Tag: therapeutic massage

Why Do You Need To See A Chiropractor?

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Many people visit chiropractors for hands-on treatment of pain and stiffness. Whether you are suffering from headaches that interfere with your daily activities or you’re dealing with whiplash from a motor vehicle accident, chiropractic can build a plan to help alleviate your symptoms.

They can treat a wide range of conditions with varied manual therapies and exercise. Chiropractors Columbus GA are joint and spine experts.

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Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic treatment. It can range from a dull ache to a sharp, debilitating pain that prevents you from moving around normally. It can also cause numbness or tingling in your legs and feet.

If you’re experiencing back pain, a chiropractor can help you find relief through spinal manipulations that increase blood flow to the joints and muscles in your spine, thus relieving the pain. This type of pain relief is much more effective than taking over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Your chiropractor will take a complete medical history and perform a physical examination of your back to determine what is causing the pain. They’ll ask questions about your past health, family history, and current lifestyle habits that may contribute to the back pain. They may also order imaging or lab tests, such as MRIs or CT scans, to confirm the diagnosis before they start treating you.

Besides spinal manipulation, your chiropractor may use other treatments to relieve back pain, such as soft tissue therapy, myofascial release, and kinesio taping. They may also recommend braces, shoe inserts, or other supportive devices to provide support and stability to the back. They may also offer lifestyle counseling, such as recommending hot and cold therapy or stress-reduction methods.

In some cases, if you have a condition that would make spinal manipulation risky, such as cancer, osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis, or bone tumors, your chiropractor will recommend you see another healthcare professional rather than continue with the treatment. You should also let your chiropractor know if you have any conditions that could worsen if you undergo spinal manipulation, such as a herniated disc, or if you take blood-thinning medication.

Visiting a chiropractor for neck pain can be an excellent way to reduce stiffness and alleviate pain caused by arthritis in your neck and shoulders. Unlike taking over-the-counter medications, which can have side effects, chiropractors are trained to manipulate your spine and joints to reduce pain and improve the range of motion in the area. This can help you live a more active life without the need for painkillers or other pharmaceuticals.

Poor Posture

When you have poor posture or a spine with a hunched upper back and rounded shoulders, it’s important to seek treatment from a chiropractor. This is because poor posture can cause pain, and discomfort, and even lead to health problems in the long run. In addition, it can also affect your mood and confidence. You may not have heard this before, but good posture has many health benefits. Chiropractors are experts in treating and improving poor posture.

When they first see you, the chiropractor will start by asking you questions about your day-to-day lifestyle, exercise routine, what you do for work, and where you have been experiencing pain or discomfort. They will then take a more hands-on approach to assess your posture. This includes joint movements, muscle releases, and strengthening exercises. The chiropractor will help you regain the health of your spine, improve your overall posture, and eliminate any pain or discomfort.

There are many reasons why you might have poor posture, including stress, weight gain, pregnancy, a history of injuries, tight muscles, a lack of flexibility, a sedentary lifestyle, and wearing high-heeled shoes. However, no matter the cause, poor posture can lead to several health problems, including back pain, neck and shoulder pain, spinal misalignment, headaches, and lowered self-esteem.

A chiropractor will focus on the core muscles that are responsible for your posture, to ensure they are strong and healthy. They will use a variety of treatments, including spinal manipulations to correct the alignment of your spine and ease the pain in your neck and back. They will also work with other soft tissues to relieve tension and prevent further damage to your muscles.

Your chiropractor will teach you how to maintain good posture and will provide regular assessments of your posture so that they can continue to treat any issues as they arise. They will also encourage you to make lifestyle changes, such as sitting more ergonomically and using a supportive chair, or taking short breaks while working. They will help you get back to a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Limited Range Of Motion

Your spine and joints are designed to move in a specific way, but injuries and everyday wear and tear can throw them off track. This limits your range of motion and can cause stiff joints and overall body pains. A chiropractor can restore your natural alignment and improve your ROM. In addition to spinal manipulations, they can use massage therapy to loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow to the area.

A chiropractor can help treat a variety of issues that limit your range of motion, including fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions like allergies, headaches, insomnia, and gastrointestinal problems. They will take a complete medical history and perform a physical exam to diagnose the issue and make treatment recommendations. They may also recommend imaging or lab work, such as X-rays, to help confirm the diagnosis.

Once the chiropractor has determined the source of your problem, they will begin treating it with a combination of chiropractic techniques. They will likely start with manual manipulation of the affected joint or muscle to help break up any adhesions that may be causing friction and inflammation. They can also use soft tissue therapy, kinesio taping, and other treatment methods to ease your pain and discomfort.

If you have been experiencing limited range of motion for a long time, it is important to visit a chiropractor before the condition gets worse. In many cases, it can be difficult to correct a limiting joint after it has already developed compensation patterns that result in further dysfunction. Chiropractors can often alleviate these issues before they become severe and help prevent future injuries from occurring.

A chiropractor can help you get back your full range of motion so you can live life to the fullest. Many people assume that chiropractors are only for back or neck pain, but they can enhance your quality of life with simple treatments and manipulations. If you have been struggling with a limited range of motion, schedule an appointment today. You can trust that we will improve your quality of life and reduce your stress levels.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Chiropractors can treat many common health problems. Many people come in with a specific back injury that they want to address, but chiropractic care can help reduce pain and improve performance in all areas of the body.

Your spine is not only a hugely important part of your body’s structural integrity, but it’s also the gateway to your central nervous system. If the bones and muscles in your spine aren’t functioning correctly, it can impact the way your body communicates with itself and how well you perform. Regular visits to your chiropractor can help keep your body in top form and prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

Neck-based issues like cervicogenic headaches and tension headaches can be helped by chiropractic treatment, particularly through manipulation of the joints and muscles around the affected area. This can relieve the pressure that causes these types of headaches and may be able to help with other pain-causing conditions like migraines.

Injuries from motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) can be serious and include whiplash, spinal disc herniation, and degenerative disease of the cervical vertebrae. A chiropractor can help with these injuries by performing manual therapy and creating a rehabilitation plan. They can also work with other health professionals to support their clients’ recovery process.

Many chiropractors are familiar with the various injuries associated with MVAs and can identify them and treat them accordingly. They also have training in radiology which enables them to read X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography scans.

When you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident, it’s best to see a chiropractor as soon as possible. This will not only help to alleviate your symptoms, but it will also reduce inflammation and scar tissue formation which can slow healing time and increase your risk of future injuries.

How Massage Can Help You Get a Restful Night’s Sleep

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Tulsa Massage has a calming effect on the nervous system, which helps reduce stress. It also stimulates the parasympathetic response, which slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure, thereby promoting relaxation and restful sleep.

Massage

Most massage therapists will ask you about any health conditions or medications you are taking before the session begins. You must be honest so they can treat you safely.

Stress can have a negative impact on almost every aspect of your life, causing health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, digestive issues and even sexual dysfunction. Thankfully, there are many ways to lower your stress levels. Some people find that yoga, a nice cup of tea or time spent outdoors are great ways to reduce their stress levels, while others find that massage works well.

Massage has been found to increase the production of positive hormones such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine which encourage relaxation and a sense of well-being. These hormones are neurotransmitters that stimulate the autonomic nervous system. The body requires these hormones in order to regulate the emotions and maintain a healthy immune system. When these hormones are low, a person is more likely to experience anxiety, stress and mood swings. Massage has been found to decrease the production of cortisol which is a harmful stress hormone that causes the body to tighten and tense muscles. Tense muscles restrict movement, increase pain and cause stress. Massage aims to relieve tension by stretching and spreading muscle fibres and tissue, increasing flexibility and elasticity. The friction created between the skin and fingers during a massage also increases blood flow to the muscles, thereby decreasing cortisol and reducing stress.

In addition, the vagus nerve is activated during a massage, encouraging your body to slow down and release more of the feel good hormones mentioned above. Studies have shown that when the brain is triggered into this response, activity in the right frontal cortex, which is associated with negative emotion, drops, making you more able to cope with stressful situations. This makes it easier to manage your emotions and prevent stress from turning into a mental illness.

Relieves Pain

When your body is stressed or in pain it releases chemicals that inhibit blood flow to the area. These toxins build up and hinder oxygen rich blood from reaching the cells that need it most. Massage improves circulation and flushes out these toxins, helping your muscles move better and relieving pain.

In addition to increasing your blood flow massage increases the number of ‘feel good’ hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin in your brain, which also increase relaxation and decrease stress levels. These natural chemicals act as an effective pain reliever without the side effects of many pharmaceutical medications.

The ‘gate control theory’ suggests that in order for pain to be felt, it must pass through a number of gates within your nervous system before it arrives at the brain. The hypothesis is that massage stimulates larger nerve fibers that compete with the pain signals and thus block them (closing the ‘gate’), altering your perception of pain.

Several studies report that massage reduces pain and improves quality of life. These positive outcomes are supported by a variety of methods including before-and-after measurements using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), survey data and nursing comments. Nevertheless, the number of available studies is small and there is a need for further research to strengthen the evidence base and support clinical translation. Additionally, the majority of studies did not successfully describe allocation concealment and intention-to-treat processes making it difficult to accurately evaluate the impact of the therapy. Overall, however, the evidence indicates that massage is a useful intervention in pain management and should be considered as part of an integrated approach to care. The findings of this descriptive review are particularly encouraging given that pain is the most common reason why people seek medical attention and is associated with many adverse health outcomes.

Relaxes Muscles

The kneading and rubbing motions of massage help stretch and relax your muscles, increasing their flexibility. Tight muscles often become tense and rigid through repetitive movements or prolonged sitting or standing in one position. This stiffness reduces the efficiency of your movement and can cause pain. In addition, tight muscles can restrict the movement of surrounding muscles around a joint, leading to pain from conditions such as sciatica or pinched nerves. Massage improves the elasticity of muscle tissue to prevent it from becoming too tight and helps the joints move more freely.

Tight muscles can also be caused by poor posture and emotional stress, which leads to the body holding itself in unnatural positions that tighten the muscle tissue over time. During a massage, the friction created by the hands of your massage therapist helps to loosen these tight muscle fibers by increasing the temperature of soft tissues and helping break down adhesions.

Massage can also stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to slow your heart rate and breathing, promoting deep relaxation. This, in turn, can help lower your blood pressure and release feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.

During and after a vigorous workout, massage can speed up the recovery process by improving the supply of oxygen and nutrients to your muscle cells. Researchers have found that massage decreases inflammation in the muscle and helps your muscles regenerate faster, by suppressing pathways that lead to excess inflammation and increasing the formation of mitochondria – the tiny powerhouses inside your cells that convert glucose into energy.

If you’re a dedicated athlete, regular massage can keep your muscles from getting too tight between training sessions and help you get back into the gym quicker after injury. Scientists have found that massage decreases muscle soreness by reducing inflammation and breaking down muscle cell adhesions.

Relieves Tension

The stroking, kneading and manipulation of muscles and tissues in massage decreases tension by increasing muscle flexibility and improving the flow of blood throughout the body. This flow reduces swelling and inflammatory responses that can exacerbate pain and increase tension. Massage also stimulates the lymphatic system to flush away metabolic waste products and increases tissue elasticity which decreases muscle tightness.

Massages encourage the body’s parasympathetic nervous system to activate which causes a decrease in the “fight or flight” response that is commonly associated with stress and anxiety. This results in a natural state of calmness and relaxation. Additionally, massage lowers cortisol levels and increases serotonin and dopamine levels which are neurotransmitters that stabilize the mood and boost feelings of well being and happiness.

A therapeutic massage is a deep tissue treatment that targets the deeper layers of muscle and fascia in the body to decrease tension and increase relaxation. Fascia is a fibrous layer that wraps around all of our muscles and organs. A therapeutic massage uses techniques such as deep kneading, skin rolling and trigger point therapy to decrease tension within the muscles. These techniques increase the temperature of the muscles to loosen the muscle fibres and decrease pain and tension.

Remedial massage is a deep tissue treatment that is specifically targeted at decreasing tension and relieving injuries caused by overuse or traumatic injury. It uses techniques such as deep kneading, soft tissue manipulation and trigger point therapy to decrease tension in the muscle fibres and tendons. It also utilizes muscle stretching which increases flexibility and decreases tightness in the injured area. It also helps to break down adhesions which are knotted clumps of muscle fibres that restrict movement and cause pain.

Improves Sleep

People who do not get enough sleep are at increased risk of a wide range of health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. It is therefore important for everyone to do everything they can to ensure a good night’s sleep every day. Getting a regular massage is one way to do this.

During a massage, the brain triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to slow down the body and relax, which can help you get to sleep at night. In addition, a number of studies have shown that massage improves the quality of sleep by increasing the production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that helps to calm the brain. Serotonin also signals the brain to produce melatonin, which is necessary for a good night’s sleep.

Other benefits of massage for sleep include lowering cortisol levels and decreasing the body’s adrenaline and norepinephrine, which can cause a restless night’s sleep. Massage also helps increase the production of melatonin and human growth hormone, which promote healthy cell growth.

There are many types of massage therapy, from Swedish, which uses long strokes, kneading and deep circular movements to relax and energize, to sports and deep tissue massage that targets deeper layers of muscle. Acupressure and trigger point massage, which focus on specific areas of tight muscle fibers, are also effective. A number of studies have shown that all of these types of massage are beneficial for sleep.

Adding a massage to your bed time routine is a great idea. Just be sure to get the right type of massage for your sleep needs. If you are not sure, talk to a licensed massage therapist to determine what types of massage will benefit your sleep.