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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Massage Helps to Ease Pain
• Tui Na Massage
• Answers to Your Massage Questions: Highlights From This Month's "Ask a Massage Therapist" Online Forum

Chronic pain is an issue for many people. Those suffering from various forms of chronic pain might try a variety of methods to relieve their symptoms. Cortisone shots, chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, acupuncture and massage therapy all might be attempted.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, more and more consumers are looking to massage therapy for pain relief. The enthusiasm of medical professionals also has increased with new clinical studies showing how massage can reduce pain from surgery, cancer and back problems.

"When receptors under the skin are stimulated with moderate pressure, there's a cascade of physiological and biochemical events," said Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

"Neurons responding to pressure are longer and more insulated than pain neurons," said Field, "so the pressure message gets to the brain faster than the pain message. Once that happens, the brain 'closes the gate' and the pain message can't get through."

According to researchers, massage also boosts levels of serotonin, the body's natural pain relief substance. Common types of massage include deep tissue, myofascial release, chair massage, reflexology, shiatsu, sports massage, Swedish massage and trigger point therapy, just to name a few. Check with your local massage therapist and perhaps massage will be a method of pain relief for you or someone you know.

Tui na (pronounced "twee nah") is a Chinese massage therapy that utilizes soft tissue manipulation, acupoints and structural realignment to treat a variety of musculoskeletal and internal organ disorders. It's a relatively new procedure in the massage world, but one that you might want to check out for yourself.

The therapy seeks to normalize the flow of vital energy or chi (pronounced "chee") in the body. Tui na practitioners use a variety of styles including some that focus on pain and involve manipulation of large muscle groups, while others focus on treating internal illness through the stimulation of acupressure points along the energy pathways called meridians.

Tui na has some similarities to Western massage but the history of this method can be traced back to 2300 B.C. Though scientific research hasn't yet focused on this modality, practitioners say the therapy's targeted approach to treating health problems makes it different than more general forms of relaxation massage.

The literal Chinese translation of tui na means "push pull," which refers to two of the primary techniques used in this therapy. However, this modality also can involve applying pressure with a rolling motion of the elbows and forearms, while others use a finger to dig into the skin to stimulate acupressure points.

If this sounds like a therapy you would like to try, check with your local massage therapist or day spa and see if they offer the unique experience that is tui na.

Question: I was wondering what the contraindications are for someone that has shingles and massage, especially if they don't have a rash?

Answer: Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus which has been dormant in a person's body ever since they have had chickenpox. You get shingles from your own chickenpox virus so you can't catch shingles itself from someone else. Be aware, it's possible to contract chicken pox though if you have never had it or don't have a vaccination against it. Shingles often are quit painful before an outbreak so massage treatments would be unique each time you would treat the client. Of course, any broken rash is always a contraindication for massage. Good hygiene practices regarding yourself and your linens are extremely important. Shingles often is triggered by stress so gentle, soothing relaxation massage may help.

Wendy Turpin, RMT
New Brunswick, Canada

Note: Information provided in this Q&A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" online forum, in which massage therapists field questions relative to the massage profession. Readers are encouraged to post their questions at www.massagetoday.com/ask/. Answers should not be misconstrued as a diagnosis, prognosis or treatment recommendation and do not in any way constitute the practice of massage therapy or any other health care profession. Readers should consult their own health care providers for medical advice.

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