If you are stressed out or wake up one morning with a stiff neck and aching shoulders, most people would agree that it’s a great time to call your massage therapist. Aside from helping you with acute muscle soreness, here are our top conditions that you may not know your registered massage therapist (RMT) can treat.
Pregnancy – Prenatal Massage
Many women struggle during the various phases of pregnancy. Aching joints, back pain, swelling in the face, hands and ankles and carpal tunnel are very common. Your RMT can provide the relaxation you need to allow the natural flow of your bodies hormone production and increase availability of feel good chemicals in your brain like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. Tight muscles pull on the pelvis and spine as the baby grows so relaxing and loosening them prevents dysfunction in those joints. Lymphatic Drainage massage can also help drain accumulated fluids that may be causing pain and discomfort.
Arthritis and Joint pain
Any person of any age can struggle with joint pain or arthritis. There are many causes and various reasons these conditions may arise, but don’t worry, RMT’s can help you manage the pain. Some joint pain is related to stiff muscles pulling the joints out of place. Relaxing those muscles, in most cases, can allow the body to naturally realign the joint. If swelling is prominent, your RMT can perform Lymphatic Drainage massage to reduce the swelling and use distraction/traction to gently separate the joint to allow synovial fluid to re-lubricate stiff, worn joints.
Insomnia
Insomnia not only leaves you feeling tired, but in many cases, it quickly becomes a source of anxiety that just adds to the difficulty of falling asleep. Extreme fatigue can be mood altering and can affect productivity, well being, and contribute to mental disorders such as anxiety/depression. Regular massage can boost serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter used to regulate behaviour, body temperature, coordination, appetite and sleep regulation. Since serotonin converts to melatonin, a hormone that regulates our natural sleeping and waking cycles, massages can help to regulate sleep.
Temporal-mandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome
Have you ever been to a long dental cleaning or procedure where your jaw was aching after being propped open? Maybe you have notice soreness or clicking while you’re trying to chew. TMJ dysfunction happens for many reasons, most of which include tight jaw muscles that either pull the disc in the jaw out of place or cause improper movement of the jaw bone. Asking your RMT to work around your temples and jaw will do wonders even if you didn’t realize they were tight. A facial massage can work the muscles close to your mouth that can relieve discomfort. RMT’s can also put on gloves and do an intra-oral massage to target muscles that would otherwise not be reached. This type of treatment may sound strange, however the relief you would feel is immense!
Plantar Fasciitis/Heel Spurs
If you have ever had a severe foot cramp or spasm in the night, you can relate to the sharp pain people experience with plantar fasciitis or heel spurs. Most people don’t realize that most of these problems stem from the calf in combination with bad walking habits. Heel spurs are caused by deposits of calcium in the heel due to repetitive inflammation, not enough circulation, or repeated trauma to the heel. The spur pinches on nearby tissue causing sharp, knife-like pain. Massage can increase vascular flow to help reduce pain while deep tissue massage with heat can help dissolve the calcification. Plantar Fasciitis or pain around the heel is commonly caused by scar tissue formation between the tendons of the foot and the muscles in the calf. Massage can help break down scar tissue and stretch the muscles of the calf and foot to speed healing.
Registered Massage Therapists are highly trained health professionals who are keen to help you feel better. If you are not sure if your RMT can help with your pain, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Our team of Massage Therapists are ready to help you feel better so don’t hesitate to Book An Appointment and talk to us about how we can make you feel amazing.