Acupuncture & Massage BLOG

A new study published in the Archives of Surgery has found that massage may complement routine care to reduce pain after major surgery. In the study, a group of 605 patients were assigned to three groups. Those who received daily 20-minute back massages in addition to routine care for four days after the surgery reported a significant decrease in postoperative pain and anxiety. Patients who had massage also experienced a faster reduction in pain intensity and unpleasantness compared to those in the control group.

Pharmacologic interventions alone may not effectively address the postoperative pain experience and can raise concerns about medication side effects. Massage therapy can play an important role in pain management. Therapeutic benefits of massage therapy include increased lymphatic and venous circulation, enhanced healing of the connective tissues, reduced lactic acid levels in the muscles, and reduced blood pressure and heart rate.

As the medical community increasingly recognizes its benefits, massage therapy is becoming a mainstay health care component within hospitals. CAM hospital programs have more than doubled and massage therapy is among the most popular inpatient and outpatient services. Patients and healthcare providers are also using massage therapy to treat other health conditions as well as for pain management.

More than 39 million individuals received a massage in the last year, according to an annual survey commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). More than half (53 percent) who discussed massage with their healthcare providers say their doctor recommended they get massage therapy. This latest survey also showed that over 40 percent have had a massage to reduce pain.

For those considering becoming a licensed massage therapist these findings are encouraging, offering career path options to work in hospital settings. Hospitals that have traditionally been structured into restricted healthcare fields are now expanding into new hospital staff options for massage therapists.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy program offers body therapy classes in Japanese Shiatsu, Swedish and medical massage. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For information about complementary and alternative therapies for wellness ask for Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician.

Massage therapy is often integrated into treatment plans for several specific diseases and conditions. A seven-year, international study published in February finds that some alternative therapies such as massage are better choices for managing most common neck pain than many current practices. Also included in the short-list of best options for neck pain management are acupuncture, exercise, neck mobilization, low level laser therapy, and pain relievers.

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders review of the current research on neck pain is published in the journal Spine. The Task Force was created to help neck pain sufferers and health professionals use the best research evidence to prevent, diagnose and manage neck pain.

“Neck pain is not a trivial condition for many people,” says Task Force president Dr. Scott Haldeman, clinical professor, department of neurology at the University of California, Irvine. “It can be associated with headaches, arm and upper back pain and depression. Understanding the best way to diagnose and manage this condition is of high importance for those who are suffering and for those who manage its care.”
The study found that neck pain is a recurrent condition for the majority of sufferers. Neck pain is a common health problem, especially among older adults, and affects between 10 and 15 percent of the population. It is disabling for approximately two out of every 20 people who experience neck pain and affects their ability to carry on with daily activities.

Therapies such as neck collars and ultrasound are not recommended. Study findings indicate that neck pain sufferers should stay as active as possible, exercise and reduce stress. Trying a variety of therapies or combinations of therapies may be most effective.

Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy program includes courses in Japanese Shiatsu, Swedish and medical massage. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For information about complementary and alternative therapies for wellness ask for Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician.

Acne sufferers do not have to use harsh chemicals to treat an acne outbreak. Massage therapy is a true alternative to harsh cleansing solutions and medication.

Pimples and blackheads develop as a result of an overproduction of a skin lubricant called sebum. As it blocks hair follicles it creates a place in which bacteria multiplies.

By applying Shiatsu massage a practitioner can stimulate circulation and balance hormone levels in your skin. Pressure should be applied to the liver, adrenal gland, kidney, intestine, and thyroid gland and a few other reflex points an experienced Oriental bodywork massage therapist might suggest.

Using massage therapy, patients have reported positive results on their acne within 72 hours, or less.

Massage is often more effective when combined with other complementary treatments such as yoga, Practicing yoga daily is said to increase the blood flow. There are challenging, but relaxing yoga poses, which can stimulate this process. Good circulation can bring nutrients to the skin and flush away toxins.

Consult the specialists at Acupuncture & Massage College at 305.595.9500 or visit www.acupuncturistmiami.com.

Many ailments and conditions are amenable to health benefits of therapeutic massage. Internal disorders, shoulder//back pain, asthma, hypertension, arthritis, neuromuscular diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, chronic pain, sprains, and muscle strains can be alleviated by the health benefits of therapeutic massage. Health benefits of therapeutic massage include improved circulation, increased flexibility of joints and soft tissue, enhanced injury healing, and improved posture.
Health benefits of therapeutic massage play a role in rehabilitation and health maintenance. Health benefits of therapeutic massage can be utilized in a variety of settings such as clinics, alternative health care environments, and offices. As the health community increasingly recognizes the health benefits of therapeutic massage, massage therapy is becoming a mainstream health care component within hospitals. Health benefits of therapeutic massage can be applied to specialized treatment for orthopedics, geriatrics, chiropractic care, physical therapy, sports medicine, and energy work.
The health benefits of therapeutic massage can treat specific ailments or be applied to generalized therapy, making it an ideal alternative or extension to other massage therapy modalities. Health benefits of therapeutic massage include reduced blood pressure and heart rate and increased levels of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Some of the immediate health benefits of therapeutic massage are regulation of the automatic nervous system activity and stimulation of the circulatory, lymphatic and hormonal systems.
A greater number of health care professionals and consumers are recognizing that the health benefits of therapeutic massage extend beyond pampering and relaxation. Health benefits of therapeutic massage often result in increased vitality, energy and stamina. Generalized pain syndromes, muscle stiffness and physical functional disability can be alleviated with health benefits of therapeutic massage. Health benefits of therapeutic massage also include immune system strengthening and improved flexibility and range of motion.
Acupuncture & Massage College’s Masters of Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs prepare graduates for careers as acupuncture physicians and massage therapists. For program information call Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500. For acupuncture therapy, request Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician.

Stress results in tense neck and shoulder muscles, leading to stiffness, headaches and more stress. Massage helps to relax the mind, body and spirit, providing time and space for self, and a feeling of peace, calm and well-being. It allows the nervous system to normalize itself, and may reduce many stress-related conditions, such as palpitations and raised blood pressure.
Prolonged periods of stress can subconsciously affect many systems of the body. Stress has been shown to aggravate, or even cause, such conditions as heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, memory loss and decreased immune dysfunction. Massage therapy is one of the best antidotes for stress. Massage boosts the body’s immune system, which can become compromised from extended periods of stress. Tension can build up in the muscles, causing a decrease in circulation and nutrient delivery to tissues.

With a therapeutic massage, stress can be significantly reduced. This, in turn, will increase energy and improve life outlook. When sustained stress is experienced daily, the brain responds in a manner known as “fight or flight”. This signals the sympathetic nervous system, which is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain. Muscles tighten in our neck, shoulders and back, blood vessels constrict, eyes dilate, large amounts of energy are expended as the adrenal glands excrete hormones.
Massage breaks this tension by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s way of conserving and restoring energy). Stretching and kneading releases tight muscles and natural endorphins. This results in decreased pain, decreased heart rate and a sense of calm. Massage, when combined with traditional medical treatments, can reduce stress and promote healing in people with certain health conditions.
Massage and bodywork techniques are therapeutic in addressing chronic muscle and soft tissue strain patterns created by stress and aligns the muscles and soft tissues of the body by using a combination of specialized and advanced massage techniques. Some techniques may include: Functional muscle assessment (visual, kinesthetic, palpation), myofascial release, neuromuscular, deep tissue massage techniques, structural balancing (positioning and mobilizing), and external hot/cold applications. For more information contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

Massage May Aid Dementia Patients

Massage and touch have been suggested as a drug-free alternative to other treatments offered to address a range of conditions associated with dementia such as anxiety, agitated behavior and depression, according to a Cochrane review of recent research which appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library.

Hand massage and touch, plus verbal encouragement, were suggested as methods for immediate or short-term reduction of agitation, one of the most challenging dementia symptoms. In two studies which included 110 nursing home residents with dementia, hand massage and gentle touching during conversation helped ease agitation and restore appetite. Some researchers and caregivers suggest massage might also benefit memory and counteract cognition decline in dementia patients.

“Even if touch therapy aims only to reintroduce something which has been lost in the professionalization and institutionalization of care, it may still turn out to be a relatively effective, inexpensive and low-risk intervention.” said lead author Viggo Hansen, of the Knowledge and Research Center for Alternative Medicine, part of Denmark’s Ministry of Health. The review appears to indicate that for dementia patients who have lost the ability to communicate verbally, physical touch might be the only way for them to connect with other individuals.

In one study, researchers used gentle touch and verbal encouragement to help residents with dementia stay calm at mealtime. Those residents who received contact ate more than patients who received verbal encouragement alone. In the second study, researchers found that hand massage helped soothe dementia patients’ agitation levels. Effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia include confusion, anxiety, agitation, wandering, and difficulty with eating and bathing and are especially challenging for caregivers. “Massage and touch may serve as alternatives or complements to other therapies for the management of behavioral, emotional and perhaps other conditions associated with dementia,” the authors concluded.

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy diploma program featuring a Japanese Shiatsu specialization, contact Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

AMBP GRANT COMMITS TO RAISE MASSAGE STATUS FOR LOW-BACK PAIN

Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) has pledged $15,000 to gain medical recognition of massage therapy as a treatment for low-back pain. ABMP has made a lead grant to the initiative and funds pledged represent one fourth of those needed to advance a NIH review. The initiative is termed a consensus conference, and includes testimony and an independent panel research review. Historically, panel findings are the impetus for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policies, which lead to expansion of insurance coverage.

The last consensus conference addressing back pain was more than 10 years ago. At the time, the body of research supporting massage therapy was deemed insufficient to gain recognition. “The evidence is there and the time has come,” says Les Sweeney, nationally certified massage therapist and ABMP president. “We moved swiftly to support this initiative because massage therapists are long overdue in receiving medical recognition for the work they do to relieve suffering from back pain.”

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) advocates the consensus conference which would lead to a federal statement declaring that massage provides effective relief of low back pain. If the conference goal is attained, the AMTA believes that massage for low back pain will be widely accepted by the health care community. Recent AMTA consumer surveys report that 39 million adults are getting a massage annually, and 30 percent of those adults are using massage therapy for medical purposes.

Research indicates consumer massage use is as frequent as insurance-paid chiropractic and physical therapy care, yet more than 90 percent of massage therapy is client-paid. “Massage therapists have long treated low-back pain safely and effectively,” Sweeney says. “They have done so less expensively and less invasively than is possible with other treatments. A favorable finding by the panel could reduce pain and financial hardship for Americans who now pick up the tab for massage therapy or go without care.”

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy diploma program featuring a Shiatsu specialization contact Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

ACUPUNCTURE AND MASSAGE REDUCE PAIN AFTER CANCER SURGERY

Acupuncture and massage are effective in decreasing pain and depression following surgery in cancer patients, according to a UCSF study. The study compared post-operative pain, nausea and mood symptoms in two groups of hospitalized patients during the first three days after cancer surgery. The study appears in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

One group had standard medication treatment, and one group received a combination of Swedish massage, Shiatsu foot massage and traditional Chinese acupuncture treatment along with standard care. Massage therapy sessions ranged from 10-30 minutes depending on clinical condition and acupuncture was used to treat pain, nausea and anxiety. Study findings indicated that compared with usual care alone, the combination of massage and acupuncture was associated with reduced post-operative pain and reduced depression.

“This pilot study confirmed that pain after surgery decreased when patients underwent a combination of massage and acupuncture. This is a significant finding because there are implications for further study to see if these therapies should be offered to hospitalized patients for symptom management,” said Wolf Mehling, M.D., lead author and UCSF assistant professor of family and community medicine. “For patients who received acupuncture and massage, it is possible that this personal attention contributed to a marked decrease in anxiety.”

During the three-day post-operative period, patients used a 0-10 point numeric pain rating scale to rank severity of current pain and pain during the previous 24 hours. The average scores among patients reporting significant pain improved by 1.8 for the massage and acupuncture intervention group compared to 0.3 in the control group. “The combination of massage and acupuncture for symptom management in perioperative cancer patients has never been studied,” said Mehling. “We know that integration of these therapies has shown short-term benefit on psychological well-being, but there has not been strong evidence to support it until now.”

To learn more about Acupuncture & Massage Therapy call Dr. Richard Browne at 305.595.9500

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

HOSPITAL MASSAGE

Massage therapy is currently the most frequently utilized nontraditional therapy offered in hospitals. Therapeutic massage therapy types included as components of patient health care within clinical settings include: Shiatsu, deep tissue, acupressure, Swedish, trigger point, neuromuscular, myofascial release, and reflexology. Massage programs are common on surgical, cardiac, obstetrical, oncology, and general medicine units.

Hospital massage therapy programs offer massage therapy to patients for pain management and comfort. Massage therapy is effective in alleviation of discomfort and assists in patient recovery. Many massage school programs are now offering medical massage therapy training and courses in massage therapy therapeutic techniques to enable massage therapy students to broaden their skills and ability to work with health care teams in acute health care settings.

Hospital-based massage therapy is the application of compassionate touch by massage therapists with a professional massage therapy training background. Massage therapy is utilized as a comfort measure, which is presently the goal of most hospital massage programs. Massage therapy patient applications might include: Myofascial massage therapy to ease a sore back, shiatsu massage therapy to increase energy, acupressure massage therapy pressure point techniques to relieve nausea, or Swedish massage therapy to induce relaxation.

Massage therapy supplements conventional medical treatment to improve clinical outcomes. Massage therapy training offered through massage programs at massage schools includes techniques which are effective in alleviating the symptoms of a number of medical conditions. Massage therapy training offered at several massage schools prepares massage therapists to effectively treat hospital patients in pre- and postnatal care, geriatric care, cancer patients, surgery patients, and those suffering from chronic pain conditions.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

REIKI HEALING

Reiki, or “universal life force energy,” is a Japanese energy healing system, often categorized with massage therapy therapeutic techniques in many massage school programs offered at massage schools. Developed in the early 1900s, reiki principles are closely aligned with those of shiatsu massage therapy and massage training. Reiki, is based on the main premise similar to that of shiatsu massage therapy; that we have a life force energy flowing through our bodies.

This energy flows along pathways, known in massage therapy training and massage therapy programs as meridians. Reiki channels universal life force energy, or Japanese ki, through the Reiki practitioner to the recipient. Like shiatsu massage therapy, reiki seeks to balance energy within the body. Similar to shiatsu massage therapy training taught in massage school programs, when this energy is out of balance in the body, or is depleted, then an individual becomes susceptible to physical and emotional ailments.

In a Reiki session, the practitioner places hands over key areas of a recipient’s body, with the intent to channel universal life force energy through his or her hands to the recipient to induce healing. Several massage therapy training programs instruct on how this hands-on touch can be combined with massage therapy techniques and visualization in a bodywork session for a powerful synergistic effect. The channeled reiki energy is effective in opening up meridians and improving energy imbalance, similar to the intent of shiatsu massage therapy acupressure techniques taught at massage schools which instruct on how to balance energy in the body.

Practitioner intent is an important aspect in the practice of Reiki, and is closely related to the massage therapist’s focus on patient healing taught in shiatsu massage therapy training in massage therapy programs. The places where ki flow is restricted results in physical organs at these locations becoming restricted in their functioning. If these energy blockages are not eliminated, illness results. Reiki can be combined with conventional medical treatments without contraindications. For more information on Reiki Training contact Dr. Browne for private classes at 305 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”