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Do you wish that the pathway to optimum health was paved with less visits to the doctor and fewer prescription medications? It can! Sixty-two percent of all Americans have discovered the secret healing powers of exemplary alternative remedies. They are safe, effective, and have few side effects.

Ask your doctor how you can hasten recovery time and minimize the use of prescription drugs with the help of the following:

• chiropractic care
• hypnosis
• massage therapy
• acupuncture

Chiropractic care

Chiropractors use their hands to manipulate and adjust damaged tissues and joints, thus helping to minimize inflammation and pain as well as speed up the healing process. Sometimes this form of alternative healing can produce mild soreness-similar to exercise-that can last up to two days.

Studies show that chiropractic care can be just as good as other forms of treatment such as drugs or surgery to alleviate an aching back. Subsequent studies have found that chiropractic care can help relieve migraine headaches as well as neck pain also.

Even though millions of patients have benefitted from chiropractic care, be forewarned about seeking treatment for a neck injury especially if you have a history of peripheral vascular disease or stroke. Do NOT seek chiropractic care if you have just had surgery, suffer from nervous tissue damage such as numbness or tingling in your arms and legs or have osteoporis.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a form of therapy that allows a patient to achieve a deep state of relaxation to enable him to focus on and sometimes change specific thought processes, memories, behavior patterns, emotions, and even bodily functions! Don’t believe that your thoughts influence your body? Guess what? They can! Simply close your eyes and think about the coldest day in winter even if you are sweating in 85 degree heat and notice the goose bumps that form on your skin.

Harvard studies have shown that hypnosis is effective in combating different forms of pain such as low back pain, cancer pain, migraine headaches, etc. There is scientific evidence to prove that hypnosis can improve gastrointestinal disorders and lessen patient anxiety prior to a medical procedure.

Caution! If you seek the services of a hypnotherapist to help you lose weight or quit smoking, studies have shown that there is little evidence that hypnosis work. You also want to avoid hypnosis if you have had a history of seizures or psychiatric problems.

Massage therapy

Massage therapy involves the therapist’s fingers, hands, and fists that are used to massage the skin, muscles, and other soft tissues to help relax the body, increase blood flow to the peripheral tissues, initiate the release of the body’s natural painkillers such as endorphins and enkephalins, and boost the immune system.

Scientific research shows that therapeutic touch helps minimize withdrawal symptoms in people trying to quit smoking and alleviate migraine, labor, and cancer pain. This alternative form of healing can produce a positive effect on central nervous system activity. A 15-minute massage therapy session can lower anxiety and improve mood.

Patients should observe the following contraindications before getting a massage: deep vein thrombosis, bleeding disorder, compromised blood vessels, blood-thinning medications, or fever. If you are an expectant mom, have cancer, or cardiovascular anomalies, get an approval from your health care provider first.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture treatment involves the use of hair-thin needles that are inserted into the skin to help generate blood flow and speed up brain chemistry. The brain, in turn, initiates the release of endorphins (your body’s naturally occurring painkilling drugs) and neurotransmitters to bolster the immune system. This treatment helps to obtain balance in the rest of the body’s other systems such as the digestive or circulatory systems.

According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, if you have osteoarthritis of the knee, conventional medicine in conjunction with acupuncture can help to alleviate the pain and increase the range of motion. Further evidence shows that acupuncture is highly effective against nausea, menstrual cramps, lumbalgia (low back pain), and carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you still feel uneasy about being a human pincushion, communicate with your acupuncturist before the treatment and express any of your concerns or conditions.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic care, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, spinal decompression, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

Have you ever removed the skin off turkey when preparing a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving? Are you familiar with the thin, transparent, membranous substance underneath the skin and surrounding muscle? That substance is called fascia. It resembles saran wrap and covers every cell, muscle, bone, and organ in the human body. It also forms a uniform, continuous lining underneath your skin. It is thought that meridians travel through this see-through substance, and that is why you feel the results of meridian therapy very quickly in many different places in your body.

In the human body, fascia has approximately 2,000 pounds of tensile strength. What that means is that fascia can withstand forces up to 60 miles an hour before tearing. Furthermore, fascia can carry electrical impulses faster than nervous tissue.

If you are considering getting a massage and want to know what fascia feels like, just take your hand and put it over your leg or other arm with minimal pressure. Allow your hand to sink into your skin. Feel for the muscle and fat layer underneath your skin. Then let off on the pressure from your hand and gently move your skin so that it slides over the muscle and/or tissue below. It is this fascia that allows your skin to glide smoothly over your muscle and tissue underneath.

The next time your prepare turkey for Thanksgiving, try this skin sliding technique on the turkey. You may be surprised by what you find.

If you decide to cut up a turkey before sticking it in the oven, locate the fascia underneath the skin and the covering of the outside surface of the muscle. Try to use this sliding method to find fascia.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic care, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

It seems unbelievable, but there was a period when I fervently wished I would have a headache, just so I would know how one felt. A few of us learnt a basic trick of married life pretty early on - that a headache could be used as an excuse to get out of doing stuff that we didn’t want to do, and those were the days when my friends used a headache as an excuse to play hooky from school. While I went along with them, I used to wonder how it felt to actually have one, but my luck held, and to tell you the truth, my headaches started (both literally and figuratively) only when I hit adulthood and all the tensions associated with it. And boy did I regret that wish I made so long ago!

To cut a long story short, my doctor could find nothing wrong with me except the fact that I had too many things on my plate, much more than I could handle. So I turned to an alternative source of therapy – massages, or more specifically, trigger point massages. The technique came with glowing recommendations from a cousin who swore by it as one of the best relaxation methods he knew. A few regular sessions, and I was a new woman, more in control of my emotions (the headaches sent me into fits of rages alternated with bouts of tears, two extremes I was unable to handle), and able to go about my daily work without the fear of a headache coming on and ruining all my plans.

So what is trigger point massage? For the uninitiated, it’s a technique that identifies the “triggers” or knots of tenderness in muscles. Pain at these points is referred elsewhere in the body, usually at nearby areas, and results in unexplained aches. Tension headaches are often brought on by trigger points between the neck and the shoulder blades or at the base of the neck. The best treatment for these kinds of aches – trigger point massages. Massage therapists use their palms and fingers to apply pressure at strategic points to relieve the tension in your muscles and thereby reduce the pain you feel in your temples.

While my kind of headaches were easily treated using trigger point massages, this technique is not effective in the treatment of vascular headaches that are brought on by the constriction and dilation of blood vessels that supply your brain, neck and shoulders. However, what these massages can do for you is help you relax when you feel your head throbbing and you’re unable to sleep. So the next time, your spouse claims a headache, treat her to a trigger point massage or two – it’s bound to help.

By-line:

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of a massage therapy license. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24@gmail.com.

Pain is the result when the body undergoes an injury. Have you ever twisted your ankle? As soon as the ankle swells up with inflammation, pain begins, and the muscles surrounding the site of injury undergo muscle spasm. That is, they tighten up. This tightening of muscle around the injury is the body’s natural way of forming a splint around the ankle with the purpose of immobilizing the injury to prevent further damage. Sometimes, the body maintains this spastic state even after the injury begins to get better. This is bad because the healing process slows down leaving behind weakened tissue, energy blocks in the meridians, and trigger points.

Healing methods can re-initiate the healing process by shifting the energy block and bringing energy into the area. When energy flows once again, circulation lags not too far behind. In due time, the muscles leave their spastic state and enter the relaxed state. Pain and injury come back. At first, this may feel bad. However, this is a good sign that the healing processes are underway, and relief from pain is soon to follow.

The presence of pain is a good indicator of the health and energy flow in the area of injury. If everything is okay, the pain may be the result of increased qi, or vital energy, into a blocked area. Pain during a massage therapy session usually subsides as the blocked energy begins to move once again. The massage therapist can still work on your painful shoulder as long as the pain is not too much for you to bear.

If you feel increased pain during a massage therapy session, or a sudden emotional release, or feel uncomfortable during the session, do not be ashamed to tell your massage therapist. Have your therapist use less or more pressure or cease the session entirely. Otherwise, the massage therapist will let energy do its job within your body.

A good pain is the pain of healing. A bad pain is the pain of injury. It can be difficult to discern the difference. Sometimes, good pain is followed by relief from pain. Even though you feel sore, pain relief is just around the corner. Good pain likes pressure and touch, does not last long, and improves every day. On the other hand, bad pain feels like damage is taking place. This type of pain may be red and hot. This is the kind of pain that does not like pressure and touch and may get worse before it gets better.

Either way, if you feel uncomfortable during a massage therapy session, tell your therapist. It is her job to make you feel as comfortable and relaxed as you can in order to facilitate a pleasant massage.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic healing, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

Rolfing is form of bodywork that involves loosening the fascia covering our muscles and other organs and aligning the body to help promote better posture. It is the goal of rolfing to provide postural release and support the body so that it functions to its fullest potential. Structural abnormalities can promote dysfunction or even pain. Loosening the fascia helps realign the body. Fascia not only covers up our muscles, it also wraps around all the other structures of the body thus holding them in place. Whenever there is a misalignment, the body must fight against the detrimental effects of gravity. This causes our bodies to exert more effort to engage in normal movement. When there is no misalignment, the body works in conjunction with gravity providing ease of movement.

In the 1950’s, Dr. Ida Pauline Rolf developed the method of rolfing. Shortly after receiving her degree in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1920, she began doing her doctoral research at the Rockefeller Institute.

Dr. Rolf has always been a proponent of health and wellness. She was fascinated by the disciplines of chiropractic, osteopathy, yoga, and homeopathy. After researching all these types of alternative medicine, she arrived at the conclusion that all these disciplines have one thing in common: proper postural alignment in the human body promotes optimal function.

She then developed a system to release deep muscles and fascia of their adhesions. During her time, it was called “postural release.” Then it was called “structural integration.” It was given the eponym, “rolfing,” by her clients and therapists. Hence the name.

Rolfing requires a series of ten therapy sessions. This is called the “Ten Series.” The focus of each session involves releasing adhesions in specific parts of the body. The tenth session focuses on integration and alignment of the body.

Many rolfing clients at the time reported that these therapy sessions were intense and painful. They exhibited pain and discomfort during treatment. Nowadays, rolfing sessions are gentler and less brutal than the archaic methods of Dr. Rolf’s period. If you are a rolfing client, your therapist will gauge your level of discomfort. If you feel pain, always let your therapist know.

During a rolfing session, you can dress down to your level of comfort. Rolfers are adept at working around your clothing. He/she may require you to change your position frequently so that the therapist can assess your posture and/or access the deeper layers of body tissue.

Rolfers normally take digital photos of you standing before treatment and another one after your tenth session so that you can visualize the difference in your posture. After receiving the Ten Series, you will notice an increase in your body movement.

People who use their bodies for their jobs, including athletes, construction workers, musicians, cab drivers, may find great benefits in rolfing.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic healing, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

Myofascial release is a highly specialized stretching method utilized by massage therapists to treat patients with various soft tissue disorders.

To know what myofascial release is and why it works so well, one must know something about fascia. Fascia refers to the thin layer of connective tissue that covers all organs of the body. This tissue covers every muscle bundle as well as every muscle fiber inside each bundle. All muscle stretching really is stretching of the fascia and the muscle, collectively known as the myofascial unit. When a person injures his muscle, the fibers and the surrounding fascia become short and tight; i.e. muscle spasm. This imbalance of stress can radiate through the fascia and ultimately to other parts of the body, thus promoting pain and various other symptoms in places you normally would not expect. Myofascial release addresses these symptoms by releasing the uneven tightness in the injured fascia.

To put it in other words, myofascial release is the stretching of the fascia. The stretch is guided by the feedback that the massage therapist gets from the patient’s body. The therapist can gauge how much force to use, the direction of force and for how long to maintain that force. Small areas of muscle are stretched at any one time. Occasionally, the massage therapist uses only two of his/her fingers to stretch that part of a muscle. The feedback that the therapist receives from the patient allows him/her to determine which muscles are stretched and in what particular order.

The same components are used when a therapist utilizes myofascial release. First, the therapist locates the area of tightness. Then a light stretch is applied to the area of tightness. When the tissue begins to relax, the massage therapist then applies greater force to increase the stretch. This process is repeated until the entire muscle is fully relaxed. Then, the therapist addresses another area to be stretched.

The massage therapist will be able to locate sore spots just by light palpation. Many times, patients are unable to show the therapist where the sore spots are or have grown accustomed to them until the massage therapist palpates them. These myofascial trigger points as they are called will disappear with treatment.

Many patients are amazed at how gentle myofascial release really is. Some of them doze off during a massage therapy session. Others go home and take a nap. Most patients find that myofascial release can be a very relaxing form of massage therapy.

Keep in mind that myofascial release is not massage therapy entirely. Myofascial release is only one of many techniques used in massage therapy to equalize muscle tension throughout the body. Uneven muscle tension can put pressure on the nerves and muscles and promote pain. Progress is determined by an improvement in overall posture and the decrease in the patient’s pain.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic healing, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

It has been hotly debated whether or not the massage therapist should use herbal oil as part of the general massage of the entire body. As a recipient of regular massage, I find that the oil benefits me greatly by reducing the friction between me and the therapist’s hands.

Whether or not the massage therapist uses oil, there are health benefits to getting a massage.

A good massage:

1. Relieves high blood pressures and promotes normal blood pressure.
2. Relieves stress-related disorders associated with sleeplessness and headaches.
3. Relieves many kinds of aches and pains especially in the joints.
4. Promotes normal heart rhythm and increases the efficiency of the heart.
5. Enhances skin tone and increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body’s tissues and organs.
   Relieves depression and anxiety.
6. Improves muscle tone and increases mobility and flexibility.
7. Relieves indigestion and constipation and helps to remove gastrointestinal gases associated with bloating and flatulence.
8. Stimulates the lymphatic system by promoting the elimination of waste products, such as lactic acid, from your cells and tissues. This lactic acid can contribute to joint and muscle stiffness.

Keep in mind that a good massage is not the answer to cure or treat any disorder. It is simply a procedure to rejuvenate, repair wasted tissues, promote energy, and enhance function in the bodily organs. It is natural to feel relaxed and energized when the body has received a proper massage especially when more fatigued or ailing body parts receive a good massage.

It is incorrect to assume that a good massage is possible through the use of oils on the body. Each client is different and will have his/her preferences. The use of oils is only one aspect of massage therapy. There are other techniques within the profession of massage therapy that are practiced regularly. They include but are not limited to reflexology, shiatsu, panchakarma, Swedish/Western massage, Thai massage, and myofascial release.

Massage therapy is not an absolute way to obtaining optimal health. It does not replace traditional medicine. Massage therapy helps to relax your muscles, remove mental and physical fatigue, improve circulation, improve digestion, and give you an increased sense of well-being.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

Lymphatic massage is a gentle kind of massage. This massage serves to stimulate the lymphatic system to increase metabolism, remove cellular waste and debris, and promote a healthy immune system. Lymphatic massage is also known as lymphatic drainage.

The body’s lymphatic system is the focus of a lymphatic massage. The lymphatic system works for the immune system by draining out waste and cellular debris and fluid. This is how the body gets rid of toxins, that cause illness, from your cells and tissues. When the lymph system becomes blocked or narrowed, fluid starts to build up, thus causing the entire body to feel tired and weak. This makes us susceptible to disease and infirmity.

By working the lymph nodes through a lymphatic massage, any blockages occurring in the lymphatic system are removed. This in turn keeps the lymph passages free and clear so that toxins can be carried away to better your immune system.

Before a lymphatic massage takes place, the therapist and client do an initial consultation to determine what his/her needs are and how many sessions will be required. The actual massage involves gentle pressure applied to the body along with pumping movements in the direction of the lymph nodes. This technique utilizes the relaxation methods of Swedish massage along with the deep digital pressure of shiatsu. A lymphatic massage therapy session can occur between thirty minutes to two hours long depending on whether the therapist is targeting only one specific part of the body or the entire body.

Lymphatic massage is an excellent therapeutic treatment by itself. It also has benefits when used in conjunction with other massage techniques such as Swedish or deep tissue massage. Since lymphatic massage uses only soft, rhythmic movements, this technique can be used on the tenderest areas of the body that are inflamed.

This form of massage is beneficial for people who get sick often or have a faulty immune system. It is great for individuals with sports injuries, emotional problems, lack of energy, or stress. Studies show that lymphatic massage has a positive effect the skin, improves energy, and helps with respiratory problems. This treatment elevates the immune system’s ability to fight off disease and creates general feelings of vitality. This procedure helps the patient cope with different kinds of pain because it stimulates the body’s innate healing mechanisms. They key factor behind a lymphatic massage is that when our immune system is healthy, our bodies are also healthy.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.

Breema bodywork is a kind of body therapy that utilizes simple forms of tactility and body movement. There exists two kinds of of breema therapy.

• Self-breema exercises
• Bodywork

The purpose of both kinds is to increase the energy flow of the body and to bring the body to the present time. Self-breema exercises utilize gentle body stretches and nurturing touch in a nonjudgmental environment to bring about mental, physical, and emotional balance for optimal health.

Normally, a breema bodywork session takes place on the floor using a padded mat or cushioned surface such as a massage cushion while the patient is still dressed. The therapist then initiates a series of movements on the patient that include tension-relieving stretches, the holding of different poses, and muscle leans and pulls. The focus of these movements is to gently stretch out the muscles of the body not so much as to cause discomfort on the patient.

There exist nine (9) principles of harmony in breema exercises:

1. Body comfort–Breema exercises are supposed to be relaxing and comfortable. They focus on the body as a whole in place of targeting unique parts. There is no place for discomfort in this therapy.
2. Firmness and gentleness–Breema exercises are supposed to be firm and gentle. The key to this technique is that the pressure applied to the patient needs to be firm and gentle at the same time.
3. Mutual support–The giving and receiving of support during breema therapy has to take place at the same time.
4. No haste/No pause–The therapist must maintain natural rhythm of movements while not rushing or pausing between movements.
5. No force–The activities involved in breema do not include any kind of force.
6. Individual moment/individual activity–Each of the specifically designed movements is different and functions on its own. There is a purpose in each and every movement.
7. Non-judgmental environment–Breema bodywork is conducted in an environment of non-judgment. This allows the patient to feel comfortable and accepted as they maintain present time consciousness.
8. Full participation–The patient is required to partake fully and not just lie there passively. This participation includes his mind, body, and feelings in order for breema bodywork to be effective.
9. No more extras–The goal of breema bodywork therapy is to help the patient express themselves to their fullest poential. Nothing extra is needed.

Through every breema therapy session, the patient benefits by exhibiting mental clarity, mental and physical relaxation, and balance of energy and emotions. Breema bodywork is a great form of therapy for those who want to pursue a life of balance and harmonies while at the same time nurture their body.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as chiropractic, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition, and other types of alternative health care.