Targeting Your Well Being
Chronic Pain can be difficult to live with often getting in the way of the most basic of movement and activity. Muscles aches can lead to limited Range of Motion(ROM) which for most gets in the way of daily activity.
* Do you want to move like you used to?
* Can you not remember when the pain began?
* Are medications not doing enough?
I work well with clients who have pain that just does not seem to go away. Often my clients have tried other methods or have been previously treated by doctors, chiropractors, or physical therapists. I work with you to get to the root of your pain, for some simple changes in daily activity can help while for others the addition of specific stretches along with regular massage ease and diminish pain significantly.
Less pain means Less stress
J. Vaughn, LMT - (413)695-9931 jvaughn@massagetherapy.com
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The massage therapist and client should both have a good sense of what the massage session will be like.
Sure I can go to a workshop, she’s been at Kripalu quite a few times so I’m sure I could catch her close to home. I just see myself in the class.
Looking at both, togetherness seems to be the bond that ties. To be unified we must first come to understand ourselves.
Some simple suggestions for the president-elect on how to manage the stress of the next four years. Not surprisingly, these are similar to what other Americans can and should do regularly to combat stress.
The human body is a fascinating structure. From the seemingly ordinary to the extraordinary, every day health tips, useful facts and info regarding the human structure inside and out.
Yoga focuses on harmony between mind and body. To achieve this, yoga uses movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation to establish a healthy, lively and balanced approach to life.
Research continues to show the enormous benefits of massage from treatment of injuries to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles. Consequently, the medical community is actively embracing bodywork.
A great massage session happens when both the massage therapist and the massage client are well-informed.
The client is typically (and always should be) asked to fill out a brief medical history and self-evaluation of what their needs are whether they be simply relaxation or specific focus on areas of tension or pain. It is important to be open and honest about what is going on, massage therapists have heard and seen quite a bit. I myself have seen clients without limbs or even digits. I was thankful for the forwardness of the man with three toes - had he not said anything I may have been a bit surprised, however, because he was open about it we were able to discuss how this may be a factor in the issues he later stated and his massage was better tailored to his needs.
The massage therapist also needs to be honest and open about what the session will be like for the client. It should be remembered that clients typically don’t speak the massage language. Effleurage is not in their vocabulary. It’s important to get details about what kind of pressure they like as “pressure” is a subjective term. One man’s deep is another man’s pain. Checking in during the massage is key. Walking the massage client through the whole experience is great. Answer any questions they may have about your background, experience, and expertise.
Online booking has been a great feature. You can make an appointment without even picking up the phone, it’s like having a secretary 24-7. The appointment gets to me, on my cell phone no less, and you sent a confirmation as well. The new format is much easier to navigate and you can check my upcoming schedule. All appointments remain confidential, only you and I can see your appointment, others simply see that the time is no longer available.
I often call to confirm appointments and discuss session goals. Appointments can always be made over the phone.
Most people think of massage as a full body experience. A whole hour dedicated to relaxation, a luxurious experience that feeds the mind and body. While I can attest that there is truth to this, there are those that seek massage for specific pain relief. Most chronic conditions respond well to regular treatment, however, this can prove to be taxing on both your schedule and your wallet. The price of massage may seem high to some but one should not assume that this is based on a forty hour work week. Thus the pricing is based more on the amount of available work time.
That aside, many seek relief through massage therapy because other treatments are not producing the results they desire. It is important that you state your goals and ask questions. Massage therapists hear all kinds of questions and stories, confidentiality is always withheld, and both the questions and the stories can be helpful in your treatment.
Specific pain can be helped with specific massage, these sessions are typically shorter but in greater frequency, especially in the beginning. Clients often benefit from sessions a week or two apart in the beginning and then follow up once a month or so to be sure movement patterns and habits are not re-creating the initial painful condition.
Perhaps its just your neck, your low back, or simply your shoulder, I know, pain never seems simple, it never is really. As a massage therapist I do my best to uncomplicate it, anything above that is beyond my scope.
Recently, I honed my practice. At one time I was a massaage therapist wearing many hats, relaxation, deep tissue, special needs, spa, all of these forms of massage were related to the knowledge and training I received in massage school, however, each can be considered a specialty. Most industries have specialties within, a certain niche that some excel at andd focus on while others try to be the right fit for everyone.
It’s about focus, throughout my training I became very interested in deep tissue work and focusing on certain areas of the body in particular. Many people think of massage in terms of a full body experience, one hour head to toe relaxation. However, for many, there are certain areas that present pain or discomfort on a regular basis. They try to treat the pain with over the counter medication, maybe even going to the doctor. All the while not gaining an understanding the pain and where it may be coming from.
This whole situation intrigues me. Originally I went into massage therapy because “I want to help people”, in time I have realized that this initial statement was simply not specific enough. One of the reasons I was drawn into the massage profession was that I had noticed people around me, especially myself, making less contact with other people. It seemed as the drawing in grew, so did the stress, exhaustion, frustration, and on and on. I was thinking that by connecting with people that I could help to ease some stress, if only for an hour.
As I’ve continued through the practice of massage, I have been increasingly interested in pain management and how I can help to ease not only stress but specific pain. Especially chronic conditions that cause people to make changes in their normal lives so that they can spend more time connecting and less time feeling disconnected.
My passion for this work has stemmed from my yoga experience and the people I have come in contact with so far. I feel a deep connection to those that have pain that prevents them from being as active as they would like. While I don’t project myself as a healer, my clients tell me that I have helped them to move more freely and even have days, weeks, and even longer periods of being without pain.
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