July 2003 [Volume 2, Issue 7]

To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

https://www.toyourhealth.com/newsletter/TYH_MAS/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Study Shows Pain Affects People Differently
• Popularity of Massage Continues to Grow
• This Month's Massage Q & A

Study Shows Pain Affects People Differently

It's common knowledge that massage therapy can help alleviate pain, but did you know that pain affects people differently?

Researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, released a report this week in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences (PNAS) confirming that some people are more sensitive to pain than others.

Robert C. Coghill, PhD, lead investigator of the study, noted, "We have all met people who seem very sensitive to pain as well as those who appear to tolerate pain very well." He added, "Until now, there was no objective evidence that could confirm that these individual differences in pain sensitivity are, in fact, real."

Coghill and other researchers on the project studied the brain functions of 17 healthy volunteers (eight women and nine men) using their responses to heat stimulus and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The people who reported highter levels of pain showed increased activation in the primary somatosensory cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, two areas of the brain responsible for processing reactions to pain intensity and unpleasant feelings associated with pain, respectively.

Remember, regardless of the level of pain you might be experiencing, you are sure to find some relief in the capable hands of a qualified massage therapist.

For more information on this report, visit www.pnac.org, or Dr. Coghill's research Web site at www.wfubmc.edu/nba/faculty/coghill/coghill.html.

Popularity of Massage Continues to Grow

A report released by the American Masasge Therapy Association earlier this year noted that the demand for massage therapy, as well as its use and acceptance in the public eye, is growing.

According to the report, doctors and patients alike are utilizing massage to complement traditional medicine practices. Specifically, the numbers of people who experienced back, neck and shoulder pain, and sought relief through massage, increased from 14.6 percent in 1996 to 19.4 percent in 1999.

Moreover, the popularity of massage has increased among people of all ages, with women seeking massage slightly more often than men. The report also noted that 28 percent of adults have had a massage within the last five years, compared to just 17 percent in 1997.

For more information on this report, visit www.amtamassage.org.

This Month's Massage Q & A

Question: I think I'm allergic to the brand of massage lotion that I've been using. My hand has been breaking out in a rash after every massage. What are some good brands out there that you have found some success with?

Answer: Biotone, a company that produces massage products, has a massage lotion that is hypoallergenic. Another option that may not be as convenient but can be fun and educational is to make your own massage oil with essential oils.

You must start with a base oil first. Base oils that carry many therapeutic properties are vegetable, seed or nut oils. Vegetable oils should be cold pressed, because oils that are not -- usually found in the supermarket -- may have been processed with a chemical agent. Some good base oils include sweet-almond oil, apricot-kernel oil and avocado-pear oil. Sweet-almond oil is good for all skin types with the added benefit that it helps relieve itching, dryness and soreness. Apricot-kernel oil is good for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Avocado-pear oil is also good for all skin types, and especially for dryness and eczema.

As a general rule, use five drops of essential oil for each tablespoon of base oil. This recipe is good for overused muscles. The recipe includes: five drops eucalyptus oil, five drops peppermint oil and five drops ginger oil (combined)diluted in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Question: I am a massage therapist and I was wondering what I could do for a client that has had a laminectomy. I am also wondering if there is anything I can do to help the healing process for this client.

Answer: Soft tissue work on patients that have undergone a laminectomy procedure can be used to manage to pain, restore mobility and reduce adhesions; it also allows scar tissue to be more supple. Depending on the location of the laminectomy, techniques such as ischemic compression; cross-fiber friction; deep thumb stripping; and myofascial release can be valuable to a patient's healing process. Adhesions must be managed appropriately to prevent entrapment of the nerve in the future.

Note: Note: Information provided in the Massage Q & A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" forum, in which massage therapists David J. Razo and James (Doc) Clay field questions relative to the massage profession. The forum is located online at www.massagetoday.com/ask/.

This edition of To Your Health is co-sponsored by:

Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at https://www.toyourhealth.com/newsletter/TYH_MAS/unsubscribe.php.

If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at https://www.massagetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.

This newsletter conforms to the requirements set by Bill S 1618 Title III, passed by the 105th U.S. Congress.