client in my massage therapy treatment room that told me she had recently suffered from severe head pain at the top of her head. It was so bad she put Biofreeze gel right on the top of her head hoping for relief. She didn’t seek medical support because she hadn’t injured her head and it wasn’t bleeding. Massaging the Biofreeze into her scalp worked enough for her to get some rest and that seemed to reduce the pain more. When I worked with her we found a latent trigger point (muscle knot) in her Splenius capitis muscle (a muscle in the back of the neck). I performed trigger point therapy to break up the knot and relieve her pain. I was telling this story to the members of Harbor Professionals BNI Chapter in Punta Gorda, Fl. BNI (Business Networking International) is a networking group with chapters all over the world. Kind of like the chamber of commerce only better, in my opinion. One of the members speaks out and says…” If she is putting Biofreeze on the top of her head, she needs more help then a massage!” While it really may seem ridiculous to do that. It is amazing what people will do to get out of pain. At least in her case there wasn’t any terrifying side effects just some greasy hair.

splenius capitis trigger point referral

Below is the story that is the opposite to my client. This person was referenced in an online class that I completed with the University of Minnesota called Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach. This client ended up in the Pain clinic at the University with severe jaw and mouth pain. But first, lets’ look at this person’s dental x-rays that she presented to the clinic.

overtreatment is common root canals

The professor explained that all those lines are root canals. If you look at the x-rays long enough you will see that every tooth but 2 were given root canals. This person was treated by her dentist for a long time and kept coming back to get pain relief. Would it surprise you that the pain did not originate in her teeth? What about her masseter muscle instead? When they performed trigger point therapy and physical therapy the pain went away.

masseter trigger points

Count the root canals multiply by $500.00 then add all the hours of misery this person went through. It is not always soft tissue issues but with science crediting 80% of pain to muscles and soft tissue. It is worth thinking about other ways to reduce pain. I have good assessment tools in my medical massage therapy tool box. Referring out to doctors when necessary is always part of the assessment considerations. It is worth hearing some of these over treatment nightmare stories to keep in mind that in many cases it is good to get more then one opinion. If the top of my head hurt, I would probably not put Biofreeze gel on my head in my hair, but I would try that first before I would do a lot of other things.
Washing my hair is not a bad thing. If trigger points seem stranger than fiction to you give me a call I can explain trigger points and trigger point pain, so it will make sense. Lorrie @ Lorraine Ross Massage Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte Florida 941-343- 8619. Certified Medical Massage Therapist. www.lorrainerossmassage.com

Lorrie with client massage neck 3

The Best Massage For You

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The best massage for you is the one that focuses to resolve the issue you are experiencing. Is your goal pain relief, increase range of motion or reducing stress? Or all three. The first thing that needs to happen is to get the soft tissue prepared for the work. The soft tissue are the muscles, fascia, connective tissue and the joints. The Rapid Release Therapy (RRT) is designed to get that accomplished. RRT breaks up the build up of scar tissue called adhesion. Adhesions are a result of trauma to the body from accidents, surgery, excessive inflammation, as well as, repetitive stress. The nerves can get stuck in the adhesion and create pain signals. RRT is based on science that shows successful release from vibration. RRT vibrates at 160 Hz. If you have not experience the pain relief found with RRT. I am happy to share this therapy with you. It also has an amazing relaxing effect that last long after the massage is over. I have successfully used the RRT for over 2 years.

Lorrie with TP and nerve charts

The X ray and the MRI didn’t show anything wrong

“The X ray and the MRI didn’t show anything wrong. I am still in pain. What could it be?” First, this could be really good news! When you realize that 82% of all pain is muscle pain. It is very possible that we may find your issue in your soft tissue! Your muscles, fascia, tendons…. Tension and tightness don’t show up on X rays or MRIs. Medical Massage can be your next option. Give me a call let’s discuss your health and life goals. Lorraine Ross Massage 941-343-8619 https://www.lorrainerossmassage.com

bruxism-teethgrinding

Medical Massage for Teeth Grinding (aka Bruxism)

Medical Massage for Teeth Grinding (aka Bruxism)
Are you a tooth grinder? The medical term is “Bruxism” and it affects 10-15% of adults & children.
Medical Science has determined the main cause for bruxism in adults is… wait for it… stress! So where
possible, reduce or delegate what is stressful in your life. But sometimes we can’t avoid the job, the
family, or the health issues that make stress so prevalent. Luckily, there’s another remedy.
Clinical studies have found that people who utilized therapeutic massage and night guards have a
success rate of 75% compared to 64% in the group with surgical disk replacement. (Without the risky
side effects of surgery!)
The bite of every person is unique and is formed by the fixed upper jaw and the mobile lower jaw. We
can actively change the bite during chewing by adjusting our jaw to the amount and structure of the
food. Thus, the mastication (chewing) muscles control the bite. “TMJ” is when a person has pain and
tension in the Temporomandibular Joint area as a result of its dysfunction. The jaw muscles will exhibit
increased pressure or tone.
This tension will change the person’s normal bite. This also will typically lead to night teeth grinding. The
dentist can see the wear on the teeth from this activity and suggest a night guard. The process of
obtaining a night guard is there is an impression made of the inside mouth, then the guard is created
with that impression. So if the dentist takes the impression for the night guard without first requiring
corrective action to the muscle the night guard created from the impression will not reflect the patient’s
normal bite, but rather the pathologically changed one.
When the patient starts to use the night guard created she will have a difficult time adjusting to it at
night and it may make the clinical picture of TMJ worse. However, if the patient went through at least
three session of Therapeutic Massage with the last session conducted on the same day that the dentist
makes the impression of the bite, this correct impression will reflect the patient's normal bite. This can
effectively be used as a night guard against bruxism and as a therapeutic device, which reduces tension
in the masticatory muscles during the night.
There are study cases indicating that many people have had to return to their dentist and get additional
night guards because they could not adjust to the one that they brought home. This could get quite
expensive at these night guards cost between $300 and $500. Not only does the therapeutic massage
prepare the mouth for a correct impression is also offers the other benefits of massage such as reducing
stress that can help alleviate the symptoms.
Book an appointment or ask a question today.

Lorrie with client massage arm 2

Pre-and Post Surgery Massage a Feel-Good Do Good Addition to Surgery Recovery

What if I told you that there is an activity that you can participate in prior to surgery to reduce some of the negative effects of surgery and you more than likely would enjoy it? AND it is just under your fingertips. To be totally correct it is under my fingertips; it is a massage. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) technique to be exact. There are many benefits that can result in pre-surgery MLD. It starts to prepare of tissues for surgery. It reduces swelling if swelling is evident before surgery. This will allow surgery to be scheduled sooner. Stimulates immune response. And sometimes most importantly it Promotes relaxation.  Massage in general supports the reduction of anxiety and tension.

One to three treatments prior to surgery is recommended.

 

Postoperative massage may start as soon as 24 hours after surgery. This is based on doctor’s recommendation. And most doctors do recommend postoperative massage.  Benefits Include:

  • Reduces swelling
  • Encourages lymphatic re-routes
  • Reduces pain
  • Removes cellular debris i.e. dead blood cells from tissues
  • Reverses build-up of toxins secondary to effects of postop medication
  • Stimulates fluid circulation
  • Stimulates immune cell circulation
  • Improves skin regeneration and wound healing
  • Speeds up the healing process meaning patients return to normal activities sooner

Massage is a good addition to Pre-and Post surgery recovery. Talk to your doctor and find a Certified Medical Massage Practitioner (CMMP)

By Lorraine Ross CMMP LMT BCTMB

Lorrie with client massage sports massage

Massage And Your Knee Or Hip Replacement

One in four people will face a knee or hip replaced at some point in their lives. Commonly, this is due to osteoarthritis, a painful condition caused by worn down cartilage. Osteoarthritis can also cause stiffness and compensating movement patterns.

Many people have successfully avoided surgery by employing safe, non-invasive techniques such as weight loss, strengthening exercises and massage therapy. There have been studies showing regular massage over a period of 3 months can increase range of motion and reduce pain to the point of not requiring surgery. The trauma of surgery is always a risk, and if at all possible, it’s ideal to avoid it. Massage therapy can help reduce the need for replacement of these incredibly important joints.

Sometimes, however, degeneration is too advanced or pain levels are unmanageable and surgery is necessary. In these cases, massage can help prepare the body for success. I usually perform several sessions of Lymph Drainage Therapy. The Lymphatic System is a series of tubes and nodes that run through the body, playing an important role in fighting bacteria & infections and destroying old or abnormal cells. It is the garbage disposal of the body. The lymph system depends on muscle and joint activity for momentum. When your own movement is limited, massage can help this system function well, detoxifying the tissue & preparing it for surgery, as well as relaxing you and promoting a calm state of mind.

Once surgery occurs, it’s time for rehab & conditioning. Massage therapy can complement PT by addressing pain, soreness, or stiffness from session. Also, stretching following muscle & fascia release promotes safe range of motion and healing.  Patients reported better sleep, pain relief, less stiffness and less anxiety from massage therapy post-surgery.  Lymph drainage is helpful after surgery to help reverse the buildup of toxins from medication, stimulate fluid circulation, and promotes purification. It also improves skin regeneration and wound healing and may help prevent or reduce scarring.

If you or a loved one is considering hip or knee replacement surgery, massage therapy may benefit you and potentially help prevent the surgery altogether. I am here to help.