Body Therapy

Cranial-sacral Therapy, or CST, is a very subtle yet very powerful treatment that works with the body's craniosacral system. That includes the cranium or skull, the sacrum, the spine with all its components in-between, and the cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord. Many outside influences affect the craniosacral system, and it, in turn, affects other body systems. Not long ago the medical community believed the bones of the skull to be completely fused and immobile. It was only about 50 years ago that doctors proved that in fact the bones of the skull are mobile, and that it is vital for them to have freedom of motion in order for the craniosacral system to function optimally. Part of cranial-sacral treatment involves taking the cranial bones through their range of motion (this is a very small amount of movement) in order to free them from any restrictions. Attached to the inside of these bones are membranes that support and divide the brain into its sections. Freeing up movement in the bones also removes tension in these membranes. This movement is accomplished by the practitioner gently using hand placement and focusing intent on the desired movement. Another component of cranial-sacral work involves the 'craniosacral' pulse or wave.

The body has many systems that function independently in order for everything, working together, to keep us alive and healthy. We each can feel our pulse (heart rate) and our rate of respiration. But the body has another pulse that marks the rhythm of production, absorption and flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This is the craniosacral pulse or wave. In a healthy person, the pulse is generally measured at 6 to 12 cycles per minute. As the pulse moves into one phase, the skull slightly widens from side to side, the sacrum moves downward, and the hands and feet rotate outward. As it moves to the second phase, the skull slightly extends or elongates, the sacrum shifts upward, and the hands and feet rotate inward. All of this is so subtle it's only detectible with special training. Sometimes the system gets a bit off-track and this 2-phase pulse becomes out of synch and irregular. Using a very simple technique, the practitioner helps the client's body to re-set the system into a more normal rhythm. There is much more to a craniosacral session than this. It is really something that should be experienced rather than explained in detail here. The treatment is EXTREMELY relaxing and soothing. So, why would a person want or need CST?

CRANIAL-SACRAL THERAPY CAN HELP WITH:

WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE CRANIAL-SACRAL WORK?

WHAT IS A CRANIAL-SACRAL TREATMENT LIKE?

I perform cranial-sacral work with no background noise other than a quiet, soothing water fountain. That's because of the amount of focus and concentration required to do this work. The client lies comfortably on the table, fully clothed. Most people fall asleep because it is so soothing and relaxing. An ultra-light touch is used and hand placements vary depending on what is being worked on. Some of the work may be done inside the mouth (such as TMJ work). Treatment can take about an hour, although sometimes a session can go longer than that, depending on the needs of the client's body that day. I often use segments of cranial-sacral treatment during regular massage. It helps the body to facilitate the greatest amount of positive change possible and allows me to provide the best over-all care for my clients. It is especially helpful to my clients who come in flustered and stressed-out as it soothes and calms their nerves almost immediately. My goal is to provide the best possible care to each individual client. I have found that craniosacral work is some of the most touching, caring and profound work I have ever experienced. I think you will agree!

Medical massage

Medical massage is massage performed for the specific function of aiding a person's recovery from accident, injury or chronic pain. The massage therapist is trained to treat specific conditions as they relate each individual person's needs. For instance, whiplash is effectively treated by gently releasing the muscles in the neck which tend to tense up or 'splint' after the injury. Thoracic outlet syndrome is treated by releasing muscles that are overly tight and ischemic; which press down on the nerves of the arm, causing numbness, tingling and pain. After surgery, incision sites are treated (after a reasonable period of time) in order to reduce the build-up of scar tissue and to bring increased blood supply to the area, enhancing healing. TMJ dysfunction is treated by releasing all of the muscles in and around the mouth, jaw and neck. These are just a few examples of conditions that I treat regularly with great success.

Most people are concerned about broken bones and open wounds when we are injured. We go to the doctor and they set our broken bones, stitch our wounds, and send us on our way. When we suffer headaches or dysfunction such as shoulder or back pain, often it's a mystery as to why we have pain. The common treatment is for doctors to prescribe pain killers and muscle relaxers; which treat the SYMPTOMS. Muscle relaxers and pain killers work well temporarily. But muscle tension (which can cause pain) is usually a sign of decreased blood supply and nervous function. In MOST cases, treating muscle tension/pain with massage brings longer lasting relief as well as an over-all sense of well-being and NO side effects (other than natural relaxation). When muscle tension is the result of trauma (such as with whiplash or bad work environment) caring massage can bring tremendous relief from the physical pain and help reduce stress to the entire body.

IS MEDICAL MASSAGE COVERED BY INSURANCE? Yes. Many insurance companies do cover massage therapy if it is prescribed by a doctor to treat a specific condition. In order to find out if your insurance policy covers massage therapy you need to call them and ask. Each policy varies depending on the company and the coverage you have as an individual. I am able to take AETNA patients and various auto insurance claims. Click on this link for more information about insurance I can take. Again, check with your insurance provider to see if you are covered. If you want to make sure that you are covered to receive massage and other alternative therapies from the provider of your choice, you should contact your insurance provider and ask that your policy be changed to do so.

Prenatal Massage

As joyful as becoming a mother can be, there are many stresses involved with growing and carrying a child around inside your body. Since you don't want to take medications when you are pregnant, alternative therapies can make a HUGE difference in helping you to feel your best and function optimally. Pre-natal massage is a beautiful massage. And, by massaging Mom, baby benefits too!

Here are some of the benefits of pre-natal massage:

When you are comfortable during your pregnancy (as comfortable as you can be that is) then you stay healthier and reduce the stress on your body. But massage has another very wonderful place in pregnancy: It is very helpful during the first 2 phases of labor! Because labor may last for several hours, it's important that you RELAX as much as possible in-between contractions during those first hours. The better you can rest and relax, the more strength and focus you can have when the time comes for you to deliver. I just recently participated in the birth of my sister's second child. Her blood pressure was up during her final week or so of pregnancy. Massage not only relaxed her into labor, but it brought her blood pressure down to normal within seconds after I started working on her there at the hospital. The nurses swear that, in their experience, massage during the first phases of labor has a huge impact on how well the mother does during the entire labor experience, and they love to see massage therapists participate during this special time. Of course, the doctors advocate it as well.

Reflexology

Once upon a time people walked around barefoot or in soft leather foot coverings. There were rocks and twigs and all kinds of things that created uneven surfaces. As we walked, our feet blobbed over whatever we stepped on. It toughened the feet and enhanced balance and coordination. But did you know that it also helped our bodies to maintain good health? Our hands and feet have incredible numbers of nerve endings in them. Special nerves called proprioceptors tell our brains where each body part is in time and space, and since we have so many of these special nerves in our hands and feet, it enables us to have great dexterity and coordination with them. But our hands and our feet are also more sensitive to pain and pleasure than other parts of the body.

Try a session and YOU decide how very much Reflexology affects YOUR body! I know from experience that patients in ICU who are hooked up to monitors show reduced respiratory rate, reduced blood pressure and heart rate, and reduced need for pain medications within 10 seconds of having their feet worked on. These affects continue for hours in many cases. More and more hospitals are using this type of care for their patients in ICU as well as pre and post surgery. 10 or 15 minutes of this work makes the difference worth while.

What is REFLEXOLOGY? It's a holistic healing method in which the thumbs, fingers and hands are used to apply pressure to reflex areas of the hands (but mostly the feet) in order to bring the body into balance. Your body knows how to be healthy, but when we over-stress it, sometimes it needs a little stimulation in order for it to heal the imbalances. Reflexology triggers your own body's response to re-balance itself. HISTORICALLY, reflexology has been around for at least 5000 years. Artwork, statues and reliefs show peoples of ancient Egypt , China and India working on the hands and feet of patients. Native peoples of the Americas have also used these techniques as they have been passed down through their ancestors. So it's nothing new. More recently Reflexology resurfaced in the early 1900s as American physician William Fitzgerald defined as Zone Therapy through his research investigating the nervous system and reflex actions. Dr. Fitzgerald's work was further developed by Dr. Shelby Riley who refined the zones into individual reflex areas. In 1938 an associate of Shelby ; Eunice Ingham, a physical therapist, refined zone therapy into foot reflex therapy. She observed that congestion or tension in any part of the foot mirrors congestion or tension in a corresponding part of the body and thus she created the framework of foot Reflexology as it is known today.

TREATMENT- THE PROCESS:

Before treatment begins I bathe your feet in warm water to begin the relaxation process. When's the last time you were pampered like that?! Next, I conduct a visual assessment of the physical condition of each foot: skeletal structure, tissue, skin, and temperature. This does not mean I'm judging you by what your feet look like! I am looking for visual signs of stress so that I can tailor my treatment specifically to you. Next, I'll gently feel your feet to locate imbalances or tender areas. Of course, this is not to be taken as a medical diagnosis. Areas showing imbalance or tenderness don't necessarily mean terrible things are happening in your body; they merely indicate that your body is in need of some attention in those areas while I work. Treatments generally take about an hour.

WHAT IF I HAVE A CUT OR REALLY SORE SPOT, OR IF HAD SURGERY ON ONE OF MY FEET? That is the beauty of this work. Because the body is divided up into 10 zones, which go from the top of your head out to the fingers and toes, I can work within any area of any zone and have an effect on the entire zone. So if you have a broken toe, for example, I can work another area of the foot in that zone, or skip that zone on the foot altogether and do the work on your hand on that same side of the body. There can be many reasons to avoid work in a certain area, but with Reflexology, we can still perform the treatment; we just adjust where we do it. We call conditions that indicate we need to avoid area contraindications. These are fairly obvious: acute or chronic inflammation, chronic venous or lymphatic inflammation, highly infectious diseases, conditions requiring surgery, cuts or open sores, and fever. If you have any questions as to whether or not you should receive Reflexology, it's best to ask your doctor.

NO WAY ! MY FEET ARE TICKELISH!

In MOST cases, Reflexology does not create a ticklish response because pressure is applied with deliberate intention and with great care.

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