De-Stressing

De-Stressing with Massage Therapy

With today's high-stress lifestyles and careers, massage therapy is one form of treatment many people are indulging in to help de-stress, relieve tension, or simply get some alone time full of pampering.

Massage therapy consists of several different techniques, including:

* Swedish Massage
* Deep Tissue Massage
* Sports Massage
* Chair Massage
* Stone Massage
* Geriatric Massage
* Pregnancy Massage
* Baby Massage
* Reflexology
* Energy Work

The massage techniques typically used for de-stressing are Swedish, deep tissue, chair and stone.

Let's take a look at each of these ways to de-stress with massage:

1. Swedish Massage. Swedish massage is also known as the classic massage and was actually invented by a Dutch man. It involves five kinds of touch and is delivered to the soft tissues using the therapists hands, moisturized with massage oil or lotion.

* The lotion or oil serves two purposes. It reduces friction between the patient's skin and the therapist's hands and acts as an aromatherapy experience.

* Scents often evoke strong associations deeply wired into our brain, so using scented lotions can help you relax and thoroughly enjoy the massage experience. The therapist will often give a choice of scents, so choose one you find the most relaxing and pleasing.

Through kneading, rolling, vibration tapping and percussive movements, your blood will begin to circulate better. This sends more oxygen to your muscles and helps them relax.

* Swedish massage will also help hasten healing of injuries, reduce swelling and help dissolve deep scar tissue adhesions.

2. Deep Tissue Massage. Using many of the traditional massage techniques, deep tissue massage takes it one step further, getting into the deep tissue areas of your body.

* Once the skin and muscles are relaxed using classic massage, the therapist goes deeper into the tissues that join your body parts together, the underlying musculature and connective tissue called fascia.

* Deep tissue massage is also an excellent remedy for chronic muscular pain, injury rehabilitation, and reduction of pain caused by arthritis and tendonitis.

3. Chair Massage. Chair massage has fast become a popular way to de-stress while shopping in a mall or traveling by air. Chair massage therapists can also often be found at your local health food store.

* A chair massage therapist doesn't use oil or lotion, and you're fully clothed during the massage. In addition, the sessions are shorter than traditional massage, usually 20 minutes or less. Chair massage focuses pressure only on the head, neck, shoulders, back, and arms.

* Chair massage is a great way to get quick relief and de-stress when you don't have time for a traditional massage.

* The cost is easy on your wallet, too, usually costing approximately $1 a minute.

4. Stone Massage. You've probably seen pictures in magazines or on the web of people receiving a stone massage. Smooth, heated, black stones are placed along a person's spine and used as an extension of the therapist's hand in conjunction with traditional massage.

* The added benefits of stone massage are increased pain relief, improved movement and energy.

Possible Risks of Massage Therapy

Massage is generally safe as long as it's offered by a trained therapist. However, massage isn't the best de-stressing method for everyone, and you should seek the advice of your physician if you have certain conditions, such as:

* Burns or open wounds in areas to be massaged
* A recent heart attack
* Cancer - you'll want to avoid direct pressure on the tumor area
* Deep vein thrombosis
* Unhealed fractures
* Rheumatoid arthritis in the area to be massaged
* Severe osteoporosis

Some other risks may include internal bleeding, nerve damage or temporary paralysis if the massage is done improperly. Make certain the therapist you choose is licensed and has the proper training.

What to Expect During a Massage

1. Questions & Concerns. Your therapist should ask you about any health concerns, why you're seeking a massage, and if there are any medical conditions that they should be aware of.

2. Clothing. Expect to disrobe, unless you're receiving a chair massage. Most likely, you'll be expected to remove most of your clothing and given a robe to wear during the massage.
 
3. Positioning. Most massages require that you lie down during your massage and roll over from front to back or vice versa. You'll also experience hands-on touching, but it should never be inappropriate.

4. Allergens. Oils and lotions that contain scent are typically used during massage. If you're allergic to certain scents, oils, or lotions, ask your therapist for an alternative.

5. Pain. You should never feel more pain than temporary discomfort often experienced while the therapist works out a knot or on a sore muscle area.

* If you're experiencing pain greater than temporary discomfort, tell your therapist right away.

Benefits of Massage

Massage can relieve tension in your muscles, help you relax, relieve stress and anxiety, and reduce muscle soreness. Massage is also known for releasing natural painkillers in your body, and it may even boost your immune system.

Before making an appointment for a massage, consider the possible risks and talk to your physician. This will help ensure your safety and make your massage a rewarding one.

De-Stressing with Acupuncture

Stress is a natural part of life, but with our seemingly never-ending hectic lifestyles, we are more stressed out than ever!

There are various techniques you can use to relieve stress, such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and more. You may want to try several methods of de-stressing to find a method you feel most comfortable with.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing art that involves inserting fine needles at very precise pressure points throughout the body. The needles stimulate the body's natural healing processes in its energy system.

How Does It Work?

Acupuncturists believe that energy flows through the body system through channels called meridians. This energy is referred to as Qi or Chi.

Stress causes an imbalance in the body's energy and causes it to flow improperly. The Qi can become blocked and stagnant. It must be unblocked and flow freely in order to restore harmonious balance to the body.

By stimulating the proper acupressure points, the Qi can flow freely, thereby alleviating stress induced mental and physical symptoms.

Is It Safe?

Acupuncture is perfectly safe when performed by a licensed practitioner. Acupuncturists are trained in the proper methods of treatment and all instruments are sterilized to prevent any risk of infection.

The Food and Drug Administration approved non-toxic needles made for single use application just for use in acupuncture treatments. The majority of people who undergo acupuncture feel no pain at all. A small percentage may feel very minimal pain. Bleeding rarely occurs.

Health Benefits

Acupuncture can relieve the physical symptoms of stress that tends to accumulate in the neck, shoulders, and back, causing pain and tension. Headaches are another physical complaint resulting from stress. People who are under high levels of stress often have high blood pressure.

Acupuncture can relieve physical symptoms, such as tense muscles, and even help to lower blood pressure. Acupuncture leaves the body feeling calm and relaxed. An added benefit of acupuncture is that it improves the circulation of the blood throughout the body.

Treatment Sessions

A typical acupuncture session may last for 30 to 60 minutes. The patient will become very relaxed during the treatment and may even fall asleep.

Regular acupuncture treatments can help strengthen your body so you're better able to deal with the day-to-day stresses of life. Acupuncture can also leave you feeling refreshed and energized.

Stress Related Health Conditions

Regular acupuncture treatments can help heal stress related health conditions and improve the body's immunity to defend against potential illnesses.

In fact, in some cases, acupuncture that is being used to treat one condition can actually help detect another, more severe illness that had not been previously identified. In such cases, acupuncture aids in early diagnosis and treatment.

In another capacity, acupuncture can serve as a form of preventive measure against illness by alleviating stress and strengthening the body.

The Mind-Body Connection

Acupuncture serves to the treat the mind and body as a whole system. Conventional medicine has come to accept that the mind affects the body. The mental system affects the physical. Stress is a perfect example of the interrelated connection between the body and mind.

The mind perceives life situations and the body reacts to them on the basis of the mind's perception. If the mind perceives a threat, the body immediately prepares for a flight or fight response in which the heart beats faster and the muscles tighten, just as with stress.

Remember, acupuncture is just one method of relieving stress. It's also important to learn positive and productive ways to cope with stress on a daily basis, thereby making the stress work for you rather than against you.

Find your own combination of de-stressing methods that work for you, and use them often to enjoy a happier and healthier life.

Using Stress as a Weapon

When we fear stress, we let it rule our minds and more importantly, our lives. Why is it we fear stress so much? For some people, in fact, this is actually a contributing factor to their peak performance. Hard as it may to believe this, it is actually very true. On the flipside, without stress, we may get bored and unmotivated. Too much of it may make us feel as if we won't be able to do anything but the trick is to find the balance so that we can delegate all our tasks at certain set times.

Stress comes in different forms. Anything can get to us on a bad day. Anything can trigger our frustration, be it the weather, deadlines, finances, and any other trivial matters. However, a good amount of stress can get us more motivated. When we feel that a lot is at stake with our performance, we try to do everything possible to make things work. The trick here is to be able to rise up to challenges and call upon resources to make our jobs possible. A negative reaction to stress makes us irritable, depressed, or lethargic. Come to think about it, these won't help improve the situation in any way.

Stress simply cannot be avoided. Everyone goes through something at one point in their lives, and we simply cannot run away from reality when it hits us smack in the face. The triumph comes when we are able to control the situation we find ourselves in. There is always a way to deal with things positively. We may not be able to control everything that happens to us, but we certainly can control the way we react to it. We simply cannot let it win. If we love ourselves a bit more, we'll realize that nothing is worth the pressure that it takes over our entire lives.

Usually, when our brain perceives a problem, we either face up to it or run for cover. This has been true ever since the dawn of man. If it hinders us from getting our desires, we usually find ways to go around it. It is in these loopholes that we are able to maximize what we have. We have built-in weapons that enable us to fight and win. It is simply up to us to find these abilities. If the problem seems   insurmountable, we simply cannot turn our backs on it. We can control our reactions to stress by just being aware. Because we are wired differently from the others, we need to work on honing our talents to make it work for us. Research and practice: these are the tools that will eventually get us up there.

We need to spend time deciding what is really important for us. We can surround ourselves with people that can help us through these difficult situations so that they may impart greater knowledge to us. Because we have so much to do, we need to set our priorities straight and work on our goals a step at a time. Even if we need to make baby steps, we should do it just so we'll be able to move forward. There will always be times when we get thrown off course. We simply need to pick ourselves up and get back on our feet.