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Our Opinion
Contrary to what some "associations" want
you to believe, "Massage Therapy", Like acupuncture, originated in China
about two thousand years ago. From there it traveled to India.
Massage therapy traveled on across the land
to Ancient Greece where it was used as a remedy for many ailments,
especially those related to the athletic sports that were so popular.
Even Hippocrates,
the Father of
Medicine,
used massage therapy in his practice.
From Greece on to Rome and to Persia. Now
the full body massage has become popular to loosen stressed
muscles, relax nervous tension and increase the circulation of the blood.
Western Europe, and in particular,
Sweden, helped to develop the massage as we know it today.
Henrik Ling, a Swedish doctor, is
recognized
as the Father of Modern Massage.
Massage therapy is now known as one
of
the treatments used in Holistic
Healing.
The idea of the "healing power of
touch" is a very ancient concept, which embodies the theory, that
part of the healing is the caring of one person for another.
Unfortunately, in the last few years, there
have been "associations" formed out of greed and control, forgetting or
ignoring the concept that 'healing is the caring
of one person for another'.
One association even tries to go as far as
to say "no person other than a '(their special name)' may practice massage
therapy."
These new associations try to say that all these therapies that have been
around for thousands of years,
which have helped millions of people, and passed down through generations,
should not be practiced by any one but them.
Only their small group, (which is only
recognized in a couple Provinces or States in the world), are the only
ones 'qualified' to perform such a work. This sounds more like a cult
religion then a group truly interested in the health and wellbeing of
humanity.
There are many 'Therapist' out there who are trained in muscles as well as
a limited style of Massage. They have a nice Certificate hanging on their
wall and they know lots of big words however, some of these 'Therapists'
do not obtain the knowledge the desire or the professionalism to help an
individual holistically, with the goal of quick,
complete healing in mind.
'Therapist' who have paid for a title and are working hard to build a
business with money in the forefront of their intent are working in direct
contradiction with the service they are offering.
An honest, burning passion to help and/or
heal an individual from their impairment as quickly as possible should be
a healers intent. Many of these 'association' train their 'Therapists' in
the art of 'building a clientele base' first, not on what to do for the
client in order for them to heal, or what to do if the client is not
benefiting from the style or technique being used on them.
We all know someone who has been going to a
'Massage Therapist', (possibly from a car accident or work
place injury), for months and often years and are still suffering from the
same problems, this is a sure sign of not
working the client the way their body
needs.
Why has this client not been referred to
another 'Therapist' offering a different style of therapy that may be
suited better to the clients specific and individual needs?
"If you are not feeling a noticeable
improvement
from the 'therapy' you are now receiving,
and your therapist has not recommended
a different ' therapist ' or ' technique ' for you,
then you are going to the wrong "therapist".
Massage Therapy is not a work 'founded' or 'improved' by a
couple small 'associations' located in one or two countries of the world.
It is found in all cultures as an integral part of health
care and maintenance. Hippocrates, the father of western medicine,
considered massage of prime importance in any health regime.
Galen and the Romans also greatly prized the healing
benefits of massage. With the re-emergence of holistic health theories and
therapies, therapeutic massage is experiencing a renaissance and is
regaining its rightful place among health care practitioners.
We promote holistic healing and we also have the utmost respect for the
myriads of therapies and techniques available that have proven results in
helping or correcting countless situations, needs and impairment.
If or when necessary,
our professional Holistic Therapist will refer clients
to other, appropriately trained health professionals.
Our goal is to help as many people as possible,
heal as quickly as possible.
"We refuse to create a 'long
lasting ailment' or 'chronic pain' clientele base
to keep us in business. A large clientele base returning weekly or
monthly,
while they are still suffering from the same ailments, would
be viewed as
a tremendous failure on our part."
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The Holistic
Service &
Massage Therapy We Promote
Since 1987 we have been striving to promote
complementary health in Canada and the world.
We have responded to the rising public demand for complementary medicine
as well as the increasing respect from GPs and health authorities who have
come to recognize the undoubted benefits of the complementary approach in
stress related illness, in muscular/skeletal problems, in preventative
care as well as in improving quality of life in
degenerative and chronic conditions.
We offer a range of effective therapies and our practitioners work to the
highest professional standards. At the core of our work is the
'Information Service'.
It exists to clarify for the client new to
this field what may be beneficial and helpful. We draw on clinical
experience and relevant research where necessary.
Our well-trained massage practitioner employs their hands as finely tuned
yet powerful tools to promote wellness.
As awareness grows and misconceptions fade
regarding the value and true use of massage therapy, more and more people
are discovering the profound benefits available to them through regular
body work.
In both this service and our practice we are conscious, at all times, of
the limits to our areas of competence and, where necessary, will refer
clients to other, appropriately trained health professionals. Our clients
are also protected from any exaggerated or false claims of a therapy's
effectiveness.
We continue to pioneer changes in attitudes to healthcare. Our aim is to
inform and educate the public, as well as to liaise ever more closely with
practitioners of orthodox medicine in providing an increasingly client
based service and centre of excellence for health care.
The mobileexcape therapists specialize in a multitude of therapies and
incorporate these into each treatment. We pride ourselves on Holistic
Healing. "It is imperative to understand energy flow and how your body
works. It is not enough to just know and work the muscles and bones in
your body.
A Holistically qualified therapist who understands and works with the
energy flow and the muscles of the body will identify patterns of
congestion or resistance and locates their cause.
The therapist will perform the specific
style of therapy that your body is calling for and thus freeing the
resistance and restoring the natural balance to the pulse.
Patients become aware of changes immediately
and often feel heat and tingling accompanying their sense of deep
relaxation. Sometimes, however, a patient's symptoms may become slightly
worse for a day or two before the body's natural healing system takes
over.
Each treatment is specifically designed to your body type and needs. Often
a number of treatments are required but patients should have no need to
continue this therapy for an extended period of time.
I am not out to build up a large clientele
who continually calls on my service for the same health or muscle problem
or concern. If you are not feeling noticeable improvement from the
'therapy' you are now receiving, within your first or second treatment,
you are going to the wrong "therapist"..
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There Are
Over 80 Different Types
of Massage Therapy & Bodywork.
Many are variations on each other, often developed by a
practitioner who is trained in one particular approach and then goes on to
develop his or her own variety, with its own new "brand name." Most
varieties can be broken down into the following five broad categories:
-
Traditional
European Massage
-
Contemporary
Western Massage
-
Structural/Functional/Movement Integration
-
Oriental
Methods
-
Energetic
Methods (Non-oriental)
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is by far the most predominant example of
traditional European massage and it is the most commonly used method in
the United States. It was developed by Per Henrik Ling in Sweden in the
1830s.
Traditional European massage
...was brought to the United States by two
doctors from New York who were brothers— Charles and George Taylor— who
studied in Sweden and introduced Americans to Swedish techniques in the
1850s.
Contemporary Western Massage
This includes methods based primarily on
modern Western concepts of human function; - anatomy, and physiology,
using a wide variety of manipulative techniques.
These may include broad applications for
personal growth, emotional release, and balance of mind-body-spirit in
addition to traditional applications.
These approaches go beyond the original
framework or intention of Swedish massage. They include
Esalen or Swedish/Esalen,
neuromuscular massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage, and manual
lymph drainage.
Most of these are American techniques
developed from the late 1960s onward, though the latter was developed in
the 1920s.
Rolfing
Rolfing is the most established method in this category.
There are over eight hundred Rolfers practicing in twenty-seven countries,
with about seven hundred in the United States alone. Rolfing is a
trademarked approach within the generic field of structural integration.
It was developed by Ida Rolf, Ph.D., a biophysicist who earned her
doctorate in the 1920s. She began doing her form of bodywork in the 1940s
and 50s. Her clientele included Georgia O'Keeffe and Buckminster Fuller
and she worked with other pioneers in the bodywork field.
In the 1960s she began teaching at Esalen Institute. She formed the Rolf
Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado, in 1972.
Hellerwork. This approach was founded by Joseph Heller in 1979.
Jin
Shin Jyutsu
This approach comes from an ancient Japanese
healing tradition that uses touch to restore the internal flow of energy
through the body by releasing energetic blockages.
Therapeutic Touch
This method is unique in that it was born
and reached its maturation within the context of conventional Western
medicine. It was developed in the 1970s by Dolores Krieger, Ph.D., R.N.
Polarity Therapy
This is a form of energy work that was developed by
Randolph Stone, a chiropractor, osteopath, and naturopath in the
mid-1920s.
CranioSacral Therapy™
This approach was named in 1977 by John
Upledger, D.O., and Ernest Retzlaff, Ph.D.
Reflexology
This approach involves the manual stimulation of reflex
points on the ears, hands, and feet. Similar methods resembling shiatsu
and acupressure have also been practiced in China for thousands of years.
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What
MASSAGE
TECHNIQUES
Do I Choose?
Some of the following techniques may be
featured in your session. Merely tell us how you feel and our therapists
will use a variety of styles to create a custom session just for you.
Swedish:
The most commonly offered massage technique. Swedish uses
long strokes and kneading of the muscles. It is used primarily for full
body sessions to promote full relaxation, circulation, and relieve muscle
tension.
Deep Tissue:
Releases chronic patterns of tension in the body through
long slow strokes and deep finger pressure on tensed areas. Improves body
alignment and freedom of movement.
Shiatsu:
A Japanese massage system that incorporates finger, thumb
and palm pressure along the bodies' energy channels. The intent is to
release energy blockages, rebalance and stimulate energy flow.
Sports Massage:
Focuses on the muscles relevant to a particular athletic
activity. Usually more vigorous and deeper than Swedish massage.
Reflexology:
An ancient Chinese technique applying pressure to points
mainly on the feet but also on the hands and ears which correspond to
specific areas of the body.
Acupressure:
An ancient Chinese finger point massage designed to release
muscle tension and promote healing by applying pressure along vital energy
points in order to improve energy flow.
Polarity:
Designed to balance the body's' subtle electromagnetic
energy through touch and stretching.
Trigger Point:
Applies concentrated finger pressure to tender areas in the
muscle in order to break the cycle of spasm and pain.
Myofascial Release:
A mild and gentle hands on form of stretching which
relieves connective tissue restrictions all over the body promoting
strength, flexibility, range of motion and proper alignment. It releases
chronic problems and reduces pain.
Craniosacral:
A gentle massage that centers on the head and corrects
imbalances in the spine.
Energy:
A balancing of the body energy field through laying hands
on specific energy centers with the intend to relieve acute emotional and
physical conditions.
Lymphatic:
Using gentle pumping and stroking techniques to
drain away pockets of water retention and trapped toxins. It boosts the
body ability to eliminate waste and tones the tissue by reducing swelling.
Lomi Lomi:
Traditional Hawaiian massage involving rhythm, dance,
vibration and sound.
Aromatherapy:
Incorporates the use of essential plant and vegetable oils
into the massage session.
Esalen:
Highly nurturing and sensory massage that incorporates
long, slow and flowing strokes.
Thai:
An ancient Thai bodywork system designed to unblock trapped
energy and improve vitality by applying pressure along the body's energy
pathways. It uses slow rhythmic pressing with fingers, thumbs, hands,
forearms, elbows and feet, and stretches with gentle rocking motions.
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Scientific
Support
Prior to the advent of pharmaceutical
medicine earlier in this century, references to massage therapy and
research were not
uncommon in the mainstream medical literature.
There were over six hundred articles in
various journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association,
British Medical Journal, and others from 1813 to 1939. A great deal of
research was also conducted in Eastern Bloc countries and China.
In this country after World War I, there was
a precipitous decline in focus on this field as drugs and other allopathic
interventions gained the foreground.
With the renewed interest in natural forms of treatment, research activity
in massage and bodywork has again gained momentum.
Studies
have documented benefits for;
-
amputations
-
arthritis
-
cerebral palsy
-
cerebral
vascular accident
-
fibrositis
syndrome
-
menstrual
cramps
-
paraplegia/quadriplegia
-
scoliosis
-
acute and
chronic pain
-
acute and
chronic inflammation
-
chronic lymph
edema
-
nausea
-
muscle spasm
-
soft tissue
dysfunctions
-
grand mal
epileptic seizures
-
anxiety
-
depression
-
insomnia
-
psycho
emotional stress
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A Few Examples of Recent
Studies
Massage in the Elderly.
A controlled study showed massage
therapy produced relaxation in eighteen elderly subjects. This study
demonstrated physiological signs of relaxation in terms of decreased blood
pressure and heart rate and increased skin temperature.
OAM-Funded Studies When
the Office of Alternative Medicine at NIH invited applications for its
initial wave of research grants, eighty-five of the 450 applications were
for massage related studies, the largest number of any modality. Of the
first thirty grants awarded, the following four dealt with massage
therapy:
Thomas Burk,Ph.D., of
the Morse Physical Health Research Center in Toledo, Ohio, was awarded a
grant to study whether immune
functioning could be improved in AIDS patients when massage therapy was
used in combination with antiviral drugs.
Denise Matt Tope, Ph.D.,
of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, was awarded
funds to study whether massage therapy can reduce
anxiety and depression in bone marrow transplant patients.
Douglas DeGood, Ph.D.,
at the University of Virginia was funded to study the degree to which
massage therapy can reduce anxiety and the need for follow-up care in
women undergoing surgery for uterine cancer.
Frank Scafidi, Ph.D., at the University of Miami's Touch Research Institute is studying the
effects of daily massage on growth, cognitive development, and immune
function in premature infants born to HIV infected mothers.
Therapeutic Touch. A
fifth study involves Melodie Olson of the Medical University of South
Carolina in Charleston is using a controlled experiment to examine the
effects of Therapeutic Touch on the immune functioning of highly stressed
students preparing for professional board exams. Positive findings would
have implications for other highly stressed populations including cancer
and AIDS patients.
Spinal Pain. A study of
the combination of various types of massage in fifty-two patients with
traumatically induced spinal pain led to significant reductions in acute
and chronic pain and increased muscle flexibility and tone. This study
also found massage to be extremely cost-effective in comparison with other
pain therapies, with cost savings ranging from 15 to 50 percent.
Pain Control. Massage has
also been shown to stimulate the body's ability to control pain naturally.
One study showed that massage stimulates the brain to produce endorphins,
chemicals that control pain.
Lymph Edema Lymph
drainage massage has been found to be more effective than mechanized
methods or diuretic drugs to control lymph edema (a form of swelling)
caused by radical mastectomy. It can be expected that using massage to
control lymph edema will significantly lower treatment costs. This is
based on a study comparing massage with the use of sleeve-like pressure
cuffs often worn by women with lymph edema.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
A study found that massage therapy can have a powerful
effect on psycho emotional distress in patients with chronic inflammatory
bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Stress can
worsen the symptoms of these conditions, which can lead to great pain,
bleeding, and hospitalization or death. Massage therapy was effective in
reducing the frequency of episodes of pain and disability in these
patients.
Therapeutic Touch and Wound Healing.
A controlled trial examined the effects of Therapeutic
Touch on healing identical surgically inflicted minor wounds in the
shoulders of forty-four male college students. Twenty-three received
Therapeutic Touch treatments and twenty-one did not. Neither group was
aware of the purpose of the experiment and those treated were not aware
they were being treated. After eight days, the treated group's wounds had
shrunk an average of 93.5 percent compared to 67.3 percent for those
untreated. After sixteen days the figures were 99.3 percent and 90.9
percent.
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Reflexology and PMS
A controlled clinical study of thirty-eight
women with premenstrual syndrome examined the effects of a thirty-minute
reflexology treatment weekly for eight weeks.
Those receiving the treatment were treated
by ear, hand, and foot reflexology. Those in the control group were given
placebo or sham reflexology.
Based on a daily diary that monitored the
severity of thirty-eight premenstrual symptoms, the treated group had a
46-percent reduction, which was a significantly greater reduction than the
19-percent reduction of the control group.
Unlike some of the
hormone-altering drugs and antidepressant medications that are often used,
the treatment produced no side effects. The researchers concluded that
reflexology might work
by softening adrenocortical reactivity to stress, which is known to
exacerbate symptoms in PMS.
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Human Touch
Research
Human Touch, the
most rejuvenating and inspiring source of energy in the world.
The most comprehensive program of
massage-related research is the University of Miami's Touch Research
Institute.
Created in 1991 by the school of medicine, it is the world's first center
for basic and applied research in the use of touch in human health and
development.
Directed by Tiffany Field, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, pediatrics,
and psychiatry, the TRI has a multidisciplinary staff of forty scientists
from the fields of medicine, biology, and psychology and another thirty
visiting scientists from other universities participating in collaborative
studies.
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A List of
Other Applications
of Massage Therapy
Currently Being Studied
-
Newborns of cocaine-addicted mothers>
-
HlV-exposed newborns
-
Infants of depressed mothers
-
Infant colic
-
Infant sleep disorders
-
Infants with cancer
-
Preschool children
-
Neglected children
-
Abused children
-
Autistic children
-
Post traumatic stress disorder after
Hurricane Andrew
-
Pediatric skin disorders
-
Asthma
-
Diabetes
-
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
-
Depressed teenage mothers
-
Teenage mothers' childbirth labor
-
Eating disorders
-
Job performance/stress
-
Pregnancy
-
Hypertension
-
HIV and improved immune function
-
Spinal cord injuries
-
Fibromyalgia syndrome
-
Rape and spouse abuse
-
Couples' sex therapy
-
Volunteer foster grandparents
-
Arthritis
-
Chronic fatigue syndrome
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Bodywork
Research
Little research has been conducted on the
various forms of bodywork.
One exception is Rolfing, for which several studies have found interesting
effects.
In one controlled study, forty-eight participants were randomly assigned
to either the experimental group (Rolfing) or a control group (no
Rolfing). A significant decrease in anxiety was found in those who
received the treatment over a five-week period.
The researchers explained these findings in
terms of the theory that the Rolfing caused a release of emotional tension
that had been stored up in the muscles, which in turn resulted in lower
anxiety scores on a psychological test of state anxiety.
Other studies of Rolfing have found;
-
improvements in muscular efficiency
-
reductions in anxiety
-
decrease in pelvic tilt
-
and increase in vagal tone (amplitude of
respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a heart rate function that corresponds with
reduced stress in the body).
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A Doctor's
Story
A patient was brought to our intensive care
unit from another hospital emergency room, where he had been given a
hundred milligrams of Thorazine (an antipsychotic drug) intramuscularly.
Thorazine has a faster and greater effect
when injected than when taken orally, but it also has a greater chance of
lowering the blood pressure.
This man had been given a very high
dosage—and they hadn't noticed that he was drunk. You never mix alcohol
and major
antipsychotics because they are additive in effect.
When the patient arrived, the medication was just taking effect. He went
under before the eyes of the admitting personnel, becoming less responsive
and groggy, then turning gray. When I arrived, the pulse was so weak that
I couldn't feel it and the blood pressure was 40/0, which indicates a
coronary arrest with the imminent danger of croaking.
By the time we got him into a room, he was
totally unresponsive and just whitish gray, like a person looks just
before dying due to lack of oxygen.
I put my knuckle into his sternum and dug in hard to elicit a pain reflex
and stimulate adrenaline release, which sometimes can revive a person.
Nothing. I didn't have the necessary medical equipment to do some of the
things that Western medicine can do because this was a psychiatric unit.
Here I was, looking at a guy who was going
to have a cardiac arrest at any moment. I could stand by and watch him die
or I could do something—anything. I suddenly remembered . . . a primary
revival point and the most important one for loss of consciousness.
So I pulled the patient's shoes off and,
without explaining to the nurses what I was doing, proceeded to put my
thumbs almost through his feet at these points.
It took about two minutes, three at the most. He started moving around a
bit at first and then moaning a little. By the end of those few minutes,
he had sat up in his chair and was talking to us.
He had a strong pulse and a blood pressure
of 90/40. There was an amazed look on the nurses' faces as they asked what
I had done. I said I had worked with the acupressure points to mobilize
reserve energy.
I don't know if that made any sense to them,
but they were amazed and happy that the patient was alive. Meanwhile, by
the way, a priority code ambulance—with sirens and lights and the whole
bit—was on its way to pick up a supposedly dying patient.
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BENEFICIAL
EFFECTS
OF MASSAGE THERAPY
Far beyond simply helping one feel good,
massage has an impressive range of health benefits. Research studies
conducted in Europe, the United States and Asia have documented the
positive effect of massage on;
-
adults with job-related stress and anxiety
-
cocaine-exposed infants
-
premature babies
-
adolescents with anxiety disorders
-
the immune function of HIV positive males
-
Alzheimer’s
-
dementia
-
cancer
...and many other conditions.
With a variety of hands-on methods, a skilled Massage Therapist not only
stretches and loosens muscle and connective tissue, but also improves
blood flow and the movement of lymph throughout the body.
The therapist’s hands facilitate the removal
of metabolic waste products resulting from exercise or inactivity,
allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach the cells and tissues.
Sensory receptors in skin and muscle ‘wake
up’, bringing new awareness to areas that have been ‘cut off’ by chronic
tension patterns.
In addition, massage can stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s
natural painkillers – into the brain and nervous system. The release of
muscular tension also helps to unblock and balance the overall flow of
life energy
throughout the body (known in different cultures as vital force,
bio-energy, c’hi, prana, ki, etc).
All of this benefits the
body’s
general health and well being.
Movement is essential for life. Massage
helps us to keep mobile by encouraging all our moving parts to move –
which is essential for health.
This is because the body relies on movement
for the flow of nutrients and oxygen into our cells and wastes out of
them.
Health relies on a state of balance and can be described as the ability to
adapt and cope with whatever occurs, combined with feelings of comfort,
safety and enthusiasm.
People who are starved of touch can feel very isolated and anxious which
then affects their total well being, after all, solitary confinement must
be the worst punishment.
Appropriate touch is soothing and relaxing
and also helps that ‘feel good feeling’. Touch in the form of massage can
make a huge difference. There are many
explanations for this:
Improved circulation – more oxygenated
blood plus removal of toxins.
Reduction in pain – massage stimulates
the brain to release natural painkillers.
Anxiety reduction – it has been shown
that relaxation and anxiety cannot co-exist. This helps the person realize
that they can cope.
Relaxation effects – as the body lets go of
accumulated tension it is able to work better as there are fewer demands
being placed on it.
Healing – touch is healing and
certainly the improved circulation already described improves healing time
and is why sports people seek massage therapy.
Energy – we tend to have more energy after a
massage. Tension tends to ‘trap’ energy; massage tends to encourage energy
to flow.
Massage stimulates blood circulation,
improves breathing and concentration. It clears toxins from the body and
removes dead skin cells.
It is deeply relaxing, both calming and energizing, it leaves the body
feeling supple. It also eliminates stiffness and muscle ache by supporting
lymphatic drainage.
Call us now start feeling better today!
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