Massage by Krissy

Chances are, you or someone close to you has suffered from a headache, or suffers from headaches on a regular basis.  Many people are reluctant to pop a pill because of the side effects it may have. People are looking for a natural way to help alleviate headache pain, and hopefully prevent future headaches. Massage and CranioSacral Therapy may be your answer.

There are different types of headaches. The two I will address here are tension and migraine headaches.

Tension headaches can be triggered by mechanical stresses, including but not limited to, muscular tension or TMJ disorders. Some trigger points ("knots" that refer pain/sensation) within tight muscles can cause tension headaches. Have you ever had a headache and just wanted someone to squeeze your upper traps (tops of the shoulders)? You may have trigger points within different muscles, especially neck muscles, that are referring pain to your head. Sometimes your tight neck muscles are caused directly by a head-forward posture at the computer. Sometimes, your posture throws things off if you have a muscular imbalance, even in the feet or legs, which can affect your whole body, including your neck and head.

Luckily, there are massage techniques that may help. Massage can get rid of these trigger points, therefore helping get rid of your headache. Massage is not a fix-all. If your headache was caused by something you are continuosly doing, you will need to change this behavior or it may return. Tension can also be caused by stress. When many of us feel stressed, we tighten our muscles, which can also send pain to the head. Relaxation massage can help alleviate your stress, therefore alleviating your stress headache. TMJ disorders can often be helped by massage through working on the muscles associated with the jaw (temporalis and masseter, among others), as well as through craniosacral therapy techniques.

Migraines - The definition of migraines is still up for debate since they are so varied and cannot always be identified. Migraines may have a genetic cause or may be caused by dysfunction within the central nervous system, called Corticol Spreading Depression. The explanation for this is rather detailed, so please feel free to take a look at this very informative article: http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=13766

Migraines can be triggered by a variety of factors, such as stress, food sensitivities and hormonal shifts. Many people find relief from migraines through craniosacral therapy and/or massage therapy. Massage can address the stress and muscular tightness surrounding a migraine, and craniosacral techniques can address the central nervous system, which affects everything else in your body. These natural treatments are definitely worth a try.

*Please note: If you are experiencing a headache that is the first of its kind or the worst headache you have ever had, you should see your physician IMMEDIATELY. If you come to me for a massage and are experiencing this, I will send you to the doctor first to rule out anything serious.

A few weeks ago, I attended my second CranioSacral Therapy intensive workshop. It was AMAZING! I am so grateful for the things I learned and skills I acquired from this four-day workshop. It is helping to make me a better therapist.I learned more about balancing the cranial bones, evaluating and treating the hard palate (inside the mouth), along with more whole body evaluation and treatment techniques. I also learned techniques to work with infants and children.

Combined with my previous knowledge and skills, these techniques may help alleviate the following: recurrent physical problems, nerve conduction problems, headaches, sinusitis, migraines, head, neck, and back pain of varying severity; scoliosis, eye motor problems, endocrine disorders, allergies, TMJ problems, pain syndromes, various learning disabilities, depression, childhood autism, problems from braces, speech impediments, and energy cysts. 

The reason there can be an impact on such a variety of conditions is because of how important and influential the CS system is in the body. It is related to the Central Nervous System, which controls everything in our bodies.  Feel free to visit the CranioSacral Therapy section on my website or this link for further description of the system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9U_G_ybp8I

Many people who come to me for massage have pain, but they don't know where it came from. While there may be soft tissue (muscles, fascia, etc.) at the root of the problem, that is not always the whole reason for the dysfunction. Sometimes traumas that happened earlier in your life, even in childhood, are affecting you today. Even if you did not notice much at the time, your body could be holding onto the trauma of the incident. It has been fighting all these years to not have the pain again, but it is still there, and your body is tired of fighting, or it has new things to fight. CranioSacral Therapy is worth trying. It can gently help release the effect of the trauma and help you live a pain free life again.

To read more about Dr. Upledger, the innovator of CranioSacral Therapy, visit the following link:

http://www.time.com/time/innovators_v2/alt_medicine/profile_upledger.html

Many people complain of sinus pressure and don’t always know what they can do about it. A sinus treatment I learned at The Soma Institute can help relieve the pressure. It is more effective for those with cold or flu-related sinus problems as opposed to allergies. However, if you have allergies, it is worth a try as well.

What is the treatment experience?

You will lie comfortably on your back on the massage table. Your therapist will use light pressure on several points on your head and face. You may feel immediate effects of the treatment or it may take a couple of hours to feel relief. The sinus treatment can be included in a massage or craniosacral treatment session, or you can make an appointment for just the sinus treatment. It usually lasts between 7 and 10 minutes.

How does it work?

There are different ways to explain how the sinus treatment works.

One explanation is that it is based on Shiatsu Pressure Points. When these points are pressed in a specific order, it can help balance your energy flow, which helps the sinuses drain properly.

Another explanation is that the points that are pressed are linked with the nerves that are related to the sinus centers. Pressing the points may activate the impulses to encourage draining.

Note: If you have the flu, massage is contraindicated.

We all know how important exercise is to our health. With warmer weather, many of us are tying up our running shoes, tuning up our bikes, and just getting outside to be active. Whether you are just starting up an exercise routine again, or you are a professional athlete, massage can help you.

Massage can:

• Increase your ability to perform

• Increase your recovery time from workouts and injuries

• Provide maintenance to prevent possible injuries

When receiving a massage, many people notice areas of tight muscles or fascia that they were not aware of before the massage. If you walk, run, jump, etc. with these tight muscles, they are not working their best for you and you could be compensating your movements based on tightness or pain, causing more problems. Massage can help loosen these muscles and get rid of trigger points and tender points (“knots”), so the muscle tissue is healthier, and better able to perform correctly. It brings circulation to specific areas as well as increasing your whole body’s circulation, which can help heal damaged tissue. It can also increase the lymphatic flow so that your body can get rid of its toxins.

During a “sports massage” I also like to take a few minutes at the end of the massage to do some stretching, and/or to show you some stretches you can do on your own specific to your situation.

Some specific conditions athletes often develop that massage addresses are:

• plantar fasciitis

• IT band contracture

• shin splints

• muscle strains

• tendonitis

Many professional athletes have been using regular massage for the reasons stated above. Michael Phelps, who is unquestionably one of the greatest Olympic athletes of all time, has two massages per day as part of his training routine. Click on the following link to confirm this:

http://www.motleyhealth.com/articles/2008/08/michael-phelps-greatest-olympic-swimmer-workouts-and-diet.html

So whether you are an amateur, a professional, or somewhere in between, massage can help you perform better, recover faster, and feel great! Schedule yours today.

Please note

Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider first to eliminate a more serious problem if you have an injury or experience any of the following: pain and swelling of the calves, if you heard a “pop” or “snap” in your muscle, if you are dizzy, nauseous, have blurred vision, severe and constant pain, loss of consciousness, or pain that lasts more than a few days.

I started drinking NingXia Red pretty recently, and I already feel the benefits from it.  NingXia Red is a wolfberry drink that tastes really good and gives me energy.  It is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients.  It is also supposed to help with your immune system health, liver health, and some other benefits.  I don't drink coffee, and I rarely buy juice because either it's so expensive or has lots of unnatural ingredients added to it.  Luckily, NingXia Red is all natural and costs less than a few coffees a week.  I figure, if it gives me more energy and is healthy for me, I'll drink it.  If you are interested in trying a healthy juice, please check out more information at the following link:

http://new.youngliving.com/goji-juice/Ningxia-Red

I sell young living products, so just let me know if you'd like to order any.  I also have free samples of this if you'd like.

Greetings!  Why choose me as your massage therapist?  As you can see from my "about your therapist" page, I am an experienced and qualified clinical massage therapist.  I love what I do, so you can always be guaranteed my positive energy and attention throughout the session will be focused on you.  My goal is to help you achieve maximum health and wellness through massage therapy. 

If you are not sure what type of massage you need, that is perfectly fine.  During our first appointment, arrive about 10 minutes early to fill out some paperwork, and we can discuss what your massage goals are.  Many times, I integrate various modalities into one session to give you the treatment that will fit your needs best. 

Please read the Massage Therapy and CranioSacral Therapy section for information on how these treatments can benefit you.  Everyone should be receiving regular massage therapy as part of a healthy lifestyle.  It is not just considered a "luxury" anymore.  People with pain are learning that massage can help them live pain-free lives.  Those who are stressed are understanding that their quality of life is enhanced through massage, and their stress levels are lower.  Prioritize your life.  Put yourself, your health, and your wellness above the petty material things that we spend too much time and money on.

I got into this field after massage therapy helped me heal from an injury received while in a car accident.  I have a strong desire to help others receive the same benefits I have received.  Just think about how much happier we will all be when we are all receiving regular massage therapy.