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Hands are amazing tools for us to use, but when they hurt, we're miserable! Do you ever get achy tired hands? Most people are using computers and phones frequently, which is adding to the problem of over-use syndrome. As we tap away on our keyboards and texting, our small muscles and joints in the fingers, wrists and forearms start to become grumpy.  Just being alive for more than 40 years, can come with it's own set of issues regarding over use.  Without specific therapeutic exercises and stretches done on a regular basis, this achy tired feeling can become a painful sensation that doesn't seem to want to go away.  If this is happening to you, consider a "hot bath" of sorts for your hands to soak in. I can remember in my teen years back in the 1980's an elderly lady that I knew who loved to regularly play the piano at her church. One day I was at her home and saw her dipping her hand into a container of  liquid and pulling her hand out covered in a f...

Myofascial release is becoming more known as people are experiencing the benefits of receiving this treatment.  'Myo' refers to muscle and 'fascia' refers to the material covering the muscle, so myofascial release is the process of loosening the tightness of the tissue. As you can see in the image below, the fascia surrounds the muscle fibers and also attaches itself in between the fibers.  This covering protects the muscle and keeps it in it's place. Fascia is throughout the entire body from head to toe. When there is tension due to daily activities, injury or emotional strain, the body's response is to send extra fascia tissue to the area to help support it. This tissue is sticky and referred to as an adhesion, which allows it to stick to the area in need. The less hydrated the system is, the more sticky the adhesions becomes. Eventually this leads to the feeling of having knots as the adhesions collect and become clumped together in stickiness. ...

Women in Asia, Russia & Europe have been utilizing the rejuvenating results of facial cupping for generations. Unlike traditional cupping, facial cupping uses small cups to vacuum and lift the facial tissue, helping lymphatic drainage. This technique eliminates buildup of wastes and fluids in the face and neck. It is a very gentle treatment and normally does not leave the typical cupping discoloration that you will see with the larger cups used for the rest of the body. The lymphatic system is important because it rids the body of toxins, waste & other unwanted materials at the cellular level.  The most valuable aspect of having a healthy functioning lymph system is that it transports lymph, a fluid containing infection fighting white blood cells, to the entire body. As the system slows down or is blocked and is not draining well, swelling occurs known as lymphedema. There is no pump in this system, such as the heart, to move lymph fluid throughout our bodies. It'...

Although the practice of cupping has been around for many years, it gained popularity during the summer Olympics and has continued to grow as word gets out that it works! What is cupping? Using glass, plastic or silicon cups placed strategically on the body a vacuum is created by using either a pump, by manually pressing or the traditional way of inserting a cotton ball set on fire into the cup and quickly removing it and placing the cup on the body.  Each of these techniques serve differently to treat a varying array of ailments, but all of them work on the principal of creating a vacuum which  pulls up the skin and the fluids beneath.  Does it work? There has been thousands of years of documented evidence through clinical and historical research that cupping is safe and effective. You would be hard-pressed to find western scientific studies, due to the nature of cupping. In a truly scientific study, you need a placebo and preferably the gold standard ...

Did you know that May was National Bike Month? Although May is coming to a close, outdoor biking season is just beginning as the weather warms up and dries out.  Rather you ride indoors or out, cycling is a great form of exercise and a lot of fun! The bike was first created in Paris, France with a gain in popularity in the early 1800's. It quickly became as American as apple pie and baseball. It's funny to think that when kids starting wanting to ride bikes, parents were concerned that it was bad for the family. They felt it allowed too much independence and separation from each other and that it seemed physically dangerous. Like many new inventions do, it became more and more accepted and then celebrated. Now it's hard to go anywhere around town or in a gym without seeing someone on a bike and for good reason! In 1903 the Tour De France race started, giving riders a treacherous track through rain, wind, cobble stone, steep climbs and dangerous descents through ...

Tammara Giving A Kid's Chair Massage Short answer, absolutely! At our massage practice we often work with children who are very active in sports and experiencing aches and pains or the parents are being proactive to prevent aches and pains by bringing them in for some body work. We ask that the parents stay in the room with us and sign a waiver for minors. It is always a blast to work with kids. Some of the younger ones squirm and giggle when first experiencing a release of tension from their tight little muscle. It can sometime feel ticklish until we figure out just the right amount of pressure that works for them. The teens and preteens usually melt into the table and tell us that they want to come everyday! Don't we all? Similar to adults, children experience tight muscles, knots, aches and pains with the only difference being that they recover quicker from pulls and strains than us older types do. Some of the Benefits  Immunity Boost: Massage is beneficial at ...

April is stress awareness month. Common Effects of Stress A lot of common symptoms that are blamed on illness, such as headaches, insomnia, and fatigue, are actually caused by stress. It is important to be aware of how stress is effecting your health, because left unchecked it can lead to worse problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes according to the Mayo Clinic. Our mood and behavior can also be negatively effected by stress. Anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation, irritability and sadness just to name a few, can make life miserable. Act Now to Manage Stress Now that you know how bad stress can be to your health and overall wellness, it's time to reap the benefits of managing your stress by setting up your strategic plan for success! Exercise regularly : 30-60 mins of physical activity everyday will help you mentally and physically handle stressful situations. It can literally change the chemistry in your brain to make you feel ...

February is the month of chocolates, flowers, fancy dinners and many other creative ways to show our special someone how much we love them.  According to many studies, nothing beats the power of touch as the ultimate way to express comfort, healing and love. Did you know that there is actually a love hormone? Studies show that Oxytocin (often referred to as the "love" hormone) is increased and the heart rate goes down when people snuggle up or bond socially. The same has been found true for any comforting touch sensation, such as a back or foot rub. The act of being touched has an incredible ability to make someone feel better. Think about that awful moment when you bump your head on a sharp corner. The first thing that everyone does is bring their hand to the area of pain. Just holding or gently rubbing a painful area can help bring a sense of calm to a brain that is is screaming, "Ouch!".   Massage therapists are taught about muscles, fascia tension, adhe...

The holidays tend to throw off our normal routines and are always filled with extra tasty food. By the first of the year we are ready to eat clean and get in shape. January ushers in a new enthusiasm for a fresh new start and often that enthusiasm leads to sore muscles from new workouts or exercises that we haven't done in a while. Many people have loosing weight and getting into shape at the top of their new year's resolution list. As the gyms fill up, the bottles of pain relievers empty. The excitement of a new fresh start can be slowed down by the pain and stiffness that settles in a few days after a good workout. Now that January is into its third week, you might be experiencing D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness).  To help minimize muscle soreness follow these tips: Be sure to do at least a 10 minute warm up before starting your exercise routine such as a gentle walk or spin on a bike. Anything that is easy to do and slowly warms your muscles. ...