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The psychological and physiological state of individuals experiencing tension headache improves within 24 hours after receiving a 30-minute massage, according to a new University of Granada study.
Tension headaches have an increasing rate of incidence among the population. This disorder causes disabling pain and is usually treated with analgesics that relieve symptoms temporarily. One of the main causes of this type of headache is the presence of trigger points.
A 30-minute massage on cervical myofascial trigger points focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in the muscles. Trigger point massage improves autonomic nervous system regulation. Massage [...] Continue Reading…
People experience fatigue when they cannot effectively manage daily activities and responsibilities while allowing time for their health. Many feel continually fatigued. Acute or chronic, fatigue can lead to exhaustion and constant low energy. Fatigue is not improved with sleep and can impair functioning and quality of life.
Fatigue may be caused by physical inactivity, poor nutrition, an imbalanced wake-sleep cycle, depression, stress, or smoking. Acupuncture effectively treats fatigue and its symptoms, such as concentration difficulties, weakness, dizziness, sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, and musculoskeletal pain.
Acupuncture can be utilized as a primary therapy alone or as a complementary [...] Continue Reading…
Massage has become a main component of athletics, from sports medicine centers to college team training. Sports massage prepares athletes for optimal performance, reduces muscle tension and swelling and increases energy.
Sports massage can alleviate minor tissue injuries and lesions due to overuse or overextension which occur during strenuous physical activity and can result in poor athletic performance as well as pain. Therapeutic massage improves flexibility, response time and mobility.
An increasing number of trainers recognize that massage offers an edge to high performance sports athletes.
Benefits of sports massage:
• Increases blood flow, nutrients and oxygen.
• Improves muscle flexibility.
• Speeds recovery from sports [...] Continue Reading…
Massage can reduce stress, increase production of endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers), improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, and slow heart rate—all benefits that can contribute to heart health.
Massage therapy on a regular basis can reduce occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, which cause the heart to pump less efficiently, and can decrease both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Massage can ease heart strain by improving circulation toward the heart while relaxing contracted muscles.
Massage improves circulation of oxygen and essential nutrients in the body by strengthening circulation. The massage practitioner’s manipulation of skin, tendons and muscles, the body’s soft [...] Continue Reading…
Consuming fewer sugar-sweetened beverages may reduce blood pressure, according to a new study. Sugar-sweetened beverages, one of the most common sources of excess sugar in the diet, have been previously linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
“Our findings suggest that reducing sugar-sweetened beverages and sugar consumption may be an important dietary strategy to lower blood pressure and further reduce other blood pressure-related diseases,” says lead author Liwei Chen, M.D., assistant professor at Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Public Health.
“Reductions in blood pressure would be anticipated by reducing sugar-sweetened beverages [...] Continue Reading…
Nearly 30 percent of soldiers returning from combat in Iraq experience posttraumatic stress disorder or depression that affects their daily lives and activities. For as many as 14 percent of these veterans, PTSD and depression can cause severe impairment.
Assessing health surveys from more than 13,000 Army and National Guard infantrymen who fought in Iraq, a new Archives of General Psychiatry study has determined that between 9 and 14 percent of the soldiers were diagnosed with PTSD or depression resulting in serious impairment, while 23 to 31 percent experienced some degree of impairment.
The pre-deployment rate of PTSD and [...] Continue Reading…
Shiatsu massage is a form of Oriental massage therapy, shiatsu is based on Japanese massage therapy traditions and integrates Chinese medicine theory and practice with Western physiology and anatomy.
Shiatsu combines assisted-stretching techniques and acupressure to restore qi, or energy balance, in the body. The shiatsu practitioner applies pressure to specific points to promote energy distribution throughout the body and to correct disharmonies in the energetic components of the body.
Shiatsu benefits:
• Improves posture.
• Reduces acute and chronic neck and back pain.
• Stimulates the circulatory, lymphatic and hormonal systems.
• Reduces blood pressure and heart rate.
Shiatsu therapy treats the root cause of disorders and [...] Continue Reading…
The beneficial health effects of exercise—including reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes—are well known, but the underlying biological mechanisms of these benefits are unclear. A new study takes a look at how regular exercise impacts health and metabolism.
Using a system that analyzes blood samples, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have developed a “chemical snapshot” of the metabolic effects of exercise. Their findings may improve understanding of the physiologic effects of exercise and may help develop new therapies for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. . The study appears in the May issue of Science Translational Medicine.
“We found [...] Continue Reading…
The key to long-term weight loss and maintenance may be to lose weight quickly, not gradually, in the initial stages of overweight and obesity treatment. Losing weight fast can have lasting results, suggests a new University of Florida study.
Successful weight loss in overweight and obese individuals is defined as a reduction of 10 percent or more of initial body weight maintained for at least a year. While losing weight slowly initially results in continued weight loss and reduced risk of weight regain, losing weight at a fast initial rate may result in a greater total weight loss long-term. [...] Continue Reading…
Therapeutic Massage In Health Care
One of the oldest healing arts, massage therapy has been used over a time span of some 3000 years to treat and cure a wide range of common ailments and health conditions.
Therapeutic massage effectively treats:
• Lower back and neck pain.
• Sprains and muscular strains.
• Fatigue and stress.
• Arthritis and inflammation.
• Circulatory and digestive conditions.
Today, therapeutic massage is utilized in a variety of health care settings, such as clinics, alternative health care environments, medical offices, and hospitals. Therapeutic massage is also incorporated into specialized treatment for orthopedics, geriatrics, chiropractic care, sports medicine, and physical therapy. Holistic practitioners tailor therapeutic [...] Continue Reading…
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