Massage Pathology Chronicles

Cancer massage

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:40:32 +0000

Cancer massage requires special training. It is important to use a very light, delicate touch, and to avoid putting stress on radiation sites, sites where surgery has been performed, or tumor locations. A massage therapist who has learned to work with cancer patients has to be knowledgeable about which massage creams and oils are safe, and have the experience to make the massage comfortable and enjoyable. Some people fear that massage is dangerous for cancer patients is that there is a fear that massage may cause cancers to metastasize, because it stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid in the body. Studies have suggested that this may be the case with some deep tissue massage modalities, but that gentle massage is probably not going to lead to a spread of the cancer. Of more concern is lymphedema, a condition caused by pooling of lymph in the limbs; a massage therapist who is not experienced in working with cancer patients could cause lymphedema by accident. Many people believe that touch therapy is very beneficial, especially for cancer patients, who sometimes feel very isolated and frightened. A very gentle massage can help reduce stress for cancer patients, and reductions in stress levels can benefit the immune system as well as one’s outlook on life.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Cancer Malignancy

Massage during pregnancy

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:37:32 +0000

Massage therapy during pregnancy can often relieve many of the common side effects of pregnancy, whether woman suffer from backaches, headaches, edema or other pregnancy related problems. Back pain is one of the more common side effects of pregnancy. Back pain can continue throughout pregnancy and even after. Fortunately massage can help relieve back pain associated with muscular tension. Some of the other benefits prenatal massage are, it helps relieve edema or swelling by stimulating circulation throughout the body, leg massage can help reduce leg cramps and swelling in the legs, massage is very beneficial for relaxing anxiety during pregnancy. Massage can help promote more restful sleep and help prevent pregnancy related insomnia. Pregnancy massage may relax baby, particularly if abdomen gently stroked. However, massaging the wrong areas or focusing on certain acupressure points may actually trigger uterine contractions in some women.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy during pregnancy, Massage Therapy Reproductive Conditions

Benefits and contraindications of massage for the urinary system

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:29:58 +0000

There are not that many benefits or contraindications of massage for the urinary system. Massage really does not benefit the urinary system. The only effect it really has is, that a client needs to visit the facilities right after a massage. This is because fluids in the muscles get pushed into the lymphatic system, which then gets filtered and excreted via the urinary system. This is a benefit for the whole body, as it helps remove wastes, toxins, and debris that build up in tight muscles. Always good to offer client drink some water after a massage to help this process. Contraindications are clients with something like kidney stones might be in too much pain to tolerate a massage, gout in a cute phase, kidney failure. Mild urinary tract infections are fine for massage, while severe infections might necessitate a delay of the massage.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Urinary System Conditions

Massage can be helpful to the clients with bulimia

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:26:42 +0000

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person binges and purges. The person may eat a lot of food at once and then try to get rid of the food by vomiting, using laxatives, or sometimes over-exercising. People with bulimia are preoccupied with their weight and body image. Bulimia is associated with depression and other psychiatric disorders and shares symptoms with anorexia nervosa, another major eating disorder. Because many individuals with bulimia can maintain a normal weight, they are able to keep their condition a secret for years. If not treated, bulimia can lead to nutritional deficiencies and even fatal complications. Therapeutic massage can be an effective adjunct to psychological counseling. A gentle, nurturing massage can help improve clients self-image and may decrease anxiety.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Gastrointestinal Conditions, Massage Therapy Emotional Conditions

Sleep Apnea and Massage

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:44:09 +0000

Sleep apnea is one of the common sleep disorders. It occurs when you stop breathing during the night. This is characterized by shallow breathes and loud snoring with pauses between breathes that last 10 seconds or more. People who have this condition, wake up frequently during the night to breathe. Some symptoms of sleep apnea are long gaps in breathing, very loud snoring, gasping or choking and not feeling rested in the morning. This condition usually occurs because of some sort of obstruction in the air passage. Massage cannot be used to treat sleep apnea, but can be performed for a client to rejuvenate and perhaps alleviate some symptoms of depression, if he has any.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Respiratory Condition, Massage Therapy Sleep Apnea, Massage Therapy Depression

Lymphatic massage

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:40:35 +0000

Lymphatic massage is used to help increase lymph flow. This helps to removes harmful substances from the tissues and can increase immune function. Because the lymphatic system has no central pump, it must depend on muscle contraction to move fluid. Another way to move this fluid is through manual manipulation or massage. It increases lymphatic flow 8-10 times. This removes harmful substances from our tissues, nourishes tissues, reduces inflammation, and generally increases immune function, it helps people manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions and arthritis, traumatic injuries such as strains and sprains, headaches, sinus issues, healing from surgery, osteoarthritis, skin conditions, and swelling from unresolved injuries such as ankle sprains. Lymphatic massage was developed as a manual therapy in Europe, where it has been well researched and used in hospitals and clinics for decades. Lymphatic massage is also profoundly relaxing. This too helps the immune system to function well.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Lymphatic, Massage Therapy Cardiovascular

Chapter 1

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:23:38 +0000

Review of Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists, by Salvo and Anderson. Within the course of Dr. Johnson.

It was very interesting to read about the top 10 causes of death in the United States (2000). The text listed these as (in order from the most prevalent): heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents, diabetes, pneumonia/ influenza, Alzheimer’s disease, Nephritis, (including nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis), and septicemia. I also was surprised to learn that although injuries resulting from violence or accidents are leading killers for children and young adults, the vast majority of Americans die from disease. There has also been much media educating the public about heart disease, as well as it’s effects on the population as a whole and women in particular. Being that February is Heart Disease Awareness month and the "GO RED" campaign for women is widely popularized, there is information all around us, from TV commercials to the designs on cans of soda! When reading and learning that heart disease is the leading cause of death for those aged 65 and older, it is important to devote resources for prevention, education and investigating treatments for heart disease. Additionally, it is important for message therapists to have this information, and to use it to aid in their intake of clients as well as medical recommendations. Message therapists that are aware of the signs and symptoms can relay this to their clients or refer them for additional assessment from other medical professionals.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Assessment, Massage Therapy Prevention, Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:02:11 +0000

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. Symptoms usually start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping energy and making people feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer. Massage therapy can be perform on client with SAD and may relieve some of the symptoms of depression, as massage can give a client a sense of well-being.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Endocrine Pathology, Massage Therapy Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD

Bell’s Palsy

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:58:22 +0000

Bell’s palsy is characterized by facial paralysis on one side. The paralysis is usually proceeded by pain behind the ear that lasts for a few days. It happens quite suddenly. Usually the person will go to bed at night fine and wake up in the morning with the condition. People with this condition experience paralysis or sometimes just weakness on one side of their face. The face will droop on the affected side and the expression will remain flat. If the upper part of the face is affected, you will be unable to blink your eye or it will be difficult to blink. Doctor’s are still unsure as to the cause, but know it has to do with the function of cranial nerve VII. They think that it could be an inflammatory condition that affects the nerve. Facial muscles attach to the skin allowing us to make many expressions. When these muscles are paralyzed, they begin to atrophy. Massage can be used to stimulate circulation in the face and maintain the health of the muscles. Massage can also help encourage the muscles to move and ease the discomfort associated with Bell’s palsy.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Bell’s Palsy, Massage Therapy Nervous System Pathology

Massage benefits to Musculoskeletal Problems

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:54:56 +0000

Muscles, like everything else in the body, take orders from the brain. When the brain wants action, it sends a message through the spinal cord and connected nerves to reach the muscle itself. That movement is regulated by signals from the nerves in the muscle, which provides a constant progress report. During various specific soft tissue manipulation techniques used in Massage Therapy, there is a massive increase in the number of messages sent to the brain by the nerves. This sudden deluge of information readjusts muscle tension, increasing their ability to work while preventing injuries. Massage Therapy can appease many muscle disorders. Muscle spasms, for example, can be eased by certain Massage Therapy techniques because the kneading and stretching of the muscle fibers encourages a relaxation response in the muscle spindle receptors that are maintaining the spasm. Stretching or pressure on tendons can further interrupt the spasm. Massage benefits are enormous, for optimal results massage can be done once a week.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Musculoskeletal Pathology Problems

Notes on Chapter 12

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:55:07 +0000

Review of Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists, by Salvo and Anderson.

This chapter was about cancer and neoplasia. The chapter begins by introducing the benefits of massage for clients living with cancer. Although this type of therapy cannot specifically treat the body, but can help the client relax and possibly decrease some pain. Cancer is characterized by uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells that form a tumor (neoplasm). Sometimes tumors are benign instead of being malignant. There are many different types of cancer. Each cancer is named from which tissue they are derived. For instance, melanomas grow from melanocytes (skin cells that produced melanin). Cancer cells can spread through the body via the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. The most common types of cancers include lung, breast, colon and prostate. The definite cause of cancer is still undetermined. However, there are many possible causes including carcinogens, oncogenes, and oncoviruses. Some of the current treatments for cancer include surgical excision (to remove tumors, cancerous organs and lymph nodes), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplant. The massage therapist can be very beneficial after many of these procedures. Table 12-2 (page 319) outlines the side effects from the listed treatments for cancer. It is important for the therapist to recognize some of these side effects. There are also medications used to manage cancer. These are found on table 12-3 on page 321. The chapter also introduces some guidelines when massaging a cancer patient. For instance, the therapist needs to obtain clearance from the primary health provider before beginning a treatment plan, and the therapist needs to be mindful of the symptoms the client is experiencing. A list of these guidelines can be found on pages 324 and 325. There are many types of cancer which are introduced on pages 325-337. Some of these cancers include bladder cancer, brain tumors, laryngeal cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, and pancreatic cancer. Figure 12-22 shows the stages of Hodgkin’s disease. In general all of the photos in this chapter were very helpful and informative. I learned a lot from this chapter that I didn’t know.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Cancer Malignancy, Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists

Notes on Chapter 11

Massage Pathology Chronicles — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:52:01 +0000

Review of Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists, by Salvo and Anderson.

This chapter is on reproductive conditions, reproductive pathologies, and sexually transmitted diseases. The chapter begins with an overview of the reproductive system. Massage therapy does not affect this system directly. It can, however, relieve some stress that comes with some pathologies. In this section the difference between primary and secondary reproductive organs is distinguished. Primary reproductive organs are gonads, which produced hormones critical for reproduction. In the males the gonads are the testes, and in the female they are the ovaries. Secondary reproductive organs are the ducts that are used to transport reproductive material for fertilization, and then the ovum to the place of incubation. The remainder of this section goes into detail about the entire process of reproduction. It includes details are they relate to pregnancy. Following this section are some questions a massage therapist can ask the client in order to evaluate the reproductive system during the premassage interview. If the client has genital discharge, abnormal breast discharge, fever with groin paint, masses in the breasts, masses in the abdominopelvic region, or skin lesions the therapists is advised to direct the client to their primary care provider. The remainder or this chapter is about reproductive pathologies and conditions. Some of the pathologies discussed include chlamydia, endometriosis, genital herpes, menopause, and prostatitis. This chapter was a really nice review. Figure 11-6 (pg 292) was a really nice diagram and overview of the first week of prenatal development.

Tags: Massage Therapy Pathology, Massage Pathology Chronicles, Massage Therapy Reproductive Conditions, Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists