ABOUT MEDICAL MASSAGE

 Massage is probably the oldest form of healing on the planet.  When we injure ourselves, the very first thing most of us do is massage the area to ease pain.  Massage, in one form or another, is practiced in every culture the world over. There are dozens of major forms and literally hundreds of variations of massage, bodywork, and so-called ‘energy’ therapies being practiced throughout the world today.  As travel and communication have increased in recent decades, many of the best known of these therapies have spread as well.

 The best-known form of massage in this country is based on Swedish massage.  This is done with the patient lying on a massage table while the therapist massages the patient usually using a lubricant such as oil or lotion.  While this form of massage feels wonderful and has many health benefits, it has many limitations.

 Medical massage is a specific scientific discipline much like physical therapy or chiropractic.  Its aim is to address medical problems, particularly those that manifest as pain or impaired functioning.  These include things such as limited range of motion, frozen shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, and problems with posture.  Depending upon the ability of the practitioner, medical massage may also be used for headaches, digestion and elimination problems, muscle spasms, help with breathing, pinched nerves and more. 

 Medical massage requires years of training and experience as well as a detailed study of anatomy.  As a 20 plus-year practitioner and instructor in this field, I have considerable experience in working with a wide range of medical problems (far too numerous to list here).   In addition, I am also a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist.  This training allows me to treat a broad scope of pain and illnesses.

ASSESSING A PATIENT FOR MEDICAL MASSAGE

The chief indication for using medical massage is pain/discomfort.  This may take many forms including muscle spasm, chronic tension, dull ache, numbness, tingling, etc.  These symptoms often cause the patient to compensate for them by restricting movement or activity to avoid the discomfort.  Most painful symptoms will resolve themselves over time.  But when they don’t, it usually means that the underlying cause of their symptoms has not been corrected.  Over time, the underlying problem can go deeper and become more difficult to correct.  When an area experiences prolonged pain, nearby muscles often go into spasm or develop chronic tension.  This, in turn, can become a secondary source of pain causing other muscles to go into spasm or chronic tension (referred pain) creating a downward spiral of pain and reduced activity.  Internal organs such as the heart, lungs, or digestive tract can be the source of the initial pain/discomfort.  By utilizing the appropriate techniques found in medical massage, not only can the pain be alleviated but often the internal organ problem as well.  This is the basis behind much of the healing associated with chiropractic, reflexology, acupuncture, and other related therapies.

 When using medical massage, I begin by running the injury process in reverse.  To do this, I start by identifying and removing muscle spasms through a technique called Reflex Spasm Release.  I define a spasm as a tender muscle that feels worse when you use firm pressure.  This technique alone often brings dramatic relief of symptoms.  Next, I identify chronic muscle tension and use a variety of traditional massage techniques to relax the muscle.  I define chronic tension as muscles that feel better when you use firm deep pressure.  It is fairly common for one muscle to be experiencing both an acute spasm and chronic tension.

 The next deepest layer is the pain that is trapped in the meridians.  Meridians are energetic pathways that transmit information from internal organs and other major structures through our connective tissue to the brain.  They are similar to nerves but function somewhat differently.  The best-known meridian therapies are acupuncture and reflexology.  (When magnets are used to relieve pain, they work through the meridians, not the nerves.)   By removing energy blockages from the meridians, not only is pain reduced, the underlying medical problem (which is usually the cause of the pain) is also addressed.

 The result of using this multi-staged approach can have a profound impact not only on pain but also on the overall health and well being of the patient.  The benefits of medical massage are:

          *Reduced pain
          *Increased range of motion
          *Improved posture
          *Less fatigue
          *Greater ability to move about
          *Improved general health
          *Reduced need for pain medication
          *Better sleep

 NOTE:  Medical massage requires special training and is not practiced by chiropractors, physical therapists or most massage therapists.  Medical massage is performed with the patient fully clothed.  No oils or lotions are used unless Swedish massage is added to the treatment (usually at the patient’s request).  Typical sessions last anywhere from 1 to 2 hours depending upon the patient’s condition. 

All sessions are designed to absolutely minimize pain.  By definition, the patient will be experiencing some pain before the session.  There is usually some minor discomfort as painful areas are identified in the process of removing the underlying problem.  The vast majority of patients report dramatically reduced pain when the session is finished.  Improvement usually continues for several days following the treatment.  In addition, some patients may be given ‘homework’ to allow them to continue improving their condition at home so that they can minimize or eliminate follow-up visits.

 For more information about medical massage, call us at
(501) 664-4886 M-F 10am-5pm or
 e-mail us at pih2008@yahoo.com