Massage for Arthritis:
As we all know, massage is widely used for pain relief. However, whether you can benefit from massage, and how specifically it can help your arthritis depends on several factors, including the type of massage used, the form of your arthritis and the knowledge and skill of the practitioner providing the massage. The type of therapeutic massage generally reported to be helpful for people with arthritis is Swedish or “classic” massage. Techniques include stroking, kneading, vibration and friction/rubbing. Reported benefits include increased blood circulation (which can help reduce swelling), relief of muscular aches and tension, general physical relaxation and reduction of emotional/psychological stress. Taken together, these factors can reduce pain, albeit temporarily. If relief from pain isn’t reason enough to use massage, another consideration is that with reduced pain you may be able to do more exercises and activities that help reduce inflammation and increase the range of motion in your joints. This can feed a positive cycle of less pain and improved overall function.

Massage for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
Massage therapy eases the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and increases grip strength, according to a recent study.“Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are lessened following massage therapy” was conducted by staff at the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida.Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain, tingling, burning and numbness of the hand. Sixteen people diagnosed with this syndrome participated in the study. All of them held jobs involving heavy word processing or computer work.Subjects were randomly assigned to either the standard-treatment control group or the massage-therapy group. Those in the massage group received one massage per week on the affected arm for four weeks. They were also instructed in self-massage, which they were to perform each night before bed.The massage routine consisted of stroking of moderate pressure from the fingertips to the elbow. A massage and pain log was kept by subjects in the massage group. In the log, participants recorded the times at which they began and ended self-massage, as well as their levels of pain on a scale from zero to 10. Subjects in the control group received no intervention, but were taught the massage routine after the study ended. Physicians evaluated participants’ carpal tunnel symptoms, such as tingling, numbness, pain and strength, at the beginning and end of the four-week study. The Tinel sign, which tests to see if light tapping of the affected area elicits pain or tingling, was also used at the start and finish of the study. Physicians used the Phalen Test at the beginning and end of the study as well. The Phalen Test involves flexing of the wrists to see if numbness or tingling occurs. A nerve conduction test was also performed at the start and finish of the study. This involved stimulation of the median sensory nerves through electrodes placed on each subject’s index finger and wrist. Peak sensory latencies were recorded to test for nerve compression at the carpal tunnel. Median peak latency was the primary outcome measure. Assessments were also made before and after the massage sessions on the first and last days of the study, including the Perceived Grip Strength Scale; VITAS, a pain assessment using a visual analogue scale; the state anxiety inventory; and the Profile of Mood States. Results of the study showed that the subjects in the massage group had significantly less pain and reduced carpal tunnel symptoms, as well as shorter median peak latencies and increased grip strength. “Functional activity also improved as noted in reduced pain and increased grip strength in the massage therapy group, both immediately after the first and last massage therapy sessions and by the end of the study,” state the study’s authors. “Finally, the massage therapy group reported lower anxiety and depressed mood levels both immediately after the first and last sessions and by the end of the study.”

Massage for Stress:
 Stress has a way of changing posture. As stress begins to tighten one's body, shoulders begin to roll forward, the chin lifts and the neck moves forward. This happens to all of us as the everyday pressures of life close in around us. In the world of psychology the term for this posture is armoring. Think of a person sitting at a typing station. This person is not sitting erect, but leaning slightly forward. Her elbows are not hanging by her side but are just forward of her body. As her fingers dance across the keyboard she not only has to hold her forearms up, but has to hold her elbows forward. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the muscles of her upper back as well as her lower back. There are two muscles that are punished the most by stress. We call these muscles the stress muscles. However, their medical name is Levator Scapula. These two muscles connect at the upper bones of the neck called the Cervical Vertebrae and connect to the shoulder blade, known as the Scapula. When we are stressed our shoulders lift putting pressure on our neck. This pressure creates headaches and neck and shoulder pain. The final result of this posturing is pressure on the Medial Nerve which eventually becomes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition is easily addressed by massage and three or four visits usually alleviate this stress.How often should you get a massage? Probably once a week, if you have never had a massage before. As the shoulders lift, the vertebrae of the spine are pulled close together, which puts pressure on the disk between the vertebrae. As the disk is crushed by this pressure it widens and puts pressure on the nerves that exit the Central Nervous System at these openings. As the nerves are impinged, everything in the body begins to shut down and we enjoy a lower level of energy. Life becomes harder. From our point of view, stress is the fundamental cause of most illness. The Ancient Chinese said that disease was caused by congestion and wellness was the result of circulation. This was written six thousand years ago and it seems they were correct. For those of you who have never experienced a professional massage, perhaps now is the time to give one a try. All you have to lose is stress and discomfort.

Massage for Headaches:
    Before we can intelligently discuss headaches, it is imperative that we understand what type of headache we are addressing. There are three types of headaches. First, there are tension headaches, which account for over fifty percent of all primary health care providers' visits. Second, there are sinus headaches, which are attributed to allergies and the flu. Third, and the most serious of all headaches, migraine headaches. There are as many reasons to experience tension headaches as there are personalities and lifestyles. Whether the cause is emotional or physical the result is the same, throbbing temples and mental discomfort. We are certainly not at our creative best when our head hurts. Massage addresses tension headaches by relaxing the neck and shoulders. As we relax, we soften our muscles and headaches disappear. These are the easiest headaches for us to address. Sinus headaches are best addressed by face massage. As the sinus cavities become relaxed, the fluids that are trapped in these spaces release and begin to flow, allowing us to drain and cleanse the sinuses. This is a slow process and usually takes a few massage sessions. There are simple techniques that any experienced massage professional can teach you to allow you to release these cavities yourself. Between massages, you will find relief with a few minutes of self-massage done on a regular basis. Migraine headaches can be caused by either impingement of the nerves in the neck or by chemical imbalances. Massage can address the impinged nerve problem by releasing the Levator Scapula Muscles. It is often necessary to address either the left or right Levator muscle for several hours to achieve complete relief. Be sure to ask your massage professional if they have had experience eliminating migraine headaches. Headaches cripple our ability to function optimally and are probably the most common form of what could be called discomfort. Now is a good time to allow a massage professional the opportunity to rid you of your headache discomfort naturally.

Myofascial Pain & Fibromyalgia:                                                                                                                                    Massage Therapy is excellent for stress management and relaxation. It was also found to be useful in managing fibromyalgia. A study of people with fibromyalgia done by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine found that those who got 30 minutes of massage two times a week for 5 weeks had less anxiety and depression and lower levels of stress hormones. Over time they reported less pain and stiffness, less fatigue, and less trouble sleeping.