Tag: physical therapy

THE DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

The deep tissue massage is a kind of massage therapy which centers its attention primarily on the ailing, the sore, the painful and the distressed deeper layers of muscles and connective tissues. Its therapeutic benefits are particularly beneficial for chronically tight and constricted areas such as in cases of stiff necks, tightness of lower backs and aching shoulders. The strokes of the Deep Tissue massage are not very different from those of any other types of massage therapies but they are slower and with more pressure applied to reach deeper while focusing on troubled areas.

The Deep Tissue massage is so important in certain painful contractions and spasms due to stress, strain or injury because that is the only way to get to the root of the problem as it is embedded deep under the surface where adhesions which are the causes of the pain and rigidity in muscles, tendons and ligaments are found. Left to their own wills, adhesions obstruct circulation in the affected areas to limit the blood flow which leads to the pain, the restricted movement and, ultimately, to the inflammation. By applying firm pressure and direct friction across the grain and fabric of the muscles, the Deep Tissue massage aims to break down those troublesome adhesions to restore proper blood circulation, reinstate full movement and heal the inflamed tissues. The therapists performing the Deep Tissue massage may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows and forearms during the therapy session and alternate them during the various stages. Clients are frequently asked to take in deep breaths as the therapists dig deeply into a particularly tense area.

Because the Deep Tissue massage is somewhat intense, it should not be applied under the following conditions:

* Infectious skin disease, rashes, bruises, inflamed skin, tumors or open and unhealed wounds.
* Immediately or soon after surgery or recent fractures.
* Immediately or soon after chemotherapy or radiation treatments, unless approved by the clients physician.
* Osteoporosis patients, unless approved by the treating doctor.
* Clients who are prone to blood clots.
* Heart disease patients, unless recommended by their cardiologists.
* Pregnant women should get their massage treatments from professionals who are certified in pregnancy massage.
* Abdominal hernia.

The good news is that Deep Tissue massage really works and it usually works very fast. Often, clients will walk into a session with excruciating pain and walk out a couple of hours later with smiles of relief on their faces. The bad news is that, depending on their tolerance level to pain, most clients experience it to one degree or another at certain point during the session. In addition, there is usually some measure of soreness immediately after the treatment which can last up to an entire day. However, the pain of the Deep Tissue massage therapy and the lingering soreness afterwards is nothing compared to the pain before the treatment and it comes with the knowledge that it will all be over very shortly. The massage therapist may suggest applying an icepack to the sore area but it is rarely severe enough to warrant it.

When most massage therapies are aimed at relaxation of the body and mind and the massage is generally applied to the entire body, the Deep Tissue massage sets its sights on precise problematic areas such as those afflicted with:

* Chronic or acute pains
* Diminished mobility or limited range of motion.
* Healing areas after traumas or injuries caused by falls, sports injuries, whiplashes from car accidents and so on.
* Strains from repetitive motion such as the carpal tunnel syndrome.
* Pains due to incorrect posturing of the body.
* Pains from osteoarthritis. According to a study conducted and reported by the Consumer Reports magazine, over 34,000 people classified Deep Tissue massage therapy as being more effective in alleviating osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescribed or over-the-counter drugs, glucosamine, diets, acupuncture or chiropractic treatments.
* Fibromyalgia. Statistics have shown that Deep Tissue massage is more successful in easing symptoms of Fibromyalgia than any other available curative remedy.
* Muscle tension, contractions or spasms.

To flush out metabolic waste from the massaged tissues, clients should drink plenty of water after the Deep Tissue massage therapy and enjoy the fact that they are as good as new again.

PPPPP

(Word Count 718)

Pain Relief for Your Aching Muscles

Soft tissues are vulnerable to injuries, both chronic and acute. The best way to repair injured soft tissues is through hands-on approach. Consult a chiropractic doctor or an osteopath because they know how to manipulate the soft tissues and how to mobilize them. Aside from that, you can also try physical therapy and massage.

Individuals who havent tried Massage Therapy are hesitant to try such approach and they get really nervous. Well, youre not the only person whos anxious of getting a massage. Oftentimes, patients tend to ask question like if they need to take off their clothes, if they should talk to the massager, or what they would do just in case they get uncomfortable. These are common questions that require immediate answers.

Firstly, you need to look for a massage therapist in your area. You can ask for referrals or you can check out the different massage parlors in your locality. Once you find a massage parlor, its now time to talk with the therapist. You will be asked to provide some vital information about your health and your current health concerns. You see, the therapist needs to analyze your condition so that he or she can determine what techniques to use and what not to use. This is important to ensure your safety.

Aside from the personal questions, the therapist will also ask you about your preference when it comes to the actual therapy. The therapist will try to meet all your preferences to ensure comfort. The most commonly used oils are lavender, cajeput, and tea tree oil but you will still be asked to choose scented oils. The reason why therapists prefer these oils is because they soothe inflammations and irritations. The oils also desensitize and penetrate nerve endings, thereby giving pain relief. However, if the therapist doesnt ask you, you can bring up your concerns and preferences.

The question of getting undressed is another consideration. Therapists prefer to work with a patient who doesnt have clothes on because they can easily work on the different areas of the body. However, if youre uncomfortable in such setting, you can talk to your therapist about it. Besides, you will not be asked to expose your whole body because you will use a drape. If you still want to wear clothes, make sure that you wear loose clothes so that the therapist can still work well on the affected areas of your body.

You will simply lie down on the massage table. Some tables have bolsters for more comfort. There are also times when you will be asked to move so that the therapist can better access the area being massaged. If the position makes you uncomfortable, tell the therapist at once.

During the therapy, you can talk to the therapist or you can remain silent. When changing positions, then there is a need to talk but after that, there is no need to converse with the therapist. It is up to you to tell the therapist if you like a conversation during the therapy or if you prefer to be silent.

Dont worry if your body is oily after the massage. The therapist will help you in removing them so that the oils will not stain your clothes.

Massage is an effective pain relief tool. Why dont you try it now?

YOGA AND ARTHRITIS: A REVIEW

YOGA AND ARTHRITIS: A REVIEW
Dr. Manoj Dash, BHMS, DYT,Ph.D.

Yoga is an ancient Indian science and way of life, which influences the functioning of the brain and the rest of the body. Several studies have shown that the practice of yoga has a definite role in the promotion of positive health, including mental health, characterized by improved cardio-respiratory efficiency, autonomic responses to stressors, sleep, muscular endurance, and `higher brain functions. With an increase in the incidence of stress-related ailments, related to the rapid pace of life today, yoga has been evaluated as a treatment for such disorders in several controlled trials. The disorders, which were most likely to respond to yoga, with reduced symptoms and need for medication, were bronchial asthma, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, anxiety neurosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the state of health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well being and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity. It is clear from this definition that health and ill-health are not two discrete entities as commonly understood but health should be conceived as a continuous function indicating the state of well being.The ancient Indian science, Yoga, has its origin in the Sankhya philosophy of Indian culture, which is about 8000 years old (Nagarathna, 2001). Yoga includes a wide range of techniques (e.g., physical postures, regulated breathing, cleansing techniques, meditation, philosophical principles, and devotional sessions, surrendering to the Supreme). These techniques bring about a calm and balanced state of mind, and are expected to help the spiritual evolution of the individual. However, yoga has more pragmatic applications in medicine. In order to understand these, it is important to know the concepts of health and disease in Yoga texts. According to yoga, man is in perfect health and homeostasis at his subtle levels of existence. All diseases are classified as (i) stress-related (adhija) and (ii) not stress related, e.g., injuries (anadhija) (Vasudeva, 1937). Yoga has been considered especially useful in the management of stress related disorders by getting mastery over the excessive speed of the mind. The technique to reducing the rate of flow of thoughts with deep internal awareness is yoga. This review will describe the therapeutic applications of yoga in the management of arthritis. Physical activity is an essential part of the effective treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to treatment guidelines published by the American College of Rheumatology (Hochberg, 1995; Newsome, 2002). In persons with arthritis, exercise is safe and does not exacerbate pain or worsen disease (Ettinger,1997; Minor,1999; O’Grady,2000;Bearne,2002). In fact, exercise may play a key role in promoting joint health (Forrest,1994) , since those who do not exercise often suffer more joint discomfort than those who do (Nordemar,1981). However, regular physical activity is especially important for people with arthritis, who often have decreased muscle strength, physical energy, and endurance (Lyngberg,1988). The psychological benefits of exercise such as stress reduction, fewer depressive symptoms, improved coping and well-being and enhanced immune functioning (Taylor,1985;Scully,1998;Fox,1999 Paluska,2000) also contribute to greater overall health.Scientific studies on yoga Yoga has been used in the management of a wide range of diverse ailments. While there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence of the benefits of yoga, to date only a handful of scientific studies have been conducted on persons with OA and RA (though several more are currently underway). The study conducted in England demonstrated that hand grip strength significantly improved following yoga in rheumatoid arthritis patients (Haslock,1994). It was subsequently proven that yoga resulted in similar benefits in rheumatoid arthritis patients in an Indian population (Dash, 2001). Studies in osteoarthritis of the hands and carpal tunnel syndrome show greater improvement in pain during activity, tenderness and finger range of motion (Garfinkel, 1994). These above studies have shown promising results with some improvement in joint health, physical functioning, and mental/emotional well-being. Perhaps most importantly, yoga has an important positive effect on quality of life. People with arthritis may also enjoy yoga more than traditional forms of exercise, and exercise enjoyment is an important predictor of adherence(Ryan,1997;Trost,2003).This is particularly important considering that, on average, 50% of sedentary individuals will drop out of exercise within 6 months (Dishman,1990).In summary, yoga can be a meaningful and enjoyable alternative to traditional forms of exercise such as aerobics or aquatic exercise with important health benefits. Yoga can play an important role in reducing stress and frustration that results from pain and disability, and increasing positive feelings and wellbeing. Drug treatments for OA and RA have improved markedly in the last few years. Despite this, arthritis cannot be cured, and even the best medications and medical care can only help a little. There is a great need for additional activities patients can do to reduce pain, disability, and take control of the overall impact arthritis may have on their lives. Thus, the evidence suggests that, when combined with a program of good medical care, yoga may provide important additional physical and psychological health benefits for arthritis patients. Finally, it has to be emphasized that while yoga has important therapeutic benefits, the practice of yoga is very important in the promotion of positive health and human potential in body, mind, and spirit (Scott, 1999).References:1.Nagarathna R. Yoga in medicine. API Text book of medicine (6th ed), 2001. 2.Vasudeva Sharma PL. Laghu yoga vasistha (in Sanskriit); Nirnaya sagar prakashan, Bombay 1937,P 684.3.Hochberg MC, Altman RD, Brandt KD, Clark BM, Dieppe PA, Griffin MR et al. Guidelines for the medical management of osteoarthritis. Part II. Osteoarthritis of the knee.American College of Rheumatology. Arthritis Rheum 1995; 38(11):1541-1546.4.Newsome G. Guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis: 2002 update. J Am Acad Nurse Pract 2002; 14(10):432-437.5.Minor MA. Exercise in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999; 25(2):397-415, viii.6.Bearne LM, Scott DL, Hurley MV. Exercise can reverse quadriceps sensorimotor dysfunction that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis without exacerbating disease activity. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2002; 41(2):157-166.7.O’Grady M, Fletcher J, Ortiz S. Therapeutic and physical fitness exercise prescription for older adults with joint disease: an evidence-based approach. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2000; 26(3):617-646.8.Ettinger WH, Jr., Burns R, Messier SP, Applegate W, Rejeski WJ, Morgan T et al. A randomized trial comparing aerobic exercise and resistance exercise with a health education program in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. The Fitness Arthritis and Seniors Trial (FAST). JAMA 1997; 277(1):25-31.9.Forrest G, Rynes RI. Exercise for rheumatoid arthritis. Contemp Intern Med 1994; 6(11):23-28.10.Nordemar R, Ekblom B. [Effects of long-term physical therapy in rheumatoid arthritis]. Lakartidningen 1981; 78(15):1561-1564.11.Lyngberg K, Danneskiold-Samsoe B, Halskov O. The effect of physical training on patients with rheumatoid arthritis: changes in disease activity, muscle strength and aerobic capacity. A clinically controlled minimized cross-over study. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1988; 6(3):253-260.12.Paluska SA, Schwenk TL. Physical activity and mental health: current concepts. Sports Med 2000; 29(3):167-180.13.Fox KR. The influence of physical activity on mental well-being. Public Health Nutr 1999; 2(3A):411-418.14.Scully D, Kremer J, Meade MM, Graham R, Dudgeon K. Physical exercise and psychological well being: a critical review. Br J Sports Med 1998; 32(2):111-120.15.Taylor CB, Sallis JF, Needle R. The relation of physical activity and exercise to mental health. Public Health Rep 1985; 100(2):195-202.16.Haslock I, Monro R, Nagarathna R, Nagendra HR, Raghuram NV. Measuring the effects of yoga in rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Rheumatol 1994; 33(8):787-788.17.Dash M, Telles S. Improvement in hand grip strength in normal volunteers and rheumatoid arthritis patients following yoga training. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2001; 45(3):355-360.18.Garfinkel MS, Schumacher HR, Jr., Husain A, Levy M, Reshetar RA. Evaluation of a yoga based regimen for treatment of osteoarthritis of the hands. J Rheumatol 1994; 21(12):2341-2343.19.OConnor D, Marshall S, & Massy-Westropp N. Non-surgical treatment (other than steroid injection) for carpel tunnel syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003; (1): CD003219.20.Trost SG, Sallis JF, Pate RR, Freedson PS, Taylor WC, Dowda M. Evaluating a model of parental influence on youth physical activity. Am J Prev Med 2003; 25(4):277-282.21.Ryan RM, Frederick CM, Lepes D, Rubio N, Sheldon KM. Intrinsic motivation and exercise adherence. International Journal of Sports Psychology 1997; 28(4):335-354.22.Dishman R. Determinants of participation in physical activity. In: Bouchard C, Shepard R, Stephens T, Sutton J, McPherson B, editors. Exercise, Fitness, and Health. Champaign : Human Kinetics, 1990: 75-102.23.Scott AH. Wellness works: community service health promotion groups led by occupational therapy students. Am J Occup Ther. 1999; 53(6): 566-74. About the Author
I am a Doctor, doing my Ph.D.in Yoga. My topic of interest is to conduct Yoga Retreat, take class for Yoga Teacher and Medical professionals for in depth Research findings, and also Interest to conduct research in various field of yoga, both experimental and theoretical. I have been Traveling to all EUROPIAN countries.My contact: [email protected] web page:http://www.geocities.com/manojrieneke/Research.html

Top 10 tips for Arthritis sufferers

Top 10 tips for Arthritis sufferers
delore dartrite

Arthritis is a chronic disease affecting the
joints — the points in the musculoskeletal
system where the bones meet. When arthritis
sets in the joints grow into inflamed,
resulting in imposition, swelling, and stiffness.
People with the condition of arthritis often
find it demanding to perform basic tasks
like opening a jar or walking higher stairs.
Arthritis most typically happens in older
adults, although it is possible for young
adults and children to suffer from the
disease.

There are two main varieties of arthritis:
osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis
(RA). Osteoarthritis, by far the most
common, involves the breakdown of bones
and cartilage. It usually strikes the most
active joints, like those in the hands
and fingers, knees, hips, and back. Proper
coarse of action is essential to slowing the
progression of arthritis. Here are a select number
suggestions:
– Exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day
– Get a full eight hours of sleep in the over night.
– Practice wonderful body posture.
– Elevate the affected joint or joints for
15 minutes a day, many times a day.
– Apply caring compresses to the painful
joints.
– If you transpire to be overweight, lose weight.
– Sleep on a firm mattress and avoid soft
chairs.
– Protect your joints by wearing caring
clothing.
– Ask your doctor about splints, canes,
and/or surgery for unrelenting imposition or
deformity.
– Listen to relaxation tapes and then
relax!
– Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin
for pain.

RA is an autoimmune disease that primarily
infects the joints however can as well effect even more
organs. This type of arthritis infects the
joints of both sides of the body equally,
which is one of the factors distinguishing
it from OA. Even given that the exact cause is
unknown, genetics is believed to be a primary
factor. Coarse of action can include a combination
of medication, physical therapy, and every so often
even surgery. RA is generally considered to be
even more fantastic than OA.

About the author:

delore dartrite is the owner of Arthritis Org which is a premier resource for arthritis information. for more information, go to http://www.arthritisorg.com