Newsletter

21 Aug Understanding Sciatica

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is not a condition as such, but a symptom which can be caused by numerous conditions. The common sciatica symptoms involve pain that starts in the back and radiates down one (or both) of the legs. It is quite a common complaint and sciatica pain is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve which runs down into the leg. The medical term is acute nerve root compression or radiculopathy. The cause of pressure can be varied from a slipped disc (also known as a herniated or prolapsed disc), disc degeneration to muscle tension (Piriformis syndrome) or something less common such as a tumors, bony growths (stenosis) and infections.

14 Jul Back Pain and Massage

Back Pain and Massage - How Bodywork Can Help   Karrie Osborn Whether it's a pulled a muscle from yoga class or an afternoon basketball game, or a long-term pain caused by injury,most of us will come to know the beast that is called back pain. In fact, when it comes to low-back pain specifically, researchers say that 70-85 percent of the population will experience it at some point in their lives.

07 Jun How Massage Heals Sore Muscles

 How Massage Heals Sore Muscles

Nicholas Bakalar for  The New York Times, Feb 6th 2012 A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people — both athletes and health professionals – have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect. Now researchers have found what happens to muscles when a masseur goes to work on them.

23 May Common Running Injuries

Most running injuries are overuse injuries which are caused by either running too much or too soon. Most of the time with resting and icing the injury site will take care of the problem and runners can return to running in a few days or weeks. It is important that we do not self diagnose our injuries which could be symptoms of a more severe health condition. Consult a sport medicine doctor who will evaluate your injury and prescribe a proper course of treatment. Here is a list of the most common running injuries ranging from knee pain, upper leg injuries, lower leg injuries, foot, ankle and heel and hip injury. Each person reacts to the same type of shoes, running surface and other variables differently. Therefore, each is required a different course of treatment and the length of time for recovery will vary as well. When confronted with an injury, it is always better to take a conservative approach towards managing and treating it. After all, we would rather be not running for a few days than a few weeks, or even months.

12 Apr Understanding Frozen Shoulder

Have you ever felt the excruciating pain of a frozen shoulder? It is a very frustrating condition and can be very confusing to understand what it is and how to treat it. I would like to shed some light on this, or rather, hack at it with an ice pick for some better understanding. Curl up with your laptop and enjoy some dense reading...

10 Mar Fibromyalgia Demystified

Bodywork as a Key Therapy by Cathy Ulrich Jane had just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She was happy to have a name for the mysterious, traveling pain she had felt for some time, but she was still worried about how to deal with it. She'd done research on the Internet, but the information left her more confused. "There are so many causes and ways to treat it," she said. "I don't know what to do." A friend of Jane's recommended massage as part of her treatment plan. "She said it helped her," Jane said, "so I'm willing to try." For fibromyalgia sufferers, muscle pain, tightness, and general body discomfort can all too often become a way of life. But what is fibromyalgia, and what can be done to help?

23 Feb Your Skin Tells a Story

Understanding Whole-Body Connections by Lori Ann Griffin Centuries ago, Eastern cultures mapped and documented the intricate and deep relationship between the skin and the body's organs and systems, noting that the skin displays clues as to what types of stresses or malfunctions may exist and persist internally.

15 Jan Massage As The Bodys Workout

Can Bodywork Sometimes Make You Sore? Shirley Vanderbilt You've just had a wonderful massage, and you go home feeling both relaxed and rejuvenated. But later that night you feel like you're coming down with something. Or perhaps the next morning, you wake up with twinges of muscle soreness, maybe some fatigue, and you just don't feel yourself. What happened? Chances are it's the massage, and it's perfectly OK.

15 Dec Managing Arthritis

Exercise and Bodywork Keep Joint Pain at Bay The word arthritis strikes fear in the hearts of older adults. It often signifies aging, pain, inactivity, and disability. However, new research shows moderate physical exercise can actually ease arthritis symptoms by decreasing pain and increasing a person's likelihood of living a normal life.

01 Dec Whiplash

Healing a Pain in the Neck by Hope Bentley

Getting rear-ended in traffic. Face-planting at the bottom of a ski slope. Tumbling over the handlebars on your bike. Whiplash comes in many forms and can become a long-term problem if not treated correctly. Fortunately, massage and bodywork can address the ache and discomfort that come with whiplash and prevent chronic pain down the road.