INFARED LIGHT THERAPY

There is so much that I could say about infared light therapy.  It's a"dessert" add-on I offer in my message therapy treatments, and by far,  my favorite add-on service.    Here are some important factors involving infared therapy,  and why you should always have it used during massage.  One thing I personally notice that it helps in,  is it does a lot of the leg work ahead of time for me so my massage movements are more productive and more can get accomplished. But here is a general list of things it really helps at alone by itself:

-Promotes renewal and fast healing

-Amplifies blood flow which leads to pain relief

-Increases metabolism between blood and tissue

-Decreases joint rigidity and lessen muscle spasms

-Removes built up toxins by improving lymph flow

-Assists in resolution of inflammatory infiltrated edema, and exudes

-Affect s soft tissue injury and increases the extensibility of collagen tissue

-Enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the body's soft tissue areas

-Enhances white blood cell function, thereby increasing immune response and the elimination of foreign pathogens and cellular waste products

-Excites the hypothalamus, which controls the production of neurochemicals involved in such biological processes as sleep, mood, pain sensations, and blood pressure.

- aids in the healing of acne,  psoriasis, eczema, and other skin disorders. 

- Scar tissue healing

Infrared heat lamp therapy has been proven to produce a soothing, targeted infrared light that can be helpful in reducing pain from:

 - arthritis

- rheumatism

- tennis elbow

- joint injuries

- muscle strains as well as relieving muscle tension.

- promotes healing by dilating peripheral blood vessels.

ACCUCUPPING IN MASSAGE THERAPY

Accucupping. Many of you think this is a fairly new practice but it is not.  I hadn't heard about it until 7 years ago myself.  At first I had no clue how it was used or why.  If you were like me and wanted to know more about it, here's some information on it.

It first originated in Eastern Asia thousands of years ago. It was said that pulling the muscle outward into the cup was pulling out unwanted moods,  feelings,  thoughts,  and spiritual binds out of the muscles of the body.  If you're like me,  you're more interested in the science behind it.  Like any thing I learn,   my first initial thought is to make a list answering the 5 W's. Who, what,  where,  when,  & why of something.

WHO- who is able to use this? Answer: almost anyone.  Any by what I mean by almost anyone, I mean anyone who doesn't easily suffer from acute or chronic hematomas. ( bruising or bleeding beneath surface of skin)

WHAT- what can it be used for? Answer: It can be used to loosen muscles beneath the skin surface,  almost as deep as 4 inches deep, it can lightly applied and dragged across the skin surface as a form of myofascial release. ( unfamiliar with myofascial terminology,  see past blog post) it can quickly break up adhesions and stagnant blood and metabolic waste trapped inside tight muscles, and pool fresh oxygenated blood to oxygen starved muscles.

WHERE- can they go anywhere? Answer: cupping is designed for musculoskeletal muscles.  Some of the best places I tend to use cupping is on the posterior back,  shoulders,  arms, and legs.  Places they're not designed are anywhere there's more connective tissue and/or less to no muscle,  and or heavily saturated with lymph glands and nodes,  or major arteries.  Places such as behind knees,  elbows,  neck,   anterior of upper chest and by breast/ armpit.  If used on the appendages (arms/ legs) caution on dragging the cups If they're tightly on.

WHEN- can I use them anytime during a massage? Answer: It's best to use cups once the muscles have been warmed up and lightly worked over first.  Since they can be tightened enough to be considered deep tissue, to prevent pain and injury to the skin or muscle it's necessary the area using cupping be treated first and loosened up.  Using a lubricant gel or lotion on the skin,  the cup can better grip and the skin and muscle can better concave into the cup.

WHY- Because you'll get better range of motion in your joints.  You'll get tight muscles relaxes.  You'll have less pain, because any nerves that are compromised or pinched due to contracted muscles, those will be able to heal and inflammation will be reduced. It helps your lymphatic system to flow more efficiently, with the increase in blood flow.

What to expect: it may hurt more at first when they're applied.  The longer it's on, it will slowly release the muscle.

FAQ:

What does it mean if I have bruise marks?
Answer: it means there was stagnant blood trapped in the muscle due to lack of flow from tightness within.  I say if you have marks afterwords that's a good thing.  Means we're helping a muscle or group of muscles with fresh oxygenated blood and helping to remove and move along old stagnant blood.  I also say not having marks is a good thing too. It means they're wasn't any trapped stagnation and the muscle isn't as tight so it won't need add much deep work done to it.

Im on blood thinners,  can I still get cupping done?
Answer: unfortunately no.  Clients on prescription blood thinners or elderly clients are not good candidates for cupping therapy.

What if I'm getting regular massages with cupping and I'm still hurting,  like I'm not getting the relief I need?
Honestly,  as a practicing therapist I would suggest you talk to your physician or a licensed practicing doctor.  To me if you're experiencing pain continually then that means there's inflammation going on within your body whether it's diet related or other means.

REFLEXOLOGY

Reflexology. What is it? In a way,  in layman's terms it's a fancy application of a foot rub. It's using specific massage movements along the bottoms and tops of your feet to stimulate organ systems and glands throughout the body.  As those massage movements are being applied,  the reflexologist can feel tight or dense areas that indicate to him/her imbalances inside your body.  To the recipient,  YOU, certain areas that are imbalanced will feel tender or sore to the touch.   When trying to determine the status of your health, most people don't turn to their feet for indication. However, in some types of medicine, they are a body part that can give you some insight into how your body is doing. When it comes to what your feet can say about your health. Eastern Medicine suggests there are a number of things you can find out, so it might be time to take a closer look at what's going down by those toes!

Many meridians or pathways of the body either begin or end in the feet. In Chinese medicine they correspond to the hands, and many important points we use in treatment are on the feet or near the ankle. Most people in the West ignore the importance of their feet, unlike their hands. Our feet carry us through the world and are an integral part of Chinese Medicine.

The feet in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine contain multiple acupressure and reflexology points, all connected to different organ systems and meridians. In these types of Eastern medicine, all body parts are connected. In Chinese Medicine, meridians are pathways that form the body. There are twelve major meridians that run on each side of the body, one side mirroring the other, and each meridian corresponds to an internal organ.
Here are seven things your feet reveal about your health, according to Eastern Medicine.

1. Cold Feet Mean Poor Circulation

2. A Wound That Doesn't Heal Can Mean Digestive Issues.

3. Athlete's Foot Can Mean Your Diet Is Off

4. Foot Cramps Can Mean A Deficiency

5. Pain At The Bottom Of The Foot Could Mean Kidney Problems

6. Pain On Top Of The Foot Could Mean Liver Or Stomach Issue

7. Dry Heels Could Mean A Problem With Fluid Balance

We may tend to ignore our feet, but paying attention to them can help you learn more about your health, as well as guide you when to take action and speak with your doctor. Take a look at this image  below. Are there any spots you tend to have trouble with,  or pain? Most everyone does at some point in life.  If so,  maybe it's time to come see me for a reflexology treatment! 45 minutes. - $1 a minute.

MERIDIANS and the Body

Lets talk about Meridans and your body. Meridians affect every organ and every physiological system in the body, including the immune, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, skeletal, muscular, lymphatics systems. Each system is fed by at least one meridian.

As the body’s ‘energy bloodstream’ the meridians bring vitality and balance, remove blockages, adjust metabolism, and even determine the speed and form of cellular change. Their flow is critical for the flow of blood, your life, and health depend on both. If a meridian’s energy is obstructed or unregulated, the system it feeds is jeopardized.

Like a river that ebbs and flows, the meridians are ever changing and can be directed with intention, touch and breath, along with needles like in acupuncture.
They are like a complex traffic network, and energy balancing clears out any traffic jams, diverting traffic to other highways or off the ramp, like balancing harmonizing the yin and yang of each meridian or clearing out energy to the Earth.

Your body’s profound intelligence governs the meridians and they serve you well, even though you may not be aware they exist. Once you learn and understand the behaviors and ‘language’, you will work with them to send energy where needed and activate healing for the physical body, and support the metal and emotional realms.

All meridians either start or end in your hands or feet, and it is as if there channels of light flowing throughout your vessel.
The meridians work closely with the physical body as they run just along the surface of the skin and can penetrate deep into the body, where it brings energy to at least one or more organs.

So, what is a meridian anyway? This is one of the first questions students of Chinese medicine want to understand. Simply put, a meridian is an ‘energy highway’ in the human body. Qi (chee) energy flows through this meridian or energy highway, accessing all party of the body. Meridians can be mapped throughout the body; they flow within the body and not on the surface, meridians exist in corresponding pairs and each meridian has many acupuncture points along its path. I like to refer to them as my spiritual channels that exist in our bodies, that we cannot see with our eyes.

There are twelve main meridians, or invisible channels, throughout the body with Qi or energy flows. Congestion of one or more meridians can indicate physical changes or affects on the body. Here are the Twelve Meridians:

Arm Tai Yin channel corresponds to the Lung
Leg Tai Yin channel corresponds to the Spleen
Arm Shao Yin channel corresponds to the Heart
Leg Shao Yin corresponds to the Kidney
Arm Jue Yin corresponds to the Pericardium
Leg Jue Yin corresponds to the Liver
Arm Yang Ming corresponds to the Large Intestine
Leg Yang Ming corresponds to the Stomach
Arm Tai Yang corresponds to the Small Intestine
Leg Tai Yang corresponds to the Bladder
Arm Shao Yang corresponds to the San Jiao
Leg Shao Yang Channel corresponds to the Gall Bladder

DEEP TISSUE IN MASSAGE THERAPY

Ever heard either of these two phrases before in massage therapy? DEEP TISSUE or MYOFASCIAL COMPRESSION? Let me explain the difference, but also how they both play an important part in releasing tightness and over exerted muscles.

 Today I'll talk about DEEP TISSUE. Tomorrow afternoon I'll post about MYOFASCIAL COMPRESSION.  So stay tuned!

Deep Tissue.  It's term most know and assume it means it fixes all problems. But let me first explain what it is, and how it's applied.

 When I explain deep tissue I want you to envision the Earth.  And it's cut in half vertically.  You'd see the soil, (or crust) the mantle, (middle) and the core (center). Muscles too have layers.  And when deep tissue is applied,  it's pushing down into layers of muscles that flow across the body --⬇️-- (outside pushing in) oooooooph that just sounds painful when you think about it doesn't it? Well,  it does LOL.  But here's the real kicker.. when and where should deep tissue be applied?

 Deep tissue massages first and foremost are NOT meant to be applied just anywhere on the body and not meant for all age groups. Any one over 60yrs of age should never receive deep tissue on the LEGS due to increased risk of stroke.  (If you're a smoker then it's anyone 50yrs old and over) If you had a blood clot located in your leg(s) it can be released into youre blood stream during deep tissue and travel up to the brain.

  Second,  it's also not meant to be a repeated/ repetitive force over a section of muscles.

 The most common people to benefit from deep tissue massages are Athletes and those doing very exerted physical activity with their bodies.  Such as runners, gymnasts,  weight lifters/ body builders,  active sports athletes, or anyone with an extremely repetitive job activity.   I think you get the picture! Also,  not every area of the body may need that targeted deep tissue.  Runners for instance need it more in their glutes and thighs. A volleyball player would need it more in her shoulder blades,  neck and back.

 If you're hurting all over equally, then you're experiencing either inflammation,  dehydration,  or lymphatic buildup.  In which case DEEP TISSUE SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

 I had also mentioned it shouldn't be repetitive over a set of muscles. That just means if your shoulder is giving you grief from your everyday job of using a power gun,  me applying extreme deep work over that particular set of muscles for 45 min is probably the worst thing you can do to those muscles.  Target areas shouldn't be manipulated in the same manor in one area for longer than 5-8 minutes. And what I mean by that is,  you can actually over work, tear,  inflame, or damage the muscle and over stimulate/ damage nerve bundles located within the muscles.

 You have 2 sets of nerve functions.  Your sympathetic nervous system which is your making -your- body -work- and- function nerves.  (Feeling a blanket,  feeling the type writer as you type, petting your cat.)  Your parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for quick responses to make your body react.  Fight or flight. (Touching a hot skillet,  running from danger. )  If damage is done so excessively to a muscle, your parasympathetic nervous system sends pain responses to the brain,  causing your body to react in defense.  When a muscle is damaged, a protein called myoglobin is released into the bloodstream. It is then filtered out of the body by the kidneys. Myoglobin breaks down into substances that can damage kidney cells. So, in knowing this, pain is not gain.  And receiving an all over, too long applied, painful deep tissue massage,  actually does more harm than good!

How I do my deep tissue are by administering things like infrared light therapy,  myofascial release,  essenital oils,  and accucupping. By first using infrared heat im loosening up the muscle with heat,  increasing circulation and swelling lymphatic channels to move along metabolic waste out of your muscle.  Myofascial compression stretches ⬅️➡️the surface muscles and fascia,  essential oils to lessen spasms,  relieve pain and calm the nervous system while manipulating musculoskeletal muscles,  and accucupping to pull the muscle up to pool fresh oxygenated blood to oxygen starved muscles in order help them release and heal.

MYOFASCIAL COMPRESSION

So,  now I'm here to tell you about part 2, MYOFASCIAL COMPRESSION.  To be honest,  it's a favorite and extremely necessary part in giving a successful massage whether it's deep tissue or not.

So,  as I explained earlier about Deep Tissue,  I need to address also the when and where of the myofascial application.  This term I feel is not new but rarely used or even administered in my field for some odd reason.  I briefly remember the term tossed around in school,  and briefly learned tidbits from another massage therapist named Jaymi D. I did my own research and online education on the matter, and let me tell you,  you'll become fan of it too once im done educating you about it! You'll be requesting that your therapist administer it on you at your next massage appointment.

So,  again I need you to picture the Earth,  and it's cut vertically in half. You see all the layers of the earth.  Now the Earth in reality has several layers to it but we're going to pretend it has like,  4 layers LOL. So,  the first layer (soil or crust) were going to call it myofascia or also known as connective tissue.  This sits in between your skin and your muscles, and is responsible in helping to keep everything bundled together.  It's very flexible,  and also becomes tendons that extend beyond a muscle or muscle group.  The next layer (mantle) or layers are the muscles,  which also carry blood vessels, lymph glands and channels, nerves e.t.c e.t.c you get the point.
            In the myofascial application im using my hands or fingers and I'm pushing into the muscles doing gentle compression while one hand is going one direction and the other hand is going the opposite direction ⬅️⬅️⬅️__➡️➡️➡️
                                   This is doing a manual stretch to the surface connective tissue that's attached to and covering, the muscles.  In stretching it going east and west first,  it will allow my massage movements to be less painful,  less work on my hands,  fingers,  and arms,  and more productive at getting the end result to the problematic muscle group you need in that one visit without causing damage to the muscle.

Ever cut up a chicken breast,  and you have to cut through a thin translucent layer of stuff that's on the outside of the breast meat? That my dears is the fascia connective tissue.  (I use to think it was part of the skin and I'd rip it all off the best I could 😄) well,  when our muscles move it moves along with it.  It also toughens up when the muscle gets stronger or over exerted.  Problem is,  if both are tight,  that means both need loosening up correct? And usually a massage therapist will quickly go over your skin and then start digging in trying to break up the muscle adhesions without FIRST stretching out the fascia.

So,  let's say you're going to the gym to use the elliptical, treadmill, or weights.  Would you immediately start without warming up and stretching first? Of course not.  Because you know that stretching and warming the muscle prevents injury,  increases flexibility,  and allows for longevity and results in your attempt to build and maintain a healthy physique. So why wouldn't you stretch and warm up your muscles and connective tissues first in a deep tissue massage???

 Because I am stretching also the surface of the clients skin to do the myofascial I do like to use a quick absorbing lotion to hydrate the skin surface so it doesn't feel like I'm tearing dry skin and cracking it making it bleed. But,  I also need to be aware and consider that over greasing the skin doesn't stretch well either. Lotions and oils are meant to help glide and reduce friction in massage movements.   So I have to determine the right balance as a therapist to get the action I need, with your comfort in mind.

 I'm going to bunny trail here just a bit to point out the difference and need for heat or ice.  Heat loosens muscle and increases circulation, but can cause inflammation in nerves or injury sites.  Ice can reduce pain and swelling from nerves or inflammation from injury,  but reduces circulation and can cause tissue damage if administered for too long.

So if I'm wanting to help someone in pain,  I first have to do a consultation to determine whether or not heat or ice is needed.  Sometimes both is required! If there is no nerve pain, swelling, or inflammation,  heat can be administered, and is the first step in treatment. Second is doing myofascia compression.  Once I do that over selected area or areas needed,  and determine that flexibility is now present,  I can start my massage service to manipulate and correct the muscles, so you feel like you received the results you need and you got your money's worth.
            Because these are steps that not only require knowledge, but are additional steps taken before a deep tissue massage service is even administered, ( Physically for me doing deep tissue on a person is very tiring and demands strength on my end ) is why I charge an additional cost for deep tissue.

If you have any questions regarding prices or services provided,  please visit my website at www.elkhartsalonandspa.com for further details.