Tag: Muscle Contractions

Thai Massage Therapy at a Closer Look

Massage is said to be therapeutic. It is the science of healing that involves the human touch, so to speak. For several decades now, people have been making use of this option to treat their physical and emotional dilemmas. A lot of them even attest to how beneficial the massage has been to them. Although on the contrary there are likewise a bunch of individuals who believe and emphatically stress out its danger on those who suffer from serious medical issues, no one is able to deny how relaxing the technique can be. One of the most popular types is the Thai massage therapy.

A Bit of a Background
Thai massage is one of the types that has been practiced for a long time. Its existence can be traced to more than a thousand years now. The therapy itself forms part of the well-known area of Thai medicine. It comprises of manipulation, medicinal treatment, ritual, and diet. It is rooted from the belief that each and every disease is caused by a particular imbalance in the energy system within the body. It is geared at the promotion of balance which hence aids in the complete healing and rejuvenation of an individual.

The Techniques Unraveled
To be able to do the overall process of Thai massage, several techniques need to be applied. The pressure involved is actually gentler as compared to the rest of the types of massage therapy. It works well like the Shiatsu. In this kind of therapy, the pressure is applied on the energy channels and they are being treated using two directions.

One more technique is known as blood stopping. It is done by means of applying the pressure on the arteries in the leg or arm for about a minute. The theory that works behind is that of the importance of cutting out the principal source of the circulation that will lead to a heightened pressure. This will then lead to the slowing down of the heart muscle contractions that will eventually tone down the pressure. As the pressure applied on the artery has been let go, a supply of blood goes into the area so that brings the organ to a more relaxed state. This technique is not recommended for use on someone who has diabetes and other heart related issues.

Passive refers to the kind of stretching employed on the patient but he doesn’t move. Only the therapist does. The stretching is done in several stages and at a slow pace. Other techniques involved are hatha yoga and postures.

The Involvement of Reflexology
Reflexology or that which is otherwise known as foot massage is also a part of Thai massage. Reflexology is based on the belief that the points contained on the feet are useful enough to cure the body because every point is somehow related to a specific organ. When the energies are enhanced, the person will be able to establish a deeper connection to the Earth.

Thai massage therapy employs techniques that are to be performed for a longer duration of time. It can usually last up to three hours. It is important to engage a licensed therapist to ensure that everything is done properly. However, you should consult your doctor prior to taking any of these techniques to further avoid the dangers to your health.

Tips on How to Relieve Anxiety and Stress

It begins with alarm. The muscles, particularly in the face and neck, tighten. The stomach feels knotted. The pulse is rapid, the mouth is dry, and the palms are sweaty. Lactase, a substance released during muscle contractions, appears in the blood. Hormones that speed up the heart and constrict the blood vessels are released. Blood pressure rises.

All of these things constitute to a condition that people commonly know as stress or anxiety. Experts define it as the bodys nonspecific response to any demand made upon it.

After this initial response, the body returns to normal, but maintaining normalcy under stress and anxiety requires all the energy of mind and body. If the stress and anxiety continue long enough, normal functioning cannot be maintained, and the initial alarm responses reappear.

In fact, experts say that even a small amount of additional stress and anxiety at this stage can cause breakdown. Scientific reports show that in small animals, stress beyond the point of endurance has proven deadly.

So how do people manage stress and anxiety? What are the ways on how on how to relieve anxiety and stress? Here are some great tips you must muster to fight back stress and anxiety and live your life to the fullest.

1. Exercise

Regular exercise helps to relax a tense body and a stressed mind because it helps uplift depression and improve mood. It can also decrease the activity of the sensory receptors in the muscle, which send information to the central nervous system. Tension makes these receptors oversensitive so that they bombard the nervous system with electrical impulses.

Exercise can also cut down on the overload on the nervous system by quieting the electrical signals from the muscles. Best of all, exercise induces and enhances the ability to sleep restfully.

2. Take out a multivitamin or mineral insurance policy

Physiological and emotional stress can rob the body of important nutrients, including antioxidant vitamins. In times of stress and anxiety, free radicals, such as unstable molecules of harmful chemicals, can increase and sack the bodys health fragments for substitute electrons, parting uninhibited radicals and impaired tissues and cells in their body.

Anti-oxidants, most particularly vitamins E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C protect the bodys healthy fragments by giving up their personal electrons to counteract free-radical attackers. So to arm yourself against a stress-induced free-radical invasion, take a daily multivitamin or mineral induced supplement.

How Does Exercise Acts as Tranquilizer?

Scientists do not understand the precise how and why yet. They believe that certain brain chemicals found in relaxed states are released during exercise.

In experiments with cats, researchers found that the activity of the muscle receptors was reduced when the temperature of the receptors themselves or of the hypothalamus, a region in the brain, was raised. Vigorous exercise is one way of raising these temperatures and, perhaps, of slowing the receptors activity.

Some investigators suggest that the tightening of the muscles associated with tension causes chronic over-arousal and over-activity of the nervous system. Moving the muscles, they say, may be necessary to keep the muscle receptors transmissions to the nervous system at a normal level.

Mental health professionals have begun to study the effects of exercise on emotional disturbances. No one is suggesting that people can quite literally run away from our problems, but one psychologist did find that depressed patients improved significantly after ten weeks of jogging.

All of these things are boiled down to the fact that exercise is one of the best solutions to relieve people from stress and anxiety.

Celiac Disease And Other Digestive Disorders

Celiac disease is also known as sprue, nontropical sprue or gluten- sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease occurs to people who cannot tolerate gluten, a protein substance present in barley, wheat and rye. Celiac disease is a digestive disorder. There are also other digestive disorders that are often confused with celiac disease like the irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is often confused with celiac disease. IBS is considered to be the most common disorder. In North America, there is about 20 percent of Americans believed to have some form of IBS. Unfortunately, the treatment for IBS is not the same for celiac disease patients. There are times when celiac disease patients would not receive the appropriate treatment and can take a long time before the correct diagnosis is made.

Patients with IBS should ask their physician to make sure that they dont have any celiac disease. Medical researches in Britain have found a high rate of celiac disease with patients with IBS. The British study found that the chance of having celiac disease was seven times higher for patients with IBS.

IBS causes however, are not well understood. There are several studies saying that it has something to do with the central nervous system. There are changes in the nerves that control sensation or muscle contractions in the bowel. The bowels of the intestines contract irregularly, meaning that food is pushed too quickly or slowly.

IBF effects are more likely to be emotional than physical. Some IBS patients find it hard to lead a normal, happy life while experiencing the digestive disorder. But people with IBS have been found to have a lower chance to develop more serious or life-threatening bowel diseases. Although this is reassuring, this does not mean that serious diseases cannot occur separately.

Another digestive disorder is the inflammatory bowel disease. This is the name of a group of disorders that cause the intestine to become inflamed or red and swollen. The inflammation lasts a long time and usually comes back over and over again.

A germ or by immune system problem may cause the disease. The disease is not contagious however, inflammatory bowel disease, like celiac disease, does seem to be hereditary.

Celiac disease is also misdiagnoses, sometimes, as Crohns disease. Crohns disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. It causes ulcers to form in the gastrointestinal tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus. Symptoms may include stomach cramps and pains that comes and goes and blood in the stool. Similar to celiac disease, Crohns disease patients also experience diarrhea, sick feeling in the stomach, unexplained weight loss and tiredness.

Crohns disease gets treated depending on the status of the gastrointestinal tract. When the disease is mild, medicines may still help. But for sever cases, steroids are generally used. There are times that even surgery may be necessary, but it cannot cure the disease.

There are about 95 million people affected by digestive problems every day. Digestive disorders are one of the primary reasons for physician visits. It is important to get medical attention for digestive disorders since digestive diseases are very complex. They may have subtle symptoms and their causes may be unknown. Identifying or reaching a diagnosis need a thorough and accurate medical history and physical background since some digestive disorders can be hereditary.

If we re what we eat then we should take care of our digestive system. A digestive disorder or digestive disease like celiac disease is impossible to ignore. Undermining celiac disease and other digestive disorders means undermining our total health and would eventually threaten our lives.

Chiropractic Care and Headaches

Do you suffer from constant or severe headaches? If so, you may do what most Americans do. That is simply just reach for the medicine cabinet. Yes, most over-the-counter products can relieve headache pains, but that relief is short-lived. Instead of masking the pain with over-the-counter products, seek a proper diagnosis and long-term relief. You can do so with chiropractic care.

What is chiropractic care? It is a field of medicine. Some classify it as alternative medicine. It all depends on who you ask and their openness towards the subject. Traditional physicians rely on their knowledge, medical tools, and medication to treat pain. Chiropractors focus on manual therapy. The hands and usually the hands alone provide it. Common treatments offered by chiropractors include therapeutic massages and manipulative realignments.

Doesnt a chiropractor only specialize in back pains? This is a common misconception. Chiropractors tend to focus on the spine, but you may be surprised how many ways the spine and its condition impacts our body. Many chiropractors have years of experience helping patients diagnose, treat, and manage all types of pain, including headache pain.

Why should you see a chiropractor if you suffer from severe or constant headaches? Headaches have many causes. Daily stress cause most, but there may be a more serious underlying problem. For example, those who have chronic muscle contractions may experience a spinal distortion, a cause of headaches. Car accident victims commonly suffer from whiplash. If improperly treated, this can also lead to headaches. Without treatment, the pain will continue and it may get worse overtime.

How does chiropractic care help headaches? It all depends on their cause. If everyday stress is to blame, a chiropractor may suggest relaxing exercises at home or regular in-office therapeutic massages. If headaches are caused by spinal distortion, a vertebrae alignment may be performed. This alleviates the pressure from nerves, which should reduce headache pain and frequency.

Will the headaches stop after seeking chiropractic care? Yes and no. First, it is important to remember that headaches are caused by many factors. If your cause is due to spinal distortion, vertebrae realignment will help. This will reduce the frequency of headaches caused by this specific problem. But, you may get another headache from just having a bad day at work. You and your chiropractor will work together to achieve long-term pain relief. In addition to therapeutic massages, trigger factors will be discussed. You will later need to avoid these triggers.

What should you ask your chiropractor after treatment? Many patients mistakenly believe they are treated and no longer need to seek treatment. Chiropractic care does not mean long-term care. Before parting ways, however, pick your chiropractors brain for suggestions to later prevent headache pain or lessens the severity. As previously stated, trigger factors need to be eliminated. Not only that, proper posture is important. This is a chiropractors specialty. Ask them about natural ways to prevent pain, including relaxation and proper posture.

In short, headaches have many causes. Daily stress is not the only cause. Dont mask the pain. See what you can do to get long-term and long-lasting relief. So, the next time you get a severe, long-lasting, or recurring headache, dont head to the medicine cabinet. Instead, head to your local phone book. Find the contact information for a local chiropractic care specialist and see what they can do for you.

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