Cam Thursdays: Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is one of the most practiced of the manipulative and body based practices. It is also one of the few CAM treatments that is also used as a conventional medical treatment. Massage therapy has been around since ancient times. You can find references to it in ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek texts. Today massage therapy is used for a host of health-related issues:

• Pain relief
• Stress relief
• Depression
• Rehabilitate sports injuries
• Increase relaxations
• Maintain health and general wellness

Types of Massage
There are 80 types of massage therapy, and in each one, some form of manipulation of the body is done using hands, fingers, elbows, forearms, and even feet. Some of the more popular forms of massage therapy include the following:

• Swedish massage is the most common of the CAM massage therapy techniques. The massage therapist will use friction of the muscles, kneading, long strokes and manipulation of the joints in treating a patient.
• Trigger point massage applies concentrated pressure on knots that form in the muscles, cause pain, and can cause problems in other areas of the body if left untreated.
• Deep tissue massage involves uses various strokes and pressure applied with the fingers to focus on tightened muscles while also focusing on layers of muscles that are deep under the skin.
• Shiatsu massage is Japanese in origin and sometimes associated with TCM. Practitioners use their fingers to apply pressure to parts of the body that are blocking the energy flow of the body also known as Qi.

Risks
There are very few risks associated with massage therapy when practiced by a licensed professional. Some risks and side effects associate with massage therapy include the following:

• Temporary pain or discomfort
• Swelling
• Bruising
• An allergic reaction to massage oils

When Not to Use Massage Therapy
There are several instances when massage therapy isn’t recommended or requires consulting your healthcare provider before you proceed. These include pre-existing conditions and various health related issues like the following:

• Deep vein thrombosis
• A fever
• Weakened bones
• Osteoporosis
• Bleeding disorders
• Damaged blood vessels
• Cancer
• Pregnancy
• Heart problems
• Fragile skin
• Dermatomyositis

Costs
Costs of massage therapy vary greatly. The price depends largely on the experience of your massage therapists and the location where the massage will be administered. A massage therapist trained in several types of massage who works in a spa will likely charge more than one who is only trained in Swedish massage and works from home. It’s best to compare prices and experiences of various massage therapists in your area to determine the best solution for you.

Like chiropractic and (to a lesser extent) acupuncture, massage therapy is often covered by insurance when it involves treatment for certain health problems. Contact your insurer before seeking treatment and see if massage therapy is one of procedures they cover.

Five Domains of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Five Domains of CAM
Complimentary and alternative medicine is split into five domains, all of which have some overlap.

Whole Medical Systems
Whole medical systems are medical systems built upon a complete set of theories and practices that have developed independently of or parallel to conventional medical systems. Most whole medical systems are culture specific and developed much earlier than medical practices in the US. Major eastern whole medical systems include the following:

• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Ayuvreda
While major western whole medical systems include other types of medicine:
• Homeopathic medicine
• Naturopathic medicine

Other whole medical systems include Native American and Tibetan systems as well as ones that originate in Africa and South and Central America.

Mind Body Medicine
Mind body medicine seeks to use the mind’s capacity to affect physical change in a patient. Mind body medicine seeks to emphasize a person’s overall wellness in the treating of whatever physical ailment they may have. It focuses on teaching the patient how to be more self-aware, provides the tools necessary for self-care, and promotes techniques that will enhance those goals. The most popular mind body practices include the following:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Qi-qong
• Visual imagery
• Art, music, and dance therapy
• Hypnosis
• Cognitive behavior therapies
• Spirituality

Mind body medicine takes its cues from Eastern whole medical systems, like TCM and Ayurveda, that stress the importance of the mind and body being in harmony and looks at the mind and the body as one (not separate entities like much of Western medicine).

Biologically Based Practices
Biologically based practices treats disease with various chemicals or substances. The idea behind biological CAM methods is that whatever is wrong with the body can be treated by taking a certain dose of a particular substance. CAM biological practices include the use of, but are not limited to, the following:

• Proteins
• Prebiotics
• Fatty acids
• Probiotics
• Amino acids
• Botanicals
• Animal delivered extracts
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Whole diets and functional foods

Dietary supplements are a subset of biologically based CAM procedures. Dietary supplements have always been a part of man’s practices to heal himself. They represent a multi-billion dollar industry that hasn’t been able to justify its success through scientific research and data. Researching dietary supplements has been difficult because of the lack of clinical trial material. According to the NCCAM, several difficulties exist:

• Influences of climate and soil
• Use of different parts of the plants
• Use of different cultivars and species
• Optimal growing, harvesting, and storage conditions
• Use of the whole extract or a specific fraction
• Method of extraction
• Chemical standardization of the product
• Bioavailability of the formulation
• Dose and length of administration

While there have been studies conducted on the effectiveness of dietary supplements, none of them have found any supplement that has proven effective in any concrete way. There are often vast differences between observable effects and what the data often show when the supplement is subject to clinical trials.

Manipulative and Body Based Practices
Manipulative and body based practices include CAM practices that involve manipulation or movement of the bodies structures, such as bones, joints, the lymphatic and circulatory systems as well as the soft tissues. Common manipulative and body based practices include the following:

• Acupressure
• Alexander Technique
• Chiropractic
• Feldenkrais Method
• Massage therapy
• Osteopathy
• Reflexology
• Rolfing
• Therapeutic Touch
• Trager Approach
• Bowen Technique
• Tui Na

Many manipulative and body based practices are based on ancient Chinese, Egyptian or Indian practices. Others, such as chiropractic and osteopathy, were created in the last 150 years. Procedures differ greatly based on the technique chosen. Massages concentrate on slow, focused movements, while chiropractic uses quick movements to manipulate areas of the spine. While their tactics may differ, manipulative and body based practitioners share the same belief that the body is self-regulating and has the ability to heal itself.

Energy Medicine
Energy medicine uses energy fields to treat illness. There are two kinds:

1. Veritable energies, such as electro-magnetic fields, use mechanical vibrations with specific wavelengths and frequencies to treat patients. Electromagnetic fields include the following:

• Pulsed fields
• Magnetic fields
• Alternating current fields
• Direct current fields
• Laser beams
• Visible light

2. Putative energies include biofields which can’t be measured. No scientific study has been able to verify the existence of biofields. CAM practices that involve biofields believe that the human body is full of a certain of energy that has to keep flowing for the body to function properly. Qi in TCM is an example of just such an energy. Ayurvedic medicine also believes that an energy called doshas are coursing through the body and must be maintained to maintain health. Even though these biofields have yet to be scientifically verified, therapists who use biofields to treat their patients say they can see and feel the energy and manipulate it to affect the health of their patients.

Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Every other Thursday I will be posting pieces on various Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM). I think it is important for black women to explore all of their options when it comes to health and wellness and CAM is a part of that. Here is a piece that I wrote for LiveStrong.com that offers an introduction to several CAM practices and benefits:

Use CAM to Feel Better

CAM, complementary and alternative medicine, refers to medical systems and practices currently not considered a part of conventional medicine. CAM treatments are split into five main categories, which include biologically based practices, whole medical systems, manipulative and body-based practices, mind-body medicine and energy medicine.

2. Little Needles, Big Healing

Acupuncture is the most well known and most widely used healing practice from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a whole medical practice. Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years and in the U.S. is one of the more common CAM practices. Acupuncture seeks to restore and maintain health by stimulating certain points on the body through the use of thin, stainless steel needles placed in the skin to stimulate various areas of the body. Acupuncture has shown to be of great help in treating addictions and weight loss.

3. A Little Rub Goes a Long Way

Massage therapy is one of the most practiced of the manipulative and body-based practices. It is also one of the few CAM treatments that is also used as a conventional medical treatment. Massage therapy has been around since ancient times. You can find references to it in ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek texts. Today, people use massage therapy for a host of health-related issues, such as pain relief, stress relief, depression and rehabilitating sports injuries.

4. Take a Holistic Approach to Healing

Ayurveda means the science of life and is a natural healing system that has its roots in India. As one of the whole medical systems, Aruyveda has gained popularity in the United States due to Dr. Deepak Chopra, an Indian-born doctor who uses a combination of Aruyveda and conventional medicine to treat his patients. Ayurveda is a holistic approach to medicine that seeks to integrate the mind, body and spirit to achieve overall health. Keeping the body in balance is believed to lead to overall health and contentment. Ayurveda uses a combination of yoga, meditation, herbs and exercise to achieve the optimum level of health.

Keep Reading.

Yoga and Pilates Do a Body Good

Well, it’s not just the holistic hippie types that recognize the benefits of Pilates and yoga (and a good home cooked meal); apparently big brawny football players can appreciate the disciplines as well. Linebacker Calvin Pace, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals and now of the New York Jets, said it was these, “little things," that convinced him to sign with the Jets. Really?

So, it wasn’t the helicopter ride to the training facility or the 42 million dollar contract that they offered and he signed? Well, whatever the reason, we’re happy for Pace. Maybe he read recent studies showing how yoga prevents wrinkles and acts as a fountain of youth; or perhaps he recognizes a good Pilates workout can stretch out his overworked and abused body after a tough game. Perhaps, but I’ll put my money on the 42 million, with the yoga and Pilates being the icing on top.

Links
Yoga, Pilates and free food set Jets apart
Use Yoga to Stop the Clock