Questions and Answers about Trigger point therapy

What is a trigger point?

A trigger point is an area of uncontrolled muscle tightness causing tenderness which interferes with normal muscle function. This restricts Normal Range of motion, weakens the muscle, and may refer pain to other parts of the body.

How does trigger point therapy work?

Using the hands, the skin is gently pressed, to locate underlying type bands or nodules of muscle fibers. Then using the hand, fingers, elbow, or small and instrument, the muscle is compressed with sustained pressure to relax it.

What does trigger point therapy feel like?

To prepare the site, a cooling spray may be used. As pressure is applied, some patients experience temporary discomfort until the muscle relaxes. Others may feel referred pain to other parts of the body.

Why is trigger point therapy used?

Trigger point therapy is a highly effective way to reduce muscle spasms and relax hyperactive muscles. This helps restore Normal Range of motion and promote faster healing.

Benefits to the patient are:

Reduces chronic muscle spasms

Avoids scar tissue formation

Improves muscle tone

Promotes better circulation

Increases range of motion

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Questions for Your Prospective Massage Therapist

In order to confirm your prospective massage therapist’s qualifications and ensure that your massage therapy will benefit your health needs, consider asking him or her the following questions:

1. Are you licensed to practice massage in this state?

Thirty-seven states regulate the massage therapy profession. Depending on the state, this regulation comes in the form of a license, registration or certification. Also, some local governments may have some form of regulation.

2. Are you a member of the American Massage Therapy Association?

Professional members of AMTA have demonstrated their competency through successful completion of the AMTA national exam or graduation from an accredited program. Members must also pursue continuing education standards in order to retain membership.

3. Are you certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)?

The NCBTMB offers a nationally recognized certification for massage therapists. Massage professionals earn the NCBTMB designation by demonstrating mastery of core massage techniques, passing a standardized exam, and abiding by the NCBTMB Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Requirements must be reestablished every four years to maintain certification.

4. Where did you receive your massage therapy training and did you graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA)?

To ensure that your therapist has had proper training, AMTA recommends you find a graduate of a COMTA-accredited program. COMTA confirms that massage schools offer rigorous training and possess qualified faculty and proper equipment.

5. How many hours of initial training did you have?

AMTA suggests that your massage therapist has completed at least 500 hours of training, which is also the standard for most states that regulate the massage therapy industry. 

6. Are you trained in any specific massage modalities?

The various types of massage are termed “massage modalities.” Each massage and bodywork modality requires specialized training. While some massage therapists use just one or two types of massage, most employ a variety of techniques in their practice. Look at the Glossary for explanations of different massage modalities.

 For incredible natural remedies, visit our website at www.DoctorGendron.com

Questions and Answers about Therapeutic massage

What is therapeutic massage?

Massage is a term describing a variety of techniques using the hands, a mechanical or electrical apparatus to stimulate or soothe soft tissues of the body for therapeutic purposes.

How does it work?

Massage works by needing and stroking muscles to relax them and uses friction to stimulate soft tissues.  This therapy can increase blood and lymph circulation welt breaking up scar tissue between muscle fibers.

What does therapeutic massage feel like?

Therapeutic massage usually feels good though the effects vary with each individual.  Clothing is optional bodies often removed from just the area being treated, keeping patients warm, relaxed and comfortable.  A lubricating oil or powder is used to reduce friction during the massage session.

What can I expect from therapeutic massage?

Massage is useful in many conditions where body relaxation, a reduction of swelling, and muscle mobilization is desired.  Massaged can also be helpful in reducing the swelling and cooling of fluids at the site of a recent injury or trauma.

Patient benefits to massage are:

Enhances the joint and muscle function

Improves circulation

Increases metabolism

Breaks down scar tissue adhesions

Promotes the healing process

For incredible natural remedies, visit our website at www.DoctorGendron.com

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Choosing a Type of Massage

There are many types of massage and sometimes massage techniques become fashionable. Though some consumers may know a specific massage modality or technique they want, it is generally best to ask your massage therapist what massage modality will give you the results you want.  Most massage therapists use a variety of massage modalities or types in a massage session to best achieve desired results.

The four most common types of massage are:

• Swedish: The most common type of massage, to relax and energize you.
• Deep tissue: For muscle damage from an injury, such as whiplash or back strain.
• Sports: To help prevent athletic injury, keep the body flexible and heal the body should injury occur.
• Chair: Massage of the upper body, while fully clothed and seated in a special portable chair

Make sure your massage therapist is well qualified. A Physician’s office or referral is always recommended over blindly picking one out of the phonebook. They should have their license displayed on the wall. The environment should be clean and sterile. So, relax and enjoy!

 For incredible natural remedies, visit our website at www.DoctorGendron.com

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• Thrive Dallas

Massage Therapy
More Than Pampering…
Words like “relaxation” and “pampering” are often used to describe a person’s idea of a good massage. In fact, 26 percent of the 39 million Americans who got a massage last year say it’s for relaxation or stress reduction, according to a recent survey commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Only 11 percent say it was to pamper themselves. Although relaxation plays an important role in one’s overall health and wellness, another 30 percent of those surveyed say they get massage therapy for medical/health reasons specifically.
Massage therapy has been shown to address serious health issues by relieving symptoms associated with a variety of conditions. Here’s a look at just some of the ways in which massage therapy can be effective.
Relieve Back Pain
More than 100 million Americans suffer from lower-back pain, and nearly $25 billion a year is spent in search of relief. A 2003 study showed that massage therapy produced better results and reduced the need for painkillers by 36 percent when compared to other therapies, including acupuncture and spinal modification. Today, massage therapy is one of the most common ways people ease back pain.
Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, June 3, 2003
Treat Migraines
Of the 45 million Americans who suffer from chronic headaches, more than 60 percent suffer from migraines. For many, it’s a distressing disorder that is triggered by stress and poor sleep. In a recent study, massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality during the weeks they received massage, and the three weeks following, than did participants that did not receive massage therapy. Another study found that in adults with migraine headaches massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms. It also increased serotonin levels, believed to play an important role in the regulation of mood, sleep and appetite.
Sources: Annals of Behavioral Medicine, August 2006; International Journal of Neuroscience, 1998.
Ease Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressively painful condition that causes numbness and tingling in the thumb and middle fingers. Traditional treatments for carpal tunnel range from a wrist brace to surgery. However, a 2004 study found that carpal tunnel patients receiving massage reported significantly less pain, reduced symptoms and improved grip strength than those patients who did not receive massage.
Source: Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 8, 9-14.
Reduce Anxiety
An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from depression. A review of more than a dozen massage studies concluded that massage therapy helps relieve depression and anxiety by affecting the body’s biochemistry. In the studies reviewed, researchers measured the stress hormone cortisol in participants before and immediately after massage and found that the therapy lowered levels by up to 53 percent. Massage also increased serotonin and dopamine, and neurotransmitters that help reduce depression.
Source: Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine.
Alleviate Side Effects of Cancer
Massage therapy is increasingly being applied to symptoms experienced by cancer patients, such as nausea, pain and fatigue. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center asked patients to report the severity of their symptoms before and after receiving massage therapy. Patients reported reduced levels of anxiety, pain, fatigue, depression and nausea, even up to two days later.
Source: Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, September 2004.
In a study of breast cancer patients, researchers found that those who were massaged three times a week reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and anger, while increasing “natural killer” cells and lymphocytes that help to battle cancerous tumors.
Source: Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Journal of Psychosomatic
Research, Volume 57, Issue 1, Pages 45-52, July 2004.
Lower Blood Pressure
Hypertension, if left unchecked, can lead to organ damage. Preliminary research shows that hypertensive patients who received three 10-minute back massages a week had a reduction in blood pressure, compared to patients who simply relaxed without a massage.
Source: Biological Research For Nursing, Vol. 7, No. 2, 98-105 (2005).

For incredible natural remedies, visit our website at www.DoctorGendron.com

Clinical research has shown that massage therapy has benefits for many serious medical conditions. It alleviates pain and aids in the healing process.
Massage has been found to be especially effective for patients with these conditions:

Low Back Pain
Chronic low back pain sufferers find enduring results from massage therapy, according to a study conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Center for Health Studies. The researchers plan to determine the specific components of massage therapy that contribute to its effectiveness.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine supported the idea that massage therapy produces better results for low back pain than other therapies, including acupuncture and spinal modification.
Breast Cancer
Massage promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety in patients with varying kinds of cancer, and has proven especially effective breast cancer survivors. Research shows therapeutic massage is an effective complement to traditional medical care for women undergoing lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction. Pre-surgery, massage relaxes muscle tissue and increases the flow of lymph. Post surgery, women who apply specialized lymph drainage techniques from a well-trained massage therapist to their treatment may experience less pain and swelling.
In a study performed by the University of Miami School of Medicine, breast cancer patients who were massaged three times a week reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and anger. Benefits of massage after breast cancer treatment also include boosting the immune system and helping women reconnect with their bodies.
Other Kinds of Cancer
Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center asked cancer patients about the severity of their symptoms before and after receiving massage therapy, and patients reported reduced levels of anxiety, pain, fatigue, depression and nausea.
Heart Bypass Surgery
In-patient massage treatment performed after heart bypass surgery helps reduce pain and muscle spasms, confirmed by a pilot study conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Because of its effectiveness, 60 percent of the massage group in this study expressed a willingness to pay for massage therapy out-of-pocket.
Anxiety
A review of more than a dozen studies concluded that massage therapy helps relieve depression and anxiety by affecting the body’s biochemistry. Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine reviewed studies that measured the stress hormone cortisol in participants before and immediately after massage and found that the therapy lowered levels by up to 53 percent. Massage also increased serotonin and dopamine, which are both neurotransmitters that help reduce depression.
Migraines
In a 2006 study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality than the control group. A 1998 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms in adults with migraines.
Carpal Tunnel
A 2004 study by the University of Miami School of Medicine explored the effects of massage therapy on carpel tunnel syndrome. The study concluded that carpal tunnel patients receiving massage experienced less pain, reduced symptoms and better grip strength than patients that did not receive massage.
Hypertension
Research has shown that hypertensive patients who received three 10-minute back massages a week had a reduction in blood pressure, compared to patients who tried to increase relaxation without massage.
Other Conditions
Research indicates that massage can help boost immune system strength by increasing the activity level of the body’s natural “killer T cells,” which fight off tumors and viruses.
Massage therapy benefits that are applicable to sufferers of any kind of pain include the stimulation of endorphin production in the brain and the encouragement of patient confidence in improving their condition.
For incredible natural remedies, visit our website at www.DoctorGendron.com

I’m planning on Going to the ATI Massage Therapy Course in Texas, and I’m not sure how much it will cost in total.. I can’t seem to find it. If you don’t know exactly, a general estimation even would be helpful. <33
Thank you for being a smartass. I was planning to make a trip up there just FYI, I was just wondering if anyone could give a general estimation.

Hi there! Congratulations on choosing massage There are lots of great massage schools in Texas, and ATI Massage Therapy is definitely one of them. The best thing to do is request more information from the schools you’re interested in, and they typically have a representative contact you to answer your questions and possibly schedule a campus visit. I linked you to a page below where you can get more information from ATI, as well as other reputable massage schools in your area. I hope this helps. Good luck in your search!

Do you know of any massage therapy colleges in, or close to, Mississippi?

I don’t want stuff like LSU. I want colleges specifically for massage.

Virginia College in Biloxi and Blue Cliff in Gulfport…my brother starts at Virginia College on October 5th for therapeutic massage

I am going to get my first massage. the massage I am getting is just a back and neck (30 min). I was wondering what should I expect for this type of massage? What should I wear? sweatpants? ect? What do you wear for back and neck only massage?

Normally, for that kind of massage, you will be asked to remove your clothes to your comfort level (after the therapist leaves the room) and lie on the table face down with a sheet covering your body. If you’re just getting a back and neck massage, you can leave your pants on, but I would recommend sweat pants or athletic shorts. You could leave your shirt on if you feel uncomfortable, but to get a good massage it is best to take it off. And if you’re a woman, removing your bra would be better too, but not absolutely necessary if you’re uncomfortable with it.

After you’re undressed and lying face down on the table with the sheet over your body (up to your neck), the therapist will come back into the room. He/she will fold the sheet down, so that your legs and buttocks are covered, but your back is exposed so that it can be massaged. After the massage, the therapist will usually ask if you need anything and then leave the room while you get dressed.

I had a whole body massage today and it included a face massage as well.I didn’t really expect it though.For the face massage, it was mostly around the forehead area and near the temples. Could this be bad for the face?(even if I felt some sot of relief around the forehead area, probably caused by everyday work stress)

The only thing that might be bad for the face would be if it were done with an oil that’s too heavy for facial massage, which would clog the pores. There are oils light enough for the face, but I prefer to do facial massage dry. Facial massage is actually quite good, as it increases circulation, can help ease sinus congestion, and has the same good effects on the facial muscles as it has on the rest of the body. Besides, it feels good.

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Learn Massage in hawaii at http://www.alohamassageschool.com in Maui, Hawaii

Which Massage Is Right For You?

Here is a quick guide to the most popular types of massage therapy to help you figure out which massage therapy style is right for you.
1) Swedish Massage Therapy

This is the most common type of massage therapy in the United States. It is also known as Swedish massage or simply massage therapy.

Massage therapists use long smooth strokes, kneading, and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil.

Swedish massage therapy can be very gentle and relaxing. If you’ve never had massage before, this is a good one to try first. To learn more, read the full article on Swedish massage1.

2) Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage is massage therapy with the addition of one or more scented plant oils called essential oils4 to address specific needs.

The massage therapist can select oils that are relaxing, energizing, stress-reducing, balancing, etc. One of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy massage is lavender.

Aromatherapy massage is particularly suited to stress-related conditions or conditions with an emotional component. To learn more, read the full article on aromatherapy massage5.

http://www.alohamassageschool.com

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When patients are near the end of life, the goals of medical care often change from trying to cure disease to trying to make the patient comfortable. Pain and depressed mood are common problems for patients with advanced cancer. Drugs can help these symptoms, but they don't always work and can have side effects. Many patients also seek relief from nondrug treatments, such as massage. Massage might help to improve pain and mood through psychological effects of the therapist's attention, as well as through physical or biological effects. However, few high-quality studies of massage, especially in seriously ill patients, have been published.

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I need a good catchy name for my massage therapy business. Something that doesn’t sounds sexual to have people think that I do more than a massage if you know what I mean. I offer swedish, deep tissue,hot stone massages, pregnancy and newborn baby massages. Please help!

Here is a very small sample of the THOUSANDS of lazy massage practitioners who ask the IDENTICAL question every day without even bothering to look first:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjT7uZoq3nrToNIzvgZqyzQjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090617103629AAWfMWC
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap5POCdr07mPZv81cxe8CEEjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20081109205816AAcnUAb
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqGmW.nk1f6d894mO.FHM7sjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20081214083347AA21Svp
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=At9gXG9H_DJaOm0Z2dSNsJ0jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20091017080406AAQPoEv
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap3G_UcgtNS01vk4D1_XXwgjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071026184158AA97fKx
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlNTOGwzxI5Quz5q1w4TaRcjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20061009135945AAZFMLW
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlTtz247lKjO_EC1uEiNuFnty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20091123030810AASN4YO&show=7#profile-info-zFqSwPs6aa
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuTj1SR.tUZELIwbV8wIapsjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090119210651AASIvO2
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=At7C7qzWVX.__xuN0doaSs4jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080805155801AAK0y5q
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgGitqnk1HuZpsuwqsT4wH4jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080313134122AABzz8e

I do not have the time to go to school to get a massage therapy degree but I would love to perform massages. Most of my life, my friends and family have told me how gifted I am at giving massages and I would like to make it a side project. I am not starting a business, I will not advertise, I just want to charge a small fee to my friends and family to give them massages. Is this allowed? Or do I need to go to school no matter what?

Any charge for services or even free services while claiming to preform therapy would be a violation of nearly every state’s Practice Act The provisions of these acts are rigorously enforced and carry heavy civil and criminal penalties for violations. To legally charge or to even accept tips, you must be fully educated and licensed in the state in which you practice

One feels comfortable and soothing. It is said that there is one type of therapy in which such light massage on abdomen is recommended. Which is that therapy ?( Not Acupressure but some other therapy )

The upside down "horseshoe" massage?

From the lower right hand side of the abdomen, slowly massage upwards towards the lower ribs then massage across the body, from the right side to the left, then massage down the left side of the abdomen (you’re just following the ascending, transverse and descending colon).