Published by Josh on 30 Jul 2007
There are 2 new Free Massage lessons on itseasytomassage.com meaning you can try out and learn a few massage techniques for free. Visit the website and follow the Free lesson link on the front page, Enter your details, and you will receive 2 online massage video lessons as well as free relaxation audio to listen and relax to.
Josh the Masseur
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Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
Causes and Pathogenesis
Tension type headaches are the most common forms of headaches. These headaches are bilateral with a pressing, nonpulsating feel, lasting from 30 minutes to 7 days. The historical theory has been that tension-type headaches are due to sustained contraction of cervical and pericranial muscles. However, electromyographic (EMG) studies don’t support a muscle contraction mechanism in tension-type headaches. Rather, more and more evidence exists implicating myofascial TrP pain as an etiologic source of pain in these headaches. These myofascial TrP however can be activated by a constant contraction and overuse of the head and neck muscles, in an abnormal position. These positions and activating factors differ between each muscle involved, but send referred pain to the areas that tension-type headaches present.
Affected muscles
For More information about muscles, their attachments and how to treat tension headaches you can get video lessons and deeper anatomy knowledge on muscles etc. at itseasytomassage.com
Josh the Masseur
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Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
Description
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a disorder characterized by pain and loss of motion or stiffness in the shoulder. It affects about two percent of the general population. It is more common in women between the ages of 40 years to 70 years old. The causes of frozen shoulder are not fully understood. The process involves thickening and contracture of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint. A doctor can diagnose frozen shoulder based on the history of the patient’s symptoms and physical examination. X-rays or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) studies are sometimes used to rule out other causes of shoulder stiffness and pain, such as rotator cuff tear.
Risk Factors/Prevention
Frozen shoulder occurs much more commonly in individuals with diabetes, affecting 10 percent to 20 percent of these individuals. Other medical problems associated with increased risk of frozen shoulder include: hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, and cardiac disease or surgery. Frozen shoulder can develop after a shoulder is injured or immobilized for a period of time. Attempts to prevent frozen shoulder include early motion of the shoulder after it has been injured.
Symptoms
Pain due to frozen shoulder is usually dull or aching. It can be worsened with attempted motion. The pain is usually located over the outer shoulder area and sometimes the upper arm. The hallmark of the disorder is restricted motion or stiffness in the shoulder. The affected individual cannot move the shoulder normally. Motion is also limited when someone else attempts to move the shoulder for the patient. Some physicians have described the normal course of a frozen shoulder as having three stages:
Treatment Options
Frozen shoulder will generally get better on its own. However, this takes some time, occasionally up to two to three years. If you have a stiff and painful shoulder, see your physician to make sure no other injuries are present. Treatment is aimed at pain control and restoration of motion. The first goal is pain control. This can be achieved with anti-inflammatory medications. This can also be achieved by self treatment, stretches and exercise as well as massage. Because Frozen Shoulder is a reoccurring chronic condition any heat treatment works well in easing pain and inflammation, opposed to ice for acute conditions. Massage aims to increase blood flow, warmth and flexibility to the entire shoulder girdle mainly including the rotator cuff muscles to easy pain and tightness on the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint.
Josh the Masseur
Interested in Massage? Click here and Get two free Massage Lessons
Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
Everything that I do with Massage has taken years of thought, not just from me but from many lifetimes of consideration by people who have been studying massage their entire adult life.
Here are just some of the books that have inspired my direction:
Balance of Body/Balance of Mind- A Rolfer’s Vision of Buddhist Practice in the West by Will Johnson
BodyStories-A Guide to Experiential Anatomy by Andrea Olsen
Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery by Eric Franklin
BodyMind by Ken Dychtwald
Touching-The Human Significance of Skin by Ashley Montagu
Molecules of Emotion- The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine by Candance B. Pert
Body by Don Hanlon Johnson
Job’s Body- Handbook for Bodywork by Deane Juhan
Sensory Awareness by Charles W. Brooks
The Body Has Its Reasons- Self Awareness Through Conscious Movement by Therese Bertherat
Bone, Breath and Gesture by Don Hanlon Johnson
The Future of the Body- Explorations Into the Further Evolution of Human Nature by Michael Murphy
The Feeling of What Happens - Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness by Antonio Damasio
The Absent Body by Drew Leder
The Spell of the Sensous by David Abram
Phenomenology of Perception by Maurice Merlau-Ponty
The Breathing Book by Donna Farhi
The Thinking Body- A Study of the Balancing Forces of Dynamic Man by Mabel E. Todd
Inside Motion- An Ideokinetic Basis for Movement Education by John Rolland
Wisdom of the Body Moving- An Introduction to Body-Mind Centering by Linda Hartley
A Kinesthetic Legacy- The Life and Works of Barbara Clark by Pamela Matt
The Fabric of Wholeness - Biological Intelligence and Relational Gravity by Carol Agneessens
Ways to Better Breathing by Carola Speads
Josh the Masseur
Interested in Massage? Click here and Get two free Massage Lessons
Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
Dry Needling is a technique used by Myotherapists and other specialists to specifically target and needle trigger points. It acts to mechanically release the trigger points to provide relief to the area and muscle concerned.
Josh the Masseur
Interested in Massage? Click here and Get two free Massage Lessons
Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
Cupping is an ancient form of treatment which uses cups to heat and suck blood and toxins to the surface, to be able to flush through and clease your body. there are different ways of cupping.
Glass cups are paced or moved over the surface of the skin while sustaining suction. Cupping is a relaxing technique used to release superficial adhesions between the skin and the muscles’ myofascia. It aims to flush toxins through the lymphatic system and improve blood circulation within the muscle. Static Cupping Techniques will bring toxins accumulated deep within the muscle to the surface so that they can drain.
History of cupping
Cupping had many names for reasons of the different methods of cupping.. other names for cupping therapy, include “horning”, “needlehorn”, “sucking method”, “fire - cupping”, “boiling bamboo cylinder”.
These signify the different methods used to get the same or similar results. Horning was a technique generally used by shepherds on their sheep, using a hollowed horn from a wild bore or horned animal. The tip of the horn was cut off so that the shepherd could suck through that end, creating suction. They were then placed on areas of the sheep that the sheep seemed irritated with, therefore sucking the toxins to the surface. Later they learned that they could use plug that they held in their mouths, sucked and then placed the plug in to the hole with their tongs, this allowed them to put on multiple horns and leave them for longer, which then became known as ‘needlehorn’, and the ’sucking method’.
Fire was introduced with use of wooden and bamboo cups, where the fire was quickly put inside the cut to suck the oxygen out then swiftly placed onto the area, creating the suction. with technological advancements glass cups were made using the same fire method. Now days you can get rubber plunger like suction cups, and a variety of plastic cups with pumps and valves, and a mixture of small plastic cups with magnetic prongs in the center. All these though, have the same purpose as that of ancient cupping methods.
Josh the Masseur
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Published by Josh on 26 Jul 2007
A Myotherapist can do everything that a remedial massage therapist can do. However, a Myotherapist has an extra year of study usually in advanced techniques and knowledge of human anatomy and pathology, we also have a deeper understanding of TriggerPoints (often referred to as Knots, or a nodule in a taught band of muscle fibres). These trigger points can be stimulated to relax and in turn release the hypertension in the entire muscle.
Myotherapists assess and physically treat myofascial pain, injury and dysfunction affecting movement and mobility. Myotherapy is applied in the preventative, corrective and rehabilitative phases of therapy to restore and maintain the normal integrity of the soft tissue structures (muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia) of the human body through the use of massage, dry needling, cupping and advice on habitual behaviours.
Myofascial pain is often not specific and is sometimes described as a ‘deep ache’, ‘tightness’ or ‘tenderness’ in an area. It can vary in intensity and radiate or refer to other, uninvolved areas. Other symptoms can include decreased range of motion of muscles and joints, stiffness, fatigue, weakness, numbness or a tingling sensation. There are many other symptoms depending on the condition and sufferers can have more than one symptom.
Josh the Masseur
Interested in Massage? Click here and Get two free Massage Lessons
Published by Josh on 25 Jul 2007
Welcome to the ItsEasyToMassage Blog page. This is a Massage Blog that will keep you up to date with ItsEasyToMassage information and general Massage information. If you have any Questions or Queries about MASSAGE or ItsEasyToMassage, this is the place to ask… We Welcome all to participate and feel free to discuss massage and everything about it.
Josh the Masseur
Interested in Massage? Click here and Get two free Massage Lessons