Certain Medical Conditions and Massage Therapy

The Touch Research Institute in Miami has dedicated their resources to conducting studies on massage therapy and its efficacy as an alternative medical treatment for certain conditions. Doctors have long accepted massage, in its various forms, as a Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM), and with that, further research has proven its value as an effective treatment.

HEART OR LUNG POST-OPERATION PATIENTS

Massage strokes that is similar to tapotement (tapping or vibrating) is applied by therapists to post-op patients of heart or lung transplants. Similar to the more popular types of touch therapy such as Swedish massage and deep tissue massage, specialized treatments like these is still based on the basic strokes employed in all variations of muscle manipulation. Research on the use of vibratory massage wanted to observe the effect of light tremor-like touch on pulmonary recovery and functionality. Case studies showed a relatively significant improvement in arterial pressure, heart rate, lung resistance and compliance, tidal volume, and respiration rate.

ANXIETY AND ALERTNESS

This is no longer a new realm of study. It is already widely known that regular massage therapy reduces anxiety and increases alertness mainly because of the treatment’s ability to induce the production and release of good hormones that leave us feeling more relaxed and happy. Cortisol levels have also been observed to go down significantly after continuous regular massage. Back and deep tissue massage treatments are one of the most recommended therapies for people with high anxiety and stress levels.

PERINEAL TRAUMA

Tests on pregnant women on their last trimester of pregnancy were done by allowing them to undergo pregnancy massage 4 times a week. Results have shown that regular pregnancy massage lessens the risks of perineal trauma, as well as post-partum syndrome among new mothers.

CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA AND MASSAGE

Since psychologists have described schizophrenia as a lack of awareness for one’s physical self, psychologists and massage therapists have explored the feasibility of muscle manipulation as a way of increasing self-awareness. Through back, neck, and feet massage, conclusions show that massage therapy is worthy of further research and consideration in terms of being an alternative treatment.

ANXIETY AMONG CHILDREN

There is significant proof that 30-minute back massages done on children with stress-related disorders have had faster recovery from their condition as compared to other control groups. Lowered saliva cortisol levels as well as increased number of hours of sleep were the most notable results in the study conducted by the Miami Medial School, FL.

Do You Take Responsibility for Your Health?

These are always prescribed with the caveat that if they do not work, that you are to return to the doctor to try something else.

This system of prescribing something to alleviate the symptoms has led us as a society to expect the professional (doctor) to sort out the issue in one visit. We give our power away to the doctor and let them tell us what to do to get well.

The main problem with this form of medicine is that the sick person takes no responsibility for their health. The professional becomes responsible for finding the issue and for fixing it. This system also takes away the sick persons’ ability to choose for themselves, or to listen to their body and really hear what it is saying.

It is clear that good health is reliant upon regular exercise, healthy food choices and a balanced emotional state. We live in a system where there are no obvious consequences for a poor diet, smoking, taking drugs, taking no exercise- you can still visit the doctor and expect him or her to make you better, without expecting to have to make any changes yourself.

In a recent survey, it was said that a percentage of the drugs that are prescribed by doctors make you worse, not better. Add to this the fact that the pharmaceutical companies are heavily invested in ensuring that you do not get better, because there is no money in healthy people.

More and more people are turning to alternative medicine in a quest for good health. The problem is that they expect the same service that they got from the doctors- that is, a quick solution to the presenting issues so that you can get back to your daily life and stop being inconvenienced.

This approach is not how any good alternative practitioner will look at your health. Alternative medicine is a holistic method of looking at the entire picture of the mind/ body/ spirit connection, and addressing the underlying issues that are causing the symptoms to arise.

Evidently, if you are looking at the entire body/mind/spirit complex, an alternative practitioner will take into account diet, exercise, life patterns, life circumstances, family history- that is the complete picture. When you are truly trying to make life changing health improvements, they take time, and sometimes a life time.

Many clients expect miracles in one or two sessions for problems that they have suffered with for their whole life. It is not true that with alternative medicine you cannot have amazing healings in a very short space of time. It is true however, that if you approach an alternative practitioner, you will be expected to take responsibility for your health and life decisions, and make changes so that healing can occur.

Not everyone is ready for that. Not everyone wants to work that hard- they have been spoiled by the medical system so far and do not want to change. However, if you truly would like to find good health and learn how to be aware of your body and what it needs, then alternative medicine can help you to begin to take responsibility for yourself.

Written by Caroline Nettle.

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Caroline Nettle is passionate about healing, recovery, and assisting others to grow. Sign up for the newsletter at Spiritual Growth Tools and receive a FREE copy of the ebook “How to Heal Chakra Imbalances”.
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Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Going to the doctor is not like it used to be. In olden times doctors visits were more personalized and in depth. Now traditional medicine is very impersonal and doctors send you home with up to 5 prescriptions that you need to start taking right away. The only problem is you will return next week because of all the side affects that you have from all the medicine the doctor prescribed you in the first place and your original problem still won’t be solved. Unfortunately, the reason behind all the new prescriptions is because of all the kickbacks that doctors get for prescribing them. Although, these medications don’t help the patients and will undoubtedly cause more symptoms. So many Americans have started looking towards complementary and alternative medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical practices that are not generally accepted by conventional medicine, conventional medicine being medicine practiced by an M.D., D.O., psychologist, registered nurse, or physical therapist. This group of medicine is continually changing and types of medicine are very broad, however the ultimate goal of this type of medicine is find whole body health and wellness.  The principals and guidelines for each individual type of CAM although diverse are based on holistic properties, whereby treating the body as a whole and resolving the underlying problems are far more important in the long run rather than just reducing the symptoms.

CAM involves the connection between the mind and body and not only relieves symptoms but works to resolve the underlying problems as well. Although, used in conjunction with one another, complementary and alternative medicines are two completely different groups of medicine. Complementary medicine unlike its cohort is used in conjunction with traditional medicine. Therefore the treatment or medicine complements conventional means of resolving pain, disease or illness. Where as alternative medicine, is used in place of conventional medicine to promote self-healing, and preventative medicine.

In the past, CAM was not accepted due to its lack of scientific basis and evidence. However, because many CAM practices are deeply rooted in Eastern history and are based upon traditional medicine, folk knowledge, and spiritual beliefs people are now turning to this type of medicine. Not to mention that patients are seeing and feeling results from CAM. There is no greater influence than someone else’s testimonial, which is causing the rise in CAM. Western medicine, although still hesitant, is just beginning to use some alternative medicines as complements to their conventional methods. Additionally insurances have turned the corner and started allowing several alternative medicines as part of their covered benefits. That’s not to say that CAM is completely accepted by the medical community, it is a long way off. However it has opened the door for new approaches to healing some of which are old ideas with new methods.

Due to the diversity of available CAM’s, it is easier to group them together to understand what type of medicine and treatment is rendered. The categories include natural products, mind-body medicine, and manipulative and body-based practices. Natural products include a variety of herbal medicines, vitamins, minerals and other “natural products”. Products considered natural can include dietary supplementation, herbal or botanical, and probiotics. Mind-body medicine focuses on the connection between the mind and the body to heal and promote health.  These practices include meditation, yoga, acupuncture, deep-breathing, guided imagery, hypnotherapy, and tai chi. Lastly manipulative and body-based practices focus on the body systems and their structures. Spinal manipulation from chiropractic care and massage therapy are two commonly used body-based practices.

Before you choose a CAM it is best to research and ask your friends and coworkers for suggestions. It is normal to be nervous or apprehensive because it is not mainstream, however with the popularity and growth that it continues to receive, CAM’s are the next group of conventional medicine.

Healthy Heart Drink

If you are drinking tea, would you rather have it green? I say you go green. There are a couple of published scientific studies today supports the claims of green tea being a beverage that are healthy for the heart. This drink, which is very popular to the Asian countries, are showed to keep heart arteries flexible and relaxed, thus making it better in withstanding fluctuating blood pressure. A study in Athens Medical School in Greece found that among fourteen subjects, those who drank green tea showed a greater dilation of their hearts arteries compared to those who drank either diluted caffeine or hot water. The results were taken through an ultrasound thirty minutes after they took the drinks. The researchers speculate that green tea works on the lining of the arteries producing substances on cells to relax the vessels allowing the blood to flow freely. Another substance on the green tea was found to prevent inflammation in body tissues that makes the vessels a whole lot more flexible. These same substances also reduce formation of blood clots, thus reducing the cause of heart attacks.

The study led by Dr. Nikolaos Alexopoulos asked the subjects with six grams of tea, which is equivalent to three to four cups. To eliminate the doubt that the dilation effect of the green tea is brought about by its caffeine content, part of the study was comparing the size of arteries of subjects who took green tea and those consuming diluted caffeine beverage. They remarkably found no change in the size of arteries of those who consumed diluted caffeine beverage, thus proving that it’s not the caffeine content that brought the change in the arteries of the subjects. What’s even more intriguing on the results is that the beneficial effects are long lasting and cumulative, as they examined the subjects two weeks after.

Experts acknowledge that consuming green tea is a good and healthy addition to one’s healthy heart diet. However, the American Heart Association does not include yet green tea in its dietary recommendations, but experts are now working on changing this. Meanwhile, it’s not bad at all if you’ll prefer green tea than other drinks.

 

 

Fighting Spider Veins with Compression Therapy

Vein and circulation problems are a common occurrence for millions of adults around the globe. One majorsign of circulation issues appears on the skin as varicose veins, mild versions referred to as spider veins. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, half of the people over 50 are affected by varicose veins.

What are Varicose Veins?

Veins are the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart from the rest of the body for recirculation. Varicose veins are the condition of weakened veins and vein valves.

Certain veins carry blood from the legs to the heart. This blood has to be pumped upward or counter-gravity. Certain conditions such as age, heredity, obesity, pregnancy, over-standing or over-sitting can add pressure and disallow the blood to be pumped upward. To avoid this backward flow, tiny valves in your veins open and aid the upward flow. Generally with age or over-use, the valves in your veins become weak and lose elasticity lessening their functionality. The backward flow matched with weakened valves cause the blood to build up in the vein and make the vein larger. These veins appear blue because they are carrying deoxygenated blood.

Fortunately, varicose veins are generally a purely cosmetic concern. Rarely though, varicose veins come with complications. These veins become elevated or bumpy and may cause aching or throbbing. Varicose veins may form ulcers, generally around the ankles. There is also the risk of blood clots which causes swelling in a condition known as thrombophlebitis. In these rare cases, medical attention should be sought. In most cases though, varicose veins are very moderate. These ‘spider veins’ create an undesirable appearance and can generally lose visibility with self-care treatment.

Self-Care for Varicose Vein Treatment

To combat varicose or spider veins, the Mayo clinic suggests practices that aid the regular flow of blood such as exercising regularly, proper dieting, avoiding overly-tight clothing or shoes, elevating your legs, avoiding long periods of sitting or standing and compression therapy

How does Compression Therapy Help Varicose Veins?

Compression therapy works by applying a healthy level of pressure on your legs to facilitate upward blood flow. Compression stockings gently squeeze legs and push the blood out of the leg and toward the heart. Compression stockings are an affordable and effective alternative to pricey surgeries or medical procedures. Compression stockings come in a variety of lengths, pressure grades and colors. Compression stockings can be worn fairly comfortably depending on the pressure level.

Selecting Compression Therapy Stockings

Low-strength compression stockings can be bought for very mild conditions or to prevent spider veins from forming. For high-strength compression stockings, a medical professional should be consulted for proper sizing and compression strength levels.

Varicose or spider veins are generally nothing to be worried about and shouldn’t be embarrassing. With proper care, though, they can be reduced in visibility through basic home practices.