Make your Next Massage Twice the Relaxation!

You may already know the wonderful benefits of massage. It improves circulation, reduces pain, provides a calming effect on your nervous system, enhances your immune system, and just make you feel good!

So why not share the experience with someone else?

Scheduling a Couples Massage is a great way to share a relaxing massage experience. A Couples Massage takes place in a large massage room with two tables. Each client has their own therapist, and receives a full body massage at the same time. The room has a quiet ambience, with soft lighting, and music that lets your mind slow down and your thoughts to drift away.

A Couples Massage is a great way to introduce one or both of you to your first professional massage experience. You can be comfortable with asking questions, and talk to your partner in the room during the session. Or you can both close your eyes and silently enjoy the session.

A couple may not be just romantic partners. We have had mother-daughter sessions, sisters, or best friends. We have even had a father and son who just want to spend time together while relaxing.

Consider a "gift of massage" by inviting someone to a Couples Massage session. Or get that special couple a gift certificate that they can use to celebrate their wedding anniversary, new addition to the family or other shared event.

And with Valentine's Day coming this weekend, call today to be sure you get on our schedule!

Treating Headaches with Massage Therapy

Headaches come in many forms. Three common types are migraines, tension-type headaches and chronic daily headaches. Migraines often involve recurrent attacks of moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing and often strikes one side of the head, can come on with or without an aura, and occur frequently in the morning, especially upon waking. Some people have migraines at predictable times, such as before menstruation or on weekends following a stressful week of work. Many people feel exhausted or weak following a migraine but are usually symptom-free between attacks. Tension-type headache, previously called muscle contraction headache, is the most common type of headache. Its name indicates the role of stress and mental or emotional conflict in triggering the pain and contracting muscles in the neck, face, scalp, and jaw. Tension-type headaches may also be caused by jaw clenching, intense work, missed meals, depression, anxiety, or too little sleep. Chronic daily headache refers to a group of headache disorders that occur at least 15 days a month during a 3-month period. Individuals feel constant, mostly moderate pain throughout the day on the sides or top of the head. These types of headaches can occur in teenagers and children and may be linked to stress from school and family activities.

Of the 45 million Americans who suffer from chronic headaches, more than 60 percent suffer from migraines. For many, it’s a distressing disorder that is triggered by stress and poor sleep. In a recent study, massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality during the weeks they received massage, and the three weeks following, than did participants that did not receive massage therapy. Another study found that in adults with migraine headaches massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms. It also increased serotonin levels, believed to play an important role in the regulation of mood, sleep and appetite. Another study examined the effects of massage therapy on chronic, nonmigraine headaches. Sufferers of chronic tension headaches between the ages of 18-55 yrs received structured massage therapy treatment directed toward the neck and shoulder muscles during a 4-wk period. The results showed that the massage therapy reduced the number of weekly headaches. Headache frequency was significantly reduced within the initial week of massage treatment, and continued for the remainder of the study. A trend toward reduction in average duration of each headache event between the baseline period and the treatment period was also observed.

Sources: Annals of Behavioral Medicine, August 2006, International Journal of Neuroscience, 1998, American Journal of Public Health, 2002

Laughing Just for the Health of It

Stressed? Need a lift? Just open wide and say HA! No prescription necessary. Just laugh. We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that’s no joke! Laughter boosts the immune system, reduces the effects of stress, lowers blood pressure, lifts spirits, eases anxiety, improves circulation and even helps reduce pain. A hearty laugh exercises the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Laughter Yoga professionals like to call it “jogging” for your insides. It’s energizing. It even burns calories. Preliminary studies have shown that even anticipating laughter helps raise our endorphin levels, promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels.

When we breathe, especially when under stress, we typically replace only about a third of the air in our lungs. At times, we even unwittingly hold our breath. Practicing laughter helps expand lung capacity to increase the intake of vital oxygen. This renewed air supply feeds the brain, bloodstream and every cell in the body. It helps with detoxification. It trains us to be more conscious of our breathing.

Laughter is an example of the mind-body connection. Laughter sends our body messages to relax, be happy and be present. It also improves our skills for coping with life’s challenges by reminding us not to take our minor problems and ourselves so seriously. Laughter, a natural expression of joy, creates positive energy that flows out into the world having a favorable effect on others.

All we need is to give ourselves permission to let go and laugh. Laughter helps us connect with our playful side, our little inner five year old.

In truth, we can laugh as an exercise just for the health of it. Once we open our “laughter channel”, laughing will become easier and we will start to laugh more often.

Tips to find more laughter in your life:

• Rent funny movies, read comics and funny books.
• Spend time with fun friends or family members
• Go to a comedy club
• Dial a smile. Call the Laugh Line, a free conference call where you can laugh 12 times a day with a Laughter Yoga Leader and people from all over the US.
Visit http://www.laughteryogaonthephone.com/ for details.
• Join a laughter group http://www.laughteryoga.org/
• Laugh alone. Laugh in your car on your way to work. You can reduce your stress in just a matter of a minute or two. Once you start you may not want to stop.

Performing laughter exercises prior to public speaking, taking an exam, interviewing for a job or any stressful situation can help reduce tension and build confidence. Like any exercise, the more we practice, the easier it gets.
Wow! Isn’t it wonderful that something so fun and easy is healthy too?



Our guest blogger this week is Meg Scott. Meg is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. Her 2-day Laughter Yoga Leader training workshop is designed for individuals interested in leading Laughter Clubs or incorporating the techniques in existing exercise or group programs. You can reach her at megscott35@gmail.com or call 614-216-9371. Her work can be seen at her website, http://www.laughteryogawithmegscott.com/ .

Manage Your Stress: Ten Tips to Ease Stress From our Friends at the Cleveland Clinic

Stress management helps illness and massage is among the many effective complementary therapies for stress reduction recommended by health professionals.

1. Eat and drink sensibly. Alcohol and food abuse may seem to reduce stress, but it actually adds to it.
2. Assert yourself. You do not have to meet others' expectations or demands. It's okay to say "No". Remember, being assertive allows you to stand up for your rights and beliefs while respecting those of others.
3. Stop smoking or other bad habits. Aside from the obvious health risks of cigarettes, nicotine acts as a stimulant and brings on more stress symptoms. Give yourself the gift of dropping unhealthy habits.
4. Exercise regularly. Choose non-competitive exercise and set reasonable goals. Aerobic exercise has been shown to release endorphins (natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude.
5. Study and practice relaxation techniques. Relax every day - choose from a variety of different techniques. Combine opposites - a time for deep relaxation and a time for aerobic exercise is a sure way to protect your body from the effects of stress.
6. Take responsibility. Control what you can and leave behind what you cannot control.
7. Reduce stressors (cause of stress). Many people find life is filled with too many demands and too little time. For the most part, these demands are ones we have chosen. Effective time-management skills involve asking for help when appropriate, setting priorities, pacing yourself and taking time out for yourself.
8. Examine your values and life by them. The more your actions reflect your beliefs, the better you will feel, no matter how busy your life is. Use your values when choosing your activities.
9. Set realistic goals and expectations. It's okay, and healthy, to realize you cannot be 100% successful at everything at once.
10. Sell yourself to yourself. When you are feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself of what you do well. Have a healthy sense of self-esteem.

There are several other methods you can use to relax or reduce stress, including:
Deep breathing exercises
Meditation
Progressive muscle relaxation
Mental imagery relaxation
Relaxation to music
Biofeedback (explained below)
Counseling, to help you recognize and release stress

Ask your health care provider for more information about these techniques.

Biofeedback Biofeedback helps a person learn stress-reduction skills by providing information about muscle tension, heart rate and other vital signs as a person attempts to relax. It is used to gain control over certain bodily functions which cause tension and physical pain. Biofeedback can be used to help you learn how your body responds in stressful situations, and how to better cope. If a headache, such as a migraine, begins slowly, many people can use biofeedback to stop the attack before it becomes full blown.

What to do if you have trouble sleeping You may experience insomnia (an inability to sleep) because of discomfort, stress from personal concerns or side effects from your medications. If you cannot sleep, try these tips:

• Establish a regular sleep schedule - go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Make sure your bed and surroundings are comfortable. Arrange the pillows so you can maintain a comfortable position.
• Keep your bedroom dark and quiet. Use your bedroom for sleeping only; don't work or watch TV in your bedroom.
• Avoid napping too much during the day. At the same time, remember to balance activity with rest during recovery.
• If you feel nervous or anxious, talk to your spouse, partner or a trusted friend. Get your troubles off your mind.
• Listen to relaxing music.
• Do NOT take sleeping pills - they are very harmful when taken with your other medications.
• Take diuretics, or "water pills" earlier, if possible, so you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.
• If you can't sleep, get up and do something relaxing until you feel tired. Don't stay in bed worrying about when you're going to fall asleep.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Maintain a regular exercise routine; don't exercise within 2-3 hours before bed time.
  
  This information is from the Cleveland Clinic, Department of Patient Education and Health Information ©The Cleveland Clinic 2004

An Introduction to Essential Oils

Essential oils are aromatic volatile liquids distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds. Because they are "essential" to the life of the plant they come from, they possess qualities that range from medicinal value to giving wonderful fragrances to improve mood and calm emotions.


The medicinal qualities include being naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. They can also help to carry nutrients into our cells, including oxygen. Aromatically, they can lift your spirits, improve focus, and calm the nervous system.


Selecting high-quality oils is important. Distilling the oils from the plants is a delicate process. Too much heat or pressure can destroy the oils. As a result, getting a small amount of oil from a plant in a slow process means that the higher-quality oils will be more expensive. But you will also only need a very small amount to have a dramatic effect. The very high-quality oils will also be considered "food grade" which means that you can ingest them in teas or use them in cooking. They are also less likely to cause reactions when used topically on the skin through massage or general skin care products.


The oils are very powerful, so you should know the oils when using them. Certain oils need to be diluted before applied to the skin. Some of them are also "photo-toxic", which means you should not go out into the sun after applying them to your skin.


For more information on essential oils and how they can add to your wellness program, come visit us at Ohio Massage Therapy Professionals. We have integrated the Young Living Oils into our office and our practice, and look forward to sharing them with you!

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical (anatomical), functional (physiological), and in some cases psychological purposes and goals. In laymen's terms, this is the kneading and stripping of the muscles with a purpose and goals. Licensed massage therapists are people trained to work with disorders of the human body using massage techniques, that have been licensed by their state or local jurisdiction in massage therapy. Here in Ohio, licensed massage therapists are licensed by the Ohio State Medical Board.

A licensed massage therapist, also known as a LMT, is trained in techniques which loosen tight, achy muscles. This helps the body to return to a state of balance and maintain a healthy homeostasis. These techniques can:

• Reduce muscle tension
• Increase circulation of blood and lymph
• Increase joint flexibility
• Improve the immune system by helping eliminate toxins
• Soothe the nervous system and reduce stress

Massage is done on a professional massage table or chair. Table massages are 30 – 90 minutes in length and take place in an private office or home set up for therapeutic relaxation.

Chair massages are typically done onsite at an office location, health fair, or marketing event. They can be 5-20 minutes in length and occur with the client fully clothed.

Chronic Pain and Massage

Massage has been shown to help hospitalized patients manage chronic pain and relieve anxiety.

Pain management is becoming a critical issue for hospitals. In a study done at the Flagstaff Medical Center, 65 hospital inpatients were given 30-minute massage therapy sessions with a physicians order. Pre and post massage therapy pain levels were recorded using the visual scale. Results were compared to commments made by and with nurses taken from the patient’s charts, and a survey completed by patients. Patients noted improvement in all survey elements, including relaxation, pain levels, emotional well-being, ability to sleep, quicker recovery, and the need for less pain medication. Pre and post pain levels demonstrate a moderately strong correlation between massage and reduction in pain levels. The study shows the integration of massage therapy in the acute care setting creates overall positive results in the patient’s ability to deal with the challenging physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of their health condition. Benefits include a possibly shorter length of stay for the patient, leading to less nosocomial infections, a more positive patient experience, enhanced recovery, and an improved financial bottom line for the hospital. (2008 AMTA National Convention, Phoenix, AZ,Poster Session Abstracts,, The Effect of Massage Therapy on Pain Management in Acute Care Setting, Authors: Rose Adams, MHA, LMT ; Cynthia Beckett, PhD, RN; Barb White, MS, LMT)