Massage Therapy

There are tremendous benefits to be achieved through regular massage therapy treatments from a Registered Massage Therapist.  Whether your need is to have a moment of relaxation, reduce muscle tension or attain relief from chronic pain, a therapeutic massage can enhance your overall sense of emotional and physical well-being.
Massage therapy can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. RMTs can work with a wide variety of patients, of all ages, in the treatment of illness, injury rehabilitation and disability.

Massage Therapists today use their knowledge of physiology and anatomy to combine traditional Swedish and modern massage therapy techniques with other therapies to treat their clients. There has been a wide variety of research, published in peer reviewed journals, proving the benefits of massage therapy for various conditions.

The following is a list of conditions for which massage therapy, when provided by a Registered Massage Therapist, can prove beneficial:

1. Anxiety and depression;2. Asthma and Emphysema;3.Back, leg, and neck pain;4.Cancer symptoms;5.Carpal tunnel syndrome (repetitive strain);6.Chronic Fatigue syndrome;7. Dislocations;8. Fibromyalgia; 9.Fractures and edema; 10.Gastrointestinal disorders; 11.Headaches; 12. Inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and bursitisIn; 13. somnia; 14. Kyphosis and Scoliosis;15. Multiple sclerosis;16.Parkinson’s disease;17.Muscle tension and spasm; 18. Palliative care; 19. Post-surgical;20.  rehabilitation;21.Pregnancy and labour support; 22.Sports injuries;23. Strains and sprains;24. Stress and stress related conditions;25.Stroke;26.Tendinitis;26.Whiplash

1. How Does Deep Tissue Massage Work?
Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronically tense and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders.

Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain.
2. Will Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?
At certain points during the massage, most people find there is usually some discomfort and pain.
It is important to tell the massage therapist when things hurt and if any soreness or pain you experience is outside your comfort range.

There is usually some stiffness or pain after a deep tissue massage, but it should subside within a day or so. The massage therapist may recommend applying ice to the area after the massage.

3. Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage?
Unlike classic massage therapy, which is used for relaxation, deep tissue massage usually focuses on a specific problem, such as:

• Chronic pain
• Limited mobility
• Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls, sports injury)
• Repetitive strain injury, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Tennis/Golf elbow etc.
• Postural problems
• Muscle tension or spasm

This relaxing therapeutic massage uses Swedish massage techniques which involve manipulation of soft tissues-muscles, ligaments, tendons, connective tissue and joint capsules. This massage is ideal for relaxing tense muscles, easing stress and tension, relieving pain, and improving sleep.
Insurance Receipts Available—Service performed by a registered Massage Therapist

The Lymphatic System

In mammals including humans, the lymphatic vessels (or lymphatics) are a network of thin tubes that branch like blood vessels, into tissues throughout the body. Lymphatic vessels carry lymph, a colorless, watery fluid originating from interstitial fluid.

The lymphatic system transports infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes, is involved in the removal of foreign matter and cell debris by phagocytes and is part of the body’s immune system. It also transports fats from the small intestine to the blood.

The portion of blood plasma that escapes is called interstitial or extracellular fluid, and it contains oxygen, glucose, amino acids, and other nutrients needed by tissue cells.

Although capillaries lose only about 1% of the volume of the fluid that passes through them, so much blood circulates that the cumulative fluid loss in the average human body is about 3 liters per day. The lymphatic system collects this fluid by diffusion into lymph capillaries and returns it to the circulatory system.

Lymphatic circulation

Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system is not closed and has no central pump, the lymph moves slowly and under low pressure. Like veins, lymph vessels have one-way valves and depend mainly on the movement of skeletal muscles to squeeze fluid through them.  Rythmic contractions of the vessel walls  (manual lymph drainage)  also help draw fluid into the lymphatic capillaries. This fluid is then transported to progressively larger lymphatic vessels culminating in the right lymphatic duct (for lymph from the right upper body) and the thoracic duct (for the rest of the body). These ducts drain into the circulatory system at the right and left subclavian veins.

Lymph vessels are present in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Whilst most other nutrients absorbed by the small intestine are passed on to the portal venous system to drain, via the portal vein, into the liver for processing, fats are passed on to the lymphatic system, to be transported to the blood circulation via the thoracic duct.

Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)

MLD is a massage technique that stimulates the lymphatic system by moving the fluid away from the swollen areas of the body and toward healthy regions.

MLD requires specific hand strokes that are applied to the body in a distinct pattern and direction to move fluid away from the swollen body region. MLD is very slow and light, using just enough pressure to allow the skin to be gently stretched.

The specific sequence is different for every patient and requires a skilled therapist to evaluate the areas of the body that are healthy and to devise an appropriate plan of treatment.

MLD is used to clear and open alternate pathways for the fluid congestion to flow to.

The treatment techniques are very specific in the way they are applied and should be done by a therapist who has received specially training in decongestant therapy.

Relaxation massage is essentially the same as a gentle Swedish Massage that uses smooth, gliding strokes. The primary purpose will be to help you relax, and the massage therapist will probably move at a slower pace and use light pressure. During a relaxation massage there is less emphasis on working out serious adhesion or knots in the muscle tissue and the therapist won’t push your pain limits in order to get the muscle to release. Sometimes people even fall asleep during a relaxation massage. There are still substantial health benefits to a relaxation massage, including calming the nervous system, promoting a sense of well-being, improving blood circulation and stimulating the body’s lymphatic system, which carries away waste products.