Massage During Pregnancy – What You Don’t Know About Receiving A Massage While Pregnant

Posted on Oct 28, 2011 in Uncategorized

First of all, it just makes sense. Massage therapy during pregnancy is appropriate for tight muscles that are in partial spasm and are producing aching (or sometimes sharp) pain. Stiffness is often present as well. What pregnant woman doesn’t experience this at some point? The muscles are fatigued from working harder while carrying more weight in increasingly awkward positions. And if you have a history of musculoskeletal pain before becoming pregnant, you are more likely to have it during those 9 months.

Now for the first thing you probably didn’t know:

Massage therapy may be covered by your health insurance. Some insurance policies cover it. Some don’t. It depends on whether it it considered a “covered benefit.” And it has to be performed at a healthcare provider’s office who is a participating provider for your health insurance company.

Massage during pregnancy is performed mostly in the side lying position with the use of supporting pillows.

Is it worth the time and trouble to go to a massage therapist during pregnancy?

Absolutely. Massage relieves pain and stiffness. It is a natural healthcare method which relieves the effects of stress and promotes relaxation. Massage makes life easier during daily activities, but it also:

1) Prepares the pelvis for an easier pregnancy and birth with better muscle tone
2) Decreases abnormal tension of the muscles supporting the uterus which can cause problems such as abnormal fetal position at birth – especially important if you feel pulling or straining in the abdomen while stretching
3) Minimizes likelihood of medical intervention with drugs and surgery

Something else you may not know:

Chiropractic care using the Activator Method is a great complement to prenatal massage. Activator Method combined with massage melts away muscle tension like nothing else.

With the Activator Method there is “no cracking, popping or twisting” associated with traditional chiropractic treatment methods. Instead, a hand held instrument called an Activator uses a controlled, fast thrust which is comfortable for patients.

And chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe. Results from a soon to be published study involving several hundred pregnant women receiving chiropractic care indicated no adverse effects. The only complications were slight soreness after the first treatment in a handful of patients which was was resolved by the second visit. These research results were initially presented by Dr. Jeanne Ohm, a chiropractic researcher and instructor (who is also in private practice) at the American College of Nurse Midwives annual meeting in Boston, May 2008.

Who Can Benefit From Integrative Manual Therapy?

Posted on Oct 15, 2011 in Massage

Massage therapy today comprises of about 160 different types developed and used all over the world. However, regardless of the numbers of choices, when it comes to the range of individuals who can benefit from a certain massage therapy, we can only name a few among the 160 massage therapies.

Integrative manual therapy or also known as IMT is one of these few therapeutic massage all over the world that is safe for anyone who wishes to receive treatment and experience total body relaxation. The therapy uses delicate techniques that are designed to be able to treat almost anyone including seniors and infants as well. The combinations of many massage therapies including acupuncture, osteopathic techniques, and reflexology are developed into mild types of techniques.

IMT is a somatic therapy which means that its goal in healing and recovery is not only aimed on the physical condition of the client but also in the emotional, spiritual and mental as well. The therapy treats a wide range of health problems both through functional and structural rehabilitation. The treatment is focused through the musculoskeletal system of the individual. Any dysfunctions treated with this therapy are targeted at the cellular level during the massage therapy session.

At a therapy session, the patient can expect a whole body assessment through palpation with the hands of the therapist. This is done in order for the therapist to locate and detect any problems and abnormalities in the internal organs, muscle tissues, skeletal system, and even with the breathing pattern. The palpation process is repeated several times during the massage therapy in order to see the progress and check if the therapy is going successfully and effectively during the therapy session.

After the first part of the therapy which is the body examination through palpation, the therapist then uses gentle strokes and techniques all over the body to promote and encourage healing. The technique doesn’t focus on the specific area where the disorder or pain is as the therapy’s belief is that in order to heal a specific part of the body you need to treat the whole system.

Infants who are into integrative manual therapy can expect improvement and maintenance in both their functional and structural integrity of the body. Enhanced hearing, smelling, speech, vision, learning, behavior, balance, and strength are the benefits an infant can receive through IMT in the functional integrity of the body. Although infants have great structural integrity, this type of therapy can still help by developing proper structure, muscle tone, and muscle control.

The seniors can expect significant effects in their flexibility, mobility, range of motion, and musculoskeletal control. There’s no need for the elderly population to worry regarding the safety of the therapy as it is already proven to be safe and effective as well. It can also help old people to get relief from all sorts of body pain and conditions including neck and back pain, digestive problems, headaches, tendonitis, stiffness in joints, acid reflux, and even sleeping disorders. This therapy can also soothe and calm the body, giving it a relaxing experience as it relieves stress and fatigue.

Why a Natural Face Lift Is Better

Posted on Oct 3, 2011 in Beauty

Giving yourself a makeover or changing your appearance is something that is not new to us. The desire to constantly improve one’s appearance has been present ever since time can remember. Egyptians, Romans and many others went through great lengths just to be able to make sure that they looked great. Today’s women are no different as they continue to try to find ways to become more beautiful. One of the biggest problems that they constantly have to deal with is aging.

Whether a woman accepts it or not she will not look the way that she did ten years ago. With the great demand to reclaim youth and become beautiful once again modern science has come up with surgical face lifts. Such a procedure entails going under the knife, removing excess skin, pulling, reducing fat, and many other things just to get a better face. Many women will willingly present themselves for such things, without knowing that there is a better alternative.

What is better? Well, a natural face lift. This is something that will produce the same results with less of a hassle and fewer problems compared to its surgical counterpart. Not convinced? Here are some of the reasons why natural is better.

  1. Cost. Surgical Face Lifts (SFL) cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Separate procedures to improve different facial features all cost a different fee. A natural face lift (NFL) is far cheaper than a SFL given that the only investment you will be making is a good guide for the exercises. You can easily get a NFL without paying an arm and a leg for it.
  2. Recovery. Going under the knife will mean that you may not be able to get back to normal duties and tasks immediately. A wound will definitely need time before it heals completely. On the other hand a NFL does not call for anything invasive, so there will be no change in your daily life.
  3. Scars. Since a SFL is an invasive procedure you are at risk for getting scars from where incisions are made and sewn. Going natural will leave your face without any marks or scars since there is no need to go through your skin.
  4. Results. You can’t always be sure that you will be happy with the results after getting a SFL. If you are not happy, then you either have to live with it, or go under the knife again and spend even more. With a natural face lift you can easily deal with results that are not favorable without spending or undergoing anything painful.
  5. Risk. No matter what type of surgery you are going to have, going under the knife always poses a risk. Complications can occur during and after the surgery and in some cases it may be fatal. There is little or no risk at all with a NFL. You are never in danger and there are no side effects that you will have to deal with, you only have benefits to gain.

These are only some reasons why a natural face lift is much better than a SFL. There are many other benefits from going with a natural procedure. It is clear that on any given day, a natural face lift can get a woman the results that she wants with fewer worries.

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