Importance of Hydration & Massage

Why do we give you water after a massage?
 Why should you drink water before a massage?

Most people are dehydrated and for health reasons its important to drink water (and non caffeinated beverages). Summer brings with it heat - especially here in the South. Your body loses water and electrolytes more rapidly than you think. When you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

MayoClinic.com explains that your body is composed of 60% water. It is important in protecting organs, helping nutrients get absorbed into the body, lubricating joints, and regulating body temperature. Water also helps transport oxygen to the tissues and cells in your body and flush out waste products.

Massage therapy releases water, salt, and minerals from your muscles. By drinking water after a massage, your body is flushed out of your body. By doing this, soreness that may result from massage (especially deep tissue) can be minimized. If you drink water prior to a massage - particularly deep tissue massages - it is easier for your licensed massage therapist to work with and relax your muscles effectively.

Mesothelioma & Massage

What is Mesothelioma?

According to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance (www.mesothelioma.com): "Mesothelioma is a cacer that occurs in the mesothelium, a thin membrane encompassing the body's internal organs and cavities. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers that are inhaled through the mouth and nose may eventually become embedded in the lining of the lungs, causing harmful inflammation of the pleura and resulting in mesothelioma or asbestosis (scar tissue formation in the lungs). It has also been found that swallowing asbestos fibers could contribute to a form of the malignancy originating in the abdomen known as peritoneal mesothelioma."

This month we welcome guest blogger: Marvin Leininger, National Awareness Director, Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com

Massage and Mesothelioma

Replacing or reducing the need for pharmaceuticals that treat pain and stress, massage therapy can play a vital role in the treatment of illnesses such as mesothelioma.

As a holistic approach to relieving pain, increasing blood flow and promoting relaxation, massage can help alleviate some of the side effects associated with this cancer. Mesothelioma patients coping with chest pain, difficulty breathing and treatment anxiety can especially benefit from massage therapy.

As with many traditional mesothelioma therapies, massage therapy primarily focuses on improving the patient’s quality of life and cannot cure the disease.

How Does Massage Therapy Help with Mesothelioma?

Massage is typically thought of as a luxury, not a medical treatment. However, some practitioners feel that this alternative therapy can help promote healing. In 1999, almost half of all cancer centers offered massage in addition to their other therapies, and attitudes towards therapeutic massage have become even more accepting since then.

Some of the cancer-related factors that massage can treat include:

·        * Stress and anxiety

·         *Depression

·         *Pain (including headaches and backaches)

·        * Reduced mobility

·         *Fatigue (caused by the cancer itself or by other treatments, such as chemotherapy)

In 2004, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center conducted a study that examined massage’s potential to reduce pain, fatigue, stress, anxiety, nausea, depression and “other symptoms.” The study found that on average, symptom intensity was cut in half after massage therapy.

Unlike many other treatments for mesothelioma, massage therapy is gentle and non-invasive.

Even the more intense forms of massage – such as a deep tissue massage – are less taxing on the body than many other traditional mesothelioma treatments. As a result, massage is associated with essentially no significant side effects. However, patients who have undergone radiation therapy for their mesothelioma tumors may find massage to be painful in the area where the radiation entered their body.

Massage therapy’s benefits can be magnified when combined with other forms of alternative treatment. Aromatherapy, TENS therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care can all be used in conjunction with massage therapy. 

TMJ Dysfunction - Self-Care

TMJ dysfunction is a condition which often is accompanied by jaw clenching, popping, teeth grinding, and headache. It involves both the joint and surrounding muscles. Pain may travel through the face, jaw and neck. The range of motion of the jaw may be limited and teeth may not match up like they used to. Stress may increase the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction.

 image courtesy www.dentalhealth4all.com

Massage therapy can help relax the muscle tension in and around the jaw area -- allowing for smoother movements and less pain & headaches. Ask your massage therapist about their approach to working with TMJ. Often, the massage therapist will use manual techniques both inside he mouth and outside for maximal relief.

It may also be useful to work with a chiropractor, who will be able to focus on the joint. If the joint is out of alignment, a chiropractor can make an adjustment which will also aid in relieving discomfort symptoms.

 Video instructions on TMJ self-care