May 2007 [Volume 6, Issue 5]

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:

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

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Massage Soothing Cancer Patients
• Massage for Osteoarthritis of the Knee
• Answer to Your Massage Question

Massage Soothing Cancer Patients

Cancer patients have a lot to deal with as they navigate their treatment. It often takes a heavy emotional and physical toll. Several studies have shown that massage therapy increases relaxation and provides a sense of well-being. Cancer patients are the latest to take advantage of massage treatments to help overcome the side effects of the disease.

Massage treatments can not only help someone recover from the side effects, but also help them return to a sense of normalcy in their lives as they start to feel better and adapt to a schedule, which they might not have been able to do during cancer treatment.

"Some of our patients go through months and months of treatment," said oncologist Dr. Janet Nettleton. "It really can take a lot out of them. They experience weight loss and some go through depression. These massages are a welcome treat at the end of a long series of treatments, and it's something they really look forward to."

If you are recovering from cancer treatment, book a massage today and let the therapist know your history. This will allow the therapist to be more in tune with your needs and just might help you move quickly through the recovery process.

Massage for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found massage therapy to be a positive treatment option for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Sixty eight adults with radiographically confirmed osteoarthritis of the knee were assigned to treatment sessions (twice a week sessions of standard Swedish massage in weeks one through four, and once a week sessions in weeks five through eight) or to a control group (delayed intervention). The group receiving massage therapy demonstrated significant improvements in terms of pain, stiffness and physical function, as well as range of motion. The study concluded that massage therapy seems to be efficacious in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. However, researchers do believe that further study should be done to determine cost effectiveness and duration of treatment.

To view more details regarding this and other studies using massage therapy, visit the Archives of Internal Medicine Web site at http://archinte.ama-assn.org/.

Answer to Your Massage Question

Question: What muscles are affected with mild whiplash and would you just use Swedish massage to treat this to increase ROM? Will this reduce muscle spasm and also help any joint dysfunction? Would you also experience lower back pain?

Answer: A whiplash is caused by the rapid movement of the head in relation to the body. It can occur during a motor vehicle accident, contact or high velocity sports or even during a fall. The muscle groups that will be affected by a whiplash injury would depend on the direction of the impact. An example: during an extension injury SCM, scalenes, suboccipitals, levator scapula, rhomboids and intrinsic neck muscles can be affected.

The stage of healing will determine the appropriate massage technique to be used. Vibrations, lymphatic drainage, Swedish massage and myofascial work all can be of benefit at the right time. Often, a combination of treatments works well for mild whiplash. Massage, chiropractic, mild exercises, gentle mobilizations and stretches with the appropriate hydrotherapy can address muscle spasms and help joint dysfunction. The thoracic and lumbar spine can be affected especially during MVA's where seat belts and contact with the steering wheel or dash can be involved.

Wendy Turpin, RMT
Oxford, Nova Scotia, 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.

Unsubscribe
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 www.toyourhealth.com/newsletter/TYH_MAS/unsubscribe.php.

Update your e-mail address
To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here.

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