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Breath as a Healing Tool, Massage Returns, Massage for Dementia, Lymph Massage

Tom Saulnier — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 02:30:42 +0000

The Impact of Breath on the Body

4 Techniques to Try at Home

Cindy Williams

You breathe every second of every day, but likely without placing your attention on it. It just happens. This life-giving force has the power to heal, but often goes under the radar instead of being given the acknowledgment it deserves. Breath work is a tool in your massage therapist’s toolbox, which they may employ during your massage sessions. This tool is versatile enough that you can also use breath exercises at home to facilitate the repair of stressed tissues.

Here is a quick look at the vast and profound benefits of this simple practice on a few of the key systems of the body, as well as an overview of some simple breath techniques you can utilize at home.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF BREATH: A SIMPLE VIEW

Breath is the movement of air into and out of the lungs. The primary function of breath on a physiological level is the exchange of gases in order to sustain life processes in the body by giving oxygen to the organs and tissues, and removing waste gas. The exchange happens in the lungs as well as in the capillaries throughout the body.

Breath requires the movement of two cavities of the body—thoracic and abdominal. Both change shape in the process of breathing. When you inhale, the diaphragm flattens, and ribs lift and expand to make room for air to be drawn into the lungs by a suction force. Simultaneously, the abdominal cavity descends down and forward, causing the abdomen to swell outward. When the thoracic cavity increases in volume with air, the space of the abdominal cavity has to shift in order to make room, so when an inhale causes the belly to expand, it’s a surefire sign that it is deep rather than shallow.

While exhalation is primarily passive, when you exhale (especially consciously), abdominal muscles push the abdominal cavity back toward center and up. The diaphragm releases, ribs release, and the rib cage narrows. Air is released (and can be consciously pushed) out of the body. The actions of these muscles in the processes of inhalation and exhalation are collectively known as the respiratory pump.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Research into the physiological effects of deep breathing have illuminated significant effects on (to read “The Rest of the Story”, please click here BSsummer2021)

Bodywork & Caregivers, Colds & Cancellations, Meditation

Tom Saulnier — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 22:57:09 +0000

Massage and the Caregiver

By Karrie Osborn

One-third of the US adult population are considered caregivers—those who work on average between 14 and 35 hours a week caring for a loved one. Whether it’s sitting by someone’s hospice bed, holding theirhand, and just being present for them; or theseemingly more stressful tasks of taking your loved one to their doctor appointments, advocating for their health care, making

sure all the doctors on their case are talking and know what the other is doing, and ensuring all the right meds are being taken, caregiving in any situation is exhausting.

Caregivers, however, often don’t realize the stress they are under until they’ve hit a wall. Many say they simply don’t have time to even stop and realize it. Massage is one stress-relieving tool that you, or the caregivers in your life, could look to for respite.

EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION

Caregivers are growing in numbers as aging baby boomers settle into retirement and the golden years. Their families, friends, and loved ones are often called to assist in this part of the aging process.

In a caregiving role, the emotional component alone is enough to exhaust anyone—what’s harder than living day to day with your heart wide open? Think about it: What kind of emotional energy does it take to remain that present, that open, that ready for the loved one lying in the bed before you?

And all the while, these thoughts race through your mind: What more can I do for her? Am I ready for her to go? Is she ready to go? Is she comfortable? Is she in pain? Is her breathing labored? Does that wince mean she’s in pain?

It’s a never-ending process—until it does end. But, until that moment, it’s one of the most important (and most exhausting) things we can do for another— being present with intention in a caregiver’s role.

CAREGIVER BURNOUT

According to the Mayo Clinic, (To read “the rest of the story”, please click here BS Autumn 2019

Reflexology-More than just Foot Massage, Relieve Jaw Discomfort, Trapezius Stretch

Tom Saulnier — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 04:39:09 +0000

Reflexology – More Than Just Foot Massage

Nonthreatening. Gentle, yet robust. Relaxing and therapeutic. These are the words clients use to describe reflexology, a therapy deep in tradition, but “new” in the realm of Western medicine. Reflexology is a therapy that uses gentle pressure on a client’s feet to stimulate the body’s own healing process. While most commonly associated with the feet, reflexology is also effective when performed on the hands and ears.

In foot reflexology, the therapist uses body maps that correspond to various points on the feet (see page 8) and applies pressure to those points with the goal of improving function in the body’s corresponding systems and organs, and providing balance to the body overall. According to the Reflexology Association of America, “These techniques stimulate the complex neural pathways linking body systems, supporting the body’s efforts to function optimally.”1 Using “micromovement techniques,” like thumb or finger walking, reflexology is different than massage, reports the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH). “Where massage therapists work from the outside in, reflexology practitioners see themselves as working from the inside out.”2

FROM PAIN RELIEF TO STRESS RELIEF

Used in hospitals throughout Europe, and considered a form of health care in China, reflexology continues to find advancement here in the West with each new research inquiry.

According to Diana Thompson, a leader in the field of massage and bodywork, reflexology is more than just…(To read ‘the rest of the story’, please click here BS Spring-2019

Your MT’s Secret Skill: Constant, Fluid Contact

Tom Saulnier — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 23:41:51 +0000

Constant, Fluid Contact Your Massage Therapist’s Secret Skill
By Cindy Williams, LMT

Have you ever wondered why a session with certain massage therapists stands out as exceptional, but you can’t quite put your finger on what they are doing that makes their work so great? Perhaps you’ve noticed that once your massage therapist begins the hands-on portion of the session, you melt into an altered state that remains consistently soothing until the very last stroke is completed.

I’ve heard blissed-out clients describe this experience as “the massage therapist performing a fluid dance around the table” or “a master musician playing my body like an instrument.” That secret skill your practitioner has is constant, fluid contact, also known as effleurage. And it is intentional.

EFFLEURAGE DEFINED

In massage school, the first massage stroke students learn is called effleurage. A French word in origin, effleurage is defined as along, broad, fluid, gliding stroke that can be applied at different depths and paces, and used to begin, end, or transition between strokes and body parts. It covers the entire length and width of the body part to which it is being applied and assists in maintaining continuous contact with the client throughout a massage progression.

Full-body, Swedish massage sessions (see “Swedish Massage Strokes,” page 8) typically progress in the following fashion: begin with effleurage; transition to more specific and focused strokes that address parts of muscles that are tense, painful, or immobile; then finish with effleurage. While the strokes between effleurage can be applied in a variety of ways, progressing from general to specific and back to general without the hands leaving the body is an important factor in creating peaceful fluidity.

CONSTANT CONTACT FROM START TO FINISH

When switching between types of massage strokes, or completing one body part and moving to the next, what’s important is not only that your massage therapist get from Point A to Point B, but also how they get from Point A to Point B. Fluidity is essential to inviting and maintaining a client’s sense of peace, relaxation, and trust. Abrupt beginnings and endings, and the therapist not effectively communicating through touch where they are leaving and going, can cause clients to stay in sympathetic nervous system response (an activated state of being) rather than settling into the parasympathetic (a restful state of being). Constant contact through effleurage is the key, and the quality and application of your therapist’s effleurage strokes from the beginning of the session through to the end of the session can greatly affect your experience.

To read the entire article, please click here Body-Sense-Autumn-2017

Research, Energy Medicine, Reduce Stress

Tom Saulnier — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 21:01:14 +0000

Massage is Healing

What Research Says About the Bodywork You Receive

By Cindy Williams, LMT

For thousands of years, touch has been used as a therapeutic tool in communities around the globe. Why, then, do we need to conduct research to demonstrate that it works?

A primary reason for massage and bodywork research is to continue to scientifically verify all the good things therapists see happening anecdotally with their clients every day. With scientific validation comes greater acceptance by the medical community and a better understanding of the cost-effectiveness of this preventive care tool. Ultimately, massage research helps practitioners better serve their clients. And when it comes to pain, massage research continues to show us healthy alternatives for pain management.

BODYWORK FOR PAIN REDUCTION

Did you know that “chronic pain affects about 100 million adults in the United States, with an estimated annual cost of $635 billion,” which includes both direct medical expenditures and loss of work productivity.?1 With that many people in pain, massage and bodywork must come to the forefront.

The reduction or relief of pain is one of the many bene ts of massage. Add the effects hands-on therapies have on the immune system (your body’s defense, which can be weakened by pain) and the nervous system (which regulates digestion, sleep, and general outlook on life, and is also challenged when in pain), and massage is a clear recipe for a respite.

Documented research has been conducted on the eficacy of massage and bodywork for an array of pain conditions, including migraines, sports injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, post-surgical scars, and burn injuries. Let’s take a look at a few relevant findings for common pain challenges.

PAIN MANAGEMENT

A study at the Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, looked at 65 in-patients who chose to participate in a pain-management study that included documenting pain levels from medical, surgical, and obstetric units before and after treatments using a 0–10 analog pain scale. Patients received a varying number of massage sessions depending on the condition being addressed, with each session averaging 30 minutes in length. Swedish massage, acupressure, craniosacral therapy, cross-fiber myotherapy, and pressure points were the techniques applied. Pain levels were reduced from approximately a 5 on the pain scale to approximately a 2. As a result, researchers concluded that the “integration of massage therapy into the acute care setting creates overall positive results in the patient’s ability to deal with the challenging physical and psychological aspects of their health condition. The study demonstrated not only a significant reduction in pain levels, but also the interrelatedness of pain, relaxation, sleep, emotions, recovery, and finally, the healing process.”2

CHRONIC NECK PAIN

In 2015, a study was conducted on 38 women with chronic neck pain to assess whether integrative muscle movement technique (IMMT) is an effective treatment option for improving cervical range of motion and associated pain. This study specifically…(to read “the rest of the story”, please click here) BSSummer-2016

Healing with Reiki, Sugar & Salt Scrubs

Tom Saulnier — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 18:37:55 +0000

IN THIS ISSUE: * The Healing Power of Reiki * Skin Breathing: Using Sugar & Salt Scrubs for Healthier Skin * Sandal Season is Here: How to Maintain Good Foot and Ankle Health

The Healing Power of Reiki

By Lisanne Elkins

WHAT, EXACTLY, IS REIKI?

It is perhaps more constructive to begin by saying what reiki is not. It is not a religious practice, or tied to any religion, though many consider it a spiritual practice. Mikao Usui, a 19th century Japanese scholar, developed this modality following a prolonged meditation session that awakened his innate healing abilities.1

In a reiki healing session, the practitioner, who is trained to access and serve as a channel for life force, or chi, places her hands on or just above the client’s body in order to activate healing energy within receptive points on the body. The practitioner’s hands move progressively with a passive touch through 12 positions on the body, remaining in each position for several minutes. As a harmonic flow of energy is strengthened within the client and practitioner, healing occurs through the return of physical, mental, and spiritual balance.2

Reiki is an exceptionally effective tool for bodyworkers, massage practitioners, and other types of therapists. It is especially appealing because of its simplicity and convenience—it can be performed anytime, anywhere, and clients can remain fully clothed during the treatment. Reiki can be used for self-healing, the healing of others, and, more comprehensively, healing the world in which we live.

Reiki can also be administered to one’s self. In fact, an intrinsic part of reiki is healing the self through facilitating the flow of universal energy, learning mindfulness, practicing guided meditations, and following five simple precepts. These precepts are:

Just for today:
• Do not worry.
• Do not anger.
• Be grateful for your many blessings.
• Do your work honestly.
• Be kind to yourself and others.
The word reiki literally means “life energy”: rei means “life force” and ki means “energy.”
There are many other words for this life-force energy. They all describe the universal energy field that surrounds every living thing and interacts with the physical body, as well as all living things collectively. This is the holistic aspect of reiki— the idea that the body is part of a greater whole.

Simply put, using reiki for healing purposes, on one’s self or on others, involves being a conduit to draw energy inward through one’s body. The best technique for doing reiki is to visualize being rooted in the earth, while drawing light or heat in from the crown chakra on the top of the head. Reiki helps increase the flow of energy and addresses energetic blockages that may exist, which are of emotional, karmic, physical, or spiritual origins. …Click here for full publication Body Sense – Spring 2014