Pregnancy Massage

Why should you receive massage during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a time of massive change in a woman's body: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Hormonal shifts, metabolic, and structural changes occur in the physical body. A woman may experience mood swings, ambivalence, and issues surrounding her self-image. The pregnant woman is likely to feel stress from all these changes. The effects of stress can be detrimental to pregnancy outcome. Studies of the effects of touch on the human pregnant body have shown to directly reduce these stressors.

Massage therapy during pregnancy can:

* Increase blood and lymph circulation, thereby reducing edema(swelling),
* Relieve muscle spasms, cramps, and myofascial pain,
* Increase endorphin levels,
* Provide emotional support to assist in minimizing mood swings, and
* Reduce anxiety and depression.

Labor support studies have shown that massage therapy can improve labor outcomes such as lowering the chance of prematurity, labor complications, length of labor, use of medications, and reduced number of cesarean sections (Kennell & Klaus, 1988-1991, Birch, 1986).


What should you expect during your session?

Massage during pregnancy is usually specific to the lower back, hips, legs, feet, upper back and neck. The massage is performed side-lying or using a Prego Pillow™, which safely allows the pregnant mom to lay on her stomach and back. Massage during pregnancy should be pleasurable (not painful) and will promote feelings of calm, well-being, and relaxation.


Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) symptoms may occur in hands and arms during pregnancy due to increased fluid. Massage specific to repetitive use injuries, like CTS can enhance the treatment. Amy also has advanced training in repetitive use injury symptoms and treatment.



Swedish Massage

Traditional Swedish Massage is the foundation of most professional massage therapists and uses five main strokes, and many variations, to achieve its relaxing and healing effects.

Basic Techniques of Swedish Massage

Effleurage

This consists of long, gliding strokes from the neck down to the base of the spine or from the shoulder down to the fingertips. When done on the limbs, all strokes are toward the heart to aid blood and lymphatic flow. It is done with the whole hand or the thumb pads. Effleurage is designed to acquaint the therapist with his or her subject's body and vice versa.

Petrissage

This involves gently lifting muscles up and away from the bones, then rolling and squeezing them, again with a gentle pressure. It generally involves kneading and compression motions - rolling, squeezing, or pressing the muscles to enhance deeper circulation. Petrissage attempts to increase circulation with clearing out toxins from muscle and nerve tissue.

Friction

This is the most penetrating of the strokes, and consists of deep circular or transverse movements made with the thumb pads or fingertips. The therapist applies deep, circular movement near joints and other bony areas (such as the sides of the spine). Friction breaks down adhesions, which are knots that result when muscle fibers bind together during the healing process, thus contributing to more flexible muscles and joints.

Tapotement

This consists of a series of briskly applied percussive movements, using the hands alternately to strike or tap the muscles for an invigorating effect. There are many variations on this stroke. It may be applied with the edge of the hand, with the tips of the fingers, or with a closed fist. Tapotement attempts to release tension and cramping from muscles in spasm.

Vibration or Shaking

This involves the therapist pressing his or her hands on the back or limbs, and rapidly shaking for a few seconds. It boosts circulation and increases the power of the muscles to contact. Vibration is particularly helpful to people suffering from low-back pain.



Neuromuscular Therapy

Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) is a very specialized form of manual therapy. A therapist trained in NMT is educated in the physiology of the nervous system and its effect on the muscular and skeletal systems. The therapist also is educated in kinesiology and biomechanics and how to work in a clinical or medical environment.

By definition, Neuromuscular Therapy is the utilization of static pressure on specific myofascial points to relieve pain. This technique manipulates the soft tissue of the body (muscles, tendons and connective tissue) to balance the central nervous system. In a healthy individual, nerves transmit impulses (which are responsible for every movement, function and thought) to the body very slowly. Injury, trauma, postural distortion or stress cause nerves to speed up their transmission, inhibiting equilibrium and making the body vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. It is therefore necessary to stabilize low levels of neurological activity to maintain normal function and overall health.

Neuromuscular Therapy is used to address five elements that cause pain:

1. Ischemia: Lack of blood supply to soft tissues which causes hypersensitivity to touch

2. Trigger Points: Highly irritated points in muscles which refer pain to other parts of the body

3. Nerve Compression or Entrapment: Pressure on a nerve by soft tissue, cartilage or bone

4. Postural Distortion: Imbalance of the muscular system resulting from the movement of the body off the longitudinal and horizontal planes

5. Biomechanical Dysfunction: Imbalance of the musculoskeletal system resulting in faulty movement patterns (i.e., poor lifting habits, bad mechanics in a golf swing of tennis stroke, computer keyboarding)



Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the art of healing using different aromas made from highly concentrated extracts of herbs, flowers, shrubs and other plants. The oils contain substances that have been found to be therapeutic when inhaled or applied to the skin with a carrier oil.

Any form of massage, if carried out correctly, can benefit the mind and body in all kinds of different ways. With aromatherapy massage these benefits can be enhanced even further if the right essential oil is used to treat the person's specific injury or ailment, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. There are hundreds of essential oils that you can use for an aromatherapy massage. Oils can either be combined with other oils or used on their own, but they are almost always diluted in a base oil, often referred to as a carrier oil. Only 100% pure essential oils are used during the session.



Deep Tissue

"Deep Tissue" has become a generic term used to label any heavy pressure massage. In truth, Deep Tissue Massage is a very specific massage technique. Deep Tissue Massage is used to release chronic patterns of muscular tension using slow strokes, direct pressure, or friction usually on a focused problem area. Often the movements are directed across the grain of the muscles (cross-fiber) using the fingers, thumbs, or elbows. This is applied with greater pressure and at deeper layers of the muscle than Swedish massage and that is why it is called deep tissue.

Deep tissue massage employs the principles of muscular restoration. It works across the muscles manipulating deep tissues, stimulating circulation, and regenerating lymphatic flow. This promotes detoxification and oxygenation of stagnant tissues. It is designed to bring fluids into the cells, stimulating changes on a cellular level. Deep tissue massage releases adherent muscle conditions existing in deep layers of muscle and actually corrects damaged muscle tissue.

Deep tissue massage relieves entrapment of nerves, and it also aids in moving out toxins and congestion that may have accumulated in damaged muscles and soft tissue, thereby reducing edema and inflammation, as well as reducing pain. It softens hard fibrous muscle which restricts joint range of motion, thereby "throwing off" the body's proper structural alignment.

Deep tissue massage provides a form of passive exercise for those who have been injured or ill. Combining deep tissue massage with traditional treatments of diseases offers an added edge that can speed recovery and promote maximum improvement where traditional treatments leave off.


Sports Massage

Sports massage is applying the basics of swedish deep tissue, and neuromuscular therapy to the athlete. Techniques include compression,friction, tapotement, vibration, and stretching. The focus is on muscle imbalances and overuse. Sports massage can aid in recovery time, enhance performance, and prevent injury. Sports massage is typically performed pre-event and post-event. The focus of pre-event massage is to warm up the muscles, increasing flexibility and circulation. A pre-event massage should be somewhat energizing. Post-event massage aims to flush the tissue of the lactic acid and other by products of metabolism. The intent is to cool down the body and return it to homeostasis. Muscle tension, cramping, and inflammation are also addressed.



Reflexology

Reflexology is based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet and hands which correspond to every part of the body. By stimulating and applying pressure to points on the feet or hands, you are increasing circulation and promote specific bodily and muscular function. The points are called reflexes and each reflex corresponds to a different part of the body, such as a gland, organ or other body part. When manipulated, the reflexes can trigger physical reactions in the corresponding body parts. Typically, reflexology is blended into a therapeutic massage, specific to the client's current complaints or ailments.


Myofascial Release Therapy

Myofascial Release is a form of bodywork which includes, but is not limited to structural assesments and manual massage techniques for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, integument, muscles, and bones. The goal is to eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and balance the body. The fascia is manipulated, directly or indirectly, allowing the connective tissue fibers to reorganize themselves in a more flexible, functional fashion.  Myofascial release usually involves applying shear compression or tension in various directions, or by skin rolling. Myofascial release work is performed without oil or other lubricant, and can create a tingling, burning, or stretching feeling for the client. This work can be performed in a complete session, or incorporated into the hour, before oil is applied for massage techniques.


Hot Stone Massage

Hot stones are used in two ways during the massage. One is to impart heat onto the body by laying stones on or under the client. Stone layout typically will be along both sides of the spine, or along the chakra centers on top and baseball sized stones would be placed in the hands. While these layout stones are delivering concentrated centers of heat, the therapist is simultaneously massaging the client with oiled, heated stones held in the palm of the hand with firm strokes along the muscles of the legs, arms, and torso areas.

An authentic hot stone massage is not simply the "gliding" of heated stones lightly upon the surface of the skin, but rather the stones are used as tools to deliver effective tissue and muscle massage at a pressure level comfortable to the client. Stones are kept heated in clean, sanitized water between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (about 50°C).

The heat from the stones relaxes muscles, increase the blood flow to the area being worked on which further accelerates the healing process. This increase in circulation and the relaxation of the muscles also aids in mental relaxation.