Massage for Healing Before and After Having Surgery

Massage for Healing Before and After Having Surgery

When your doctor mentions that you need to start preparing for surgery, I will venture a guess that you will not think of massage as one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. Well... you are not alone in this thinking and that is unfortunate because the healing benefits of massage are vast.

Massage therapy is useful for endless conditions including insomnia, muscle pain, anxiety, circulatory problems, and recovery from injury or before and after having surgery.

Even self-massage techniques that target reflexology points in the hands and feet, affect the head, neck, sinuses, in addition to many other parts of the body and organs that are beneficially affected. Massage is particularly effective when used as part of preparing for surgery and the recovery from surgery, particularly bone or muscle reconstructive surgery.

Before surgery, massage can relieve much of the anxiety and tension associated with the anticipation of having surgery. Massage helps the patient feel less stressed and lowers the patient's expectations for pain. This lowering of stress promotes a general sense of well-being that enhances the patient's ability to heal quicker and with fewer complications.

After surgery, massage therapy is a great addition to or even a substitute for other pain and recovery treatments, such as pain medication, which can sometimes cause unpleasant side effects. There are several reasons why massage is beneficial after surgery. For one, massage improves the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid throughout the body, allowing for increased oxygenation of the body's tissues and organs and reduction of swelling and stiffness. Additionally, the simple fact that human touch, something we all need and benefit from, is involved in massage therapy and accounts for much of its physical and mental healing qualities.

Listed below are some of the most valuable health benefits and effects of massage as it applies to surgery.
Helps to reduce edema or fluid accumulation

Reduces swelling

Reduces or relieves pain

Increases flexibility of tissues

Increases mobility

Reduces stress and tension

Increases body awareness

Promotes relaxation

Enhances immune functions and improved cell functions

Lowers the production of the hormone Cortisol (also known as the stress-hormone)

Even though the benefits of massage are immense, there are a couple of main reasons why massage therapy is not widely used or recommended by doctors. One reason is many insurance plans do not cover the cost of massage therapy. Another is because massage is often regarded as an unsophisticated, insufficiently researched treatment.

However, people have benefited greatly from massage before and after having surgery and practitioners of massage therapy endorse it as one of the most effective and pleasant healing modalities available to modern medicine.

With benefits like the ones listed above, you may want to consider incorporating therapeutic massage into your preparing for surgery plans
Author: Mary Edison

Brought to you by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 erickson Dr. Red Deer, Alberta, T4R2C3 www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

Knee pain and chiropractic

Knee pain affects many individuals due to several reasons including injuries, sports, weight, work, repetitive bending over time or some types of arthritis. Pain may also be referred from the lower back, hip joints, feet or sacroiliac joints. This may be caused by nerve compression (subluxation) in your back, thighs or pelvis or there may be biomechanical problems such as flat feet or dysfunction of the hips or pelvis.

Chiropractic adjustments can help to align the knee, foot, back, pelvic and hip joints to improve mobility, function, and stability and reduce pain in the knees. The use of ice on the knees will help to reduce pain and inflammation of the knee joint. An exercise program will also help to lose weight while improving strength and endurance of your knees and stengthen the muscles involved as well. Orthotics for your shoes may also help to improve stability and reduce of your knees.

Call us at Family First Chiropractic & Wellness at 403-347-3261 to book your appointment. We are located at 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer T4R 2X3

www.family1stchiro.ca

What is Lymphatic Drainage?

It is a specialized therapy, which is designed to improve the functioning of the lymphatic system. This is primarily achieved through gentle, rhythmical circling movements of the skin, which stimulate the contractions of the lymphatic vessels. Techniques are performed with hands and fingers using a light-touch, which is simulating, gentle, through a wave-like movement. The subtle manual maneuvers activate lymph and interstitial fluid circulation as well as stimulate the functioning of the immune and parasympathetic nervous systems. A well functioning lymph system contributes to healthy body tissue and plays an important part in the body's immune system responses. 

In a nutshell having a Lymphatic Drainage can be compared to using a plunger on a slow or stopped up drain. If there is a clog in a drain, the water may go through the drain but it may not be draining to it’s full draining capacity, if at all. But after using a plunger the drain, drains to it’s full capacity.

What is the Importance of Lymph Drainage for good health?The predominant fluid in your body is lymphatic fluid. This fluid carries nutrients from the food you eat and oxygen from the air you breathe. It also carries toxic poisons, bacteria, cholesterol and viruses away from the cells in your body. Our lymphatic system is primarily responsible for carrying disease-fighting material to cells. When the lymphatic system is blocked, we become defenseless against attacks by virus, fungi, and bacteria.Many immune processes occur in the lymph nodes. If the pathways become congested, blocked, damaged or severed, then fluids can build up in the connective tissue leading to edema and swelling. This can lead to abnormalities in the cells and tissues. If there are any abnormalities in the tissues, then it is the role of the lymphatic system to transport the damaged cells, inflammatory products and toxins away from the area. The quicker this happens, the faster recovery will be. This is where Lymphatic Drainage can make a difference, the gentle technique enhances and stimulates the lymphatic system to drain stagnant fluids, detoxify, regenerate tissues, filter out toxins and foreign substances. Lymphatic Drainage is recommended for both the face and body.

Some Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage

¨ Detoxification of the entire body

¨ Relief of chronic pain

¨ Minimizes lines and wrinkles

¨ Restores hydration of the skin and Stimulates the overall skin

¨ Promotes the healing of fractures, torn ligaments, sprains, and lessens pain.

¨ Reduction in fluid retention and edemas (swelling) of various origins

¨ Helps with post-cancer treatments including Radiation therapy

¨ Regeneration of tissue, including burns and wounds

¨ Enhances body contouring and reduces cellulite

¨ Reduces swollen ankles and legs during pregnancy.

¨ Aids in stress reduction by causing deep relaxation

¨ Aids in the reduction of insomnia

¨ Relieves congestion, for those who suffer sinus and allergies

¨ Helps with some forms of constipation

¨ Reduces puffy eyes and “bags” under the eyes

¨ Before and after facial surgery (including cosmetic surgery)

¨ Builds and strengthen collagen fibers and increases tone and enhance facial contouring

¨ Rids the face or body of excess fluids and/or toxins

Brought to you be Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Dr. Red Deer 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca

Why Should You Avoid Using Mineral Oil On Your Skin

Why Should You Avoid Using Mineral Oil On Your Skin
Mineral oil is a common ingredient in many household products. It is found in lotions, soaps, cosmetics and motor oil. Mineral oil is a clear, liquid oil with no sent and will not spoil.  The word “mineral” makes this product sound like a nutrient, but in fact it is produced as a by-product of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. Mineral oil is the leftover liquid, and because it is abundant, it is very inexpensive. In fact, it is more expensive to dispose of mineral oil, than to purchase it.

Remember the skin is the largest organ in the body and the only protective barrier you have. The importance of your skin’s health is immeasurable.

The problem is that mineral oil is foreign to the human body and has many harmful effects:
■Mineral oil acts as a thin plastic layer on the skin.
■It is difficult to absorb and clogs the pores, which slows the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins.
■Once the oil is absorbed, it is broken down by the liver and passes through the intestinal tract. When the oil is present in the intestinal tract, it will absorb all of the fat-soluable vitamins found there. It is essentially stealing important vitamins from the body, which the body will not be able to replace. This can eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies.
■Studies have also shown forms of pneumonia caused by mineral oil decreasing lung function, known as lipoid pneumonia. Because of these dangers, the medical community has condemned the use of mineral oil taken orally or as an ingredient in medications.

Chelsea Brausen RMT practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness located at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca

Do you know what pillow to use?

Are you sleeping on the right pillow?

   Many people ask us what pillows we recommend every day. There are many types out there from cheap to expensive. We mainly recommend a cervical pillow( the ones with the scoop and dip in them).  There are also many different materials used in the making of pillows, microfibres, foam and feathers to name a few. The biggest thing I tell my patients is that  we are all built differently, a women 140 lbs 5 foot 5 does not need the same pillow as a 230 pound 6 foot man.
    When sleeping the best position is on your back or the next best postion is on your side.The side lying pillow should be the depth of your ear to the tip of you shoulder when your neck is in a normal position (head not tilted).  When on your back your neck should be in the normal curve comfortably. You neck/chin should not be flexed forward as most people have too large of pillows thus reducing the normal neck curve and shortening the front neck muscles, overstretching the back neck muscles causing headaches, 'sleeping wrong' and 'neck pinches'.
Cervical Pillows can help to induce a proper cervical curve when used with back sleeping, thus reducing neck pain and headaches.
I usually recommend a normal foam cervical pillow for men, and the petite ones for women and teens as these are proportional to their size.
 Please don't forget your childrens spine!
Children also need proper neck support when sleeping, our 8 year old does not need the same size pillow as their parents. I like to  recommend a pillow that gently supports and is again smaller and proportional th their size. Theses ones are made of a memory foam to help induce the proper curve. Children 2-5 need and even smaller pillow that also gently supports the neck as they grow and develope the spinal musculature.At the clinic we carry all types of pillows for different body shapes and sizes.
Written By Dr. Joelle Johnson B.Sc.,D.C.
 We are located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellnes, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R 2X3
403-347-3261
www.family1stchiro.ca

How massage aids muscle healing

Works like anti-inflammatory pills CBC News

Posted: Feb 1, 2012 2:14 PM ET 

Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, Canadian researchers have found.
Athletes have long sought massages to relieve pain and promote recovery. Despite reports that long-term massage therapy reduces chronic pain such as back pain, the biological effects of massage on muscles weren't known.
Now scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton have found evidence at the cellular level that massage blunts muscle pain in a similar way to anti-inflammatory pills.
The study in Wednesday's issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine examined the effects of massage therapy versus no treatment on the quadricep muscles of 11 young men who were recreationally active.
Scientists studied samples from the men before they exercised to the point of exhaustion, just after and then 2½ hours afterwards.
Massage could also help the elderly, those suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and people with chronic inflammatory disease, although that idea still needs to be tested, cautioned the study's lead author, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of the pediatrics department at McMaster.
The study does offer evidence that massage is a safe and viable option to use in medical practice, he said.
"We know that exercise is a panacea of goodness," Tarnopolsky said in an interview. "Massage might enhance some of the favourable benefits that we get from exercise."
When the researchers analyzed the muscle tissue samples for tears and signs of damage in the cells, they found massage seemed to blunt muscle pain using the same route that anti-inflammatory pain relievers do.
When the researchers analyzed the muscle tissue samples for tears and signs of damage in the cells, they found massage seemed to blunt muscle pain using the same route that anti-inflammatory pain relievers do.
What's more, Tarnopolsky said, the anti-inflammatory signals released by massage also improved the ability of muscle cells to make new mitochondria — the furnaces that convert food into energy.
That could explain how massage seems to speed up recovery in athletes with injured muscles, the study's authors said.
Tarnopolsky, who normally treats muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial disorders, became interested in investigating massage after he tore all of his hamstring muscles while waterskiing. He received massage therapy as part of his physiotherapy following surgery.
The analysis also suggested that one commonly held idea about massage isn't true: the researchers found no evidence that massage helped clear lactic acid from tired muscles.
None of the researchers knew which leg was massaged except the massage therapist and the leg that was massaged was randomly selected — two experimental steps that add validity to the findings.
The convenience factor of pills, the expense of massages and whether they are covered by provincial health plans are deterrents to greater use of the therapy, Tarnopolsky acknowledged.
"Definitely, [massage] is tiring the muscles out so they can relax and recover," said Jaqueline Gradish, a personal trainer in Toronto who lifts at least 1,000 pounds a day with her clients.
The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Warren Lammert and family.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/01/massage-muscle-repair.html

Fun CST facts-CranioSacral therapy

• CranioSacral Therapy can help heal chronic injuries, including head and neck pain.
• CranioSacral Therapy can relieve migraines and help find and release the cause of them.
• CranioSacral Therapy can assist the body when healing from dental work and help tmj syndrome in a non-invasive and gentle way.

Jeannette Raskin CST, RMT

practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment with her today. 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer, Alberta
www.family1stchiro.ca