Is PAIN stopping you from enjoying special moments?
Are you experienceing pain?
Does Pain stop you from enjoying life's special moments?
Did you know....Muscle tissue is the largest organ in the body, very misunderstood by most professionals. Soft tissue (muscles) are also a huge target for wear and tear from our daily lives and activities.
--What about Physical Therapy (PT), Chiropractors(chiro), Other Specialists:
Most doctors focus on major ailaments, bones, joints, bursae, nerves, and know very little about muscles and soft tissues. Understandable to a point knowing their education. Issues like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can be very life threatening compared to generalized, even specific pain when no immediate reason is apparent.
PT and Chiro are typically pre-occupied with joint function, exercises, and range of motion (ROM). They have theri specialites, purpose adn help many people feel better and recover fully. Why use only modality at a time is my question.
Massage Therapist (LMT):
We focus on soft tissues which include muscles. Our training is vary wide ad covers the basics. It takes research on your part to find an LMT who will meet your specific needs. Medical massage or Treatment massage are newer terms. Pain, relaxation....Many LMTs learn beyond initial schooling. If you are in Pain, trigger points may be the cause and you need a massage specialist.
Trigger points (TP)...
TPs were a mystery for many years. In the 40s when Dr. Travel and Simons studied TPs further. They mapped them out per muscle with referred pain.
TPs can have strange referral patterns, unexplained pain or tenderness which makes aches and pain harder to treat and diagnose by many professionals, IE: doctors. So what actuall is a Trigger Point you ask? Per wikapedia="are described as hyperirritable spots in the fascia surrounding skeletal muscle. They are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers...the concept of trigger points provides a framework which may be used to help address certain musculoskeletal pain."
Pain related to a dsicrete, irritable point is skeletal muscle or fascia not caused by acute local trauma, inflammation, degeneration, neoplasm or infection. TP can often be found with chronic pain disorders. They can result in decreased ROM, and manifest as..tension headache, TMJ, sciatic pain and so much more.
Pain from TP can be very frusterating, and persistent for many years. TPs have strange behaviors and many times missed diagnosed and confused with many other problems.
TPs can occur in several ways:
-> Repetative overuse injuries, IE: typing gardening, chores,etc..
-> Constant heavy loads, IE: lifting, carrying, etc..
-> Posture, IE: habitually poor posture, etc.
-> Clemching from mental/emotional stress
-> Injuries, strains, sprains, breaks, twisits accidents
-> Inactivity, IE: prolonged sitting, bed rest, or standing.
TREATMENT: The answers you have been waiting for...
Treatment/Medical Massage. Treatment results vary per person and issue. Many patients notice relief during the first treatment. This however is rare. The majority of patients need several sessions until their pain reduces and may be relieved permenantly. It si not uncommon to have soreness after the initial treatment--many tissues are adjusting to changes that occured during treatment. As these tissues are being treated they learn to adjust more quickly, giving more relief and less soreness. This body and tissue respoinse is a normal stage of chronig pain and healing.
The speed at which a patient is able to return to "normal" activites without pain depends on treatment frequency, adherence to suggested 'homework', and possibly some of these conditions...
-> Tyoe if inury and severity
-> Length of time since injury before seeking treatment
-> Overall physical health/fitness level
-> Nutrition
-> Sleep-how much and quality of sleep
-> condition of Skeletal issues, allergies, diabetes, dysfunction...
At Stress Waived, we make sure to be very thorough...
-> Full medical history
-> Assessment of Pain/movement
-> Suggest stretches, home-work, self-care
->Discuss working at: posture, ergonomics, sleeping, more
Let's REVIEW the process at our office....
Benefits of TP work:
Trigger point work helps treat and manage pain, directly at the source not where it manifests itself. We also work the surrounding tissues/muslces to reduce the tension from compensation and general tightness.
Method:
Your LMT will greet you, review our medical history, do averbal and physical assessment of your bodies contition finding the TP and tight muscles. During treatment your LMT will use different techniques with varying pressure to break down the tension, build-up of knots, and TP work. Because of thise pressure and specific area work it may be uncomfortable.
Post Treatment:
Stay hydrated. The break-up of tension and TPs releases the trapped toxins in the tissue into the blood stream and lymph system. This hydration helps flush these toxins out faster, decreasing aches and soreness.
I suggest you schedule a Treatment massage today.
