How can a massage help me?
Common injuries, accidents, overuse of a muscle, and stress can settle into
our muscles and cause many types of problems. Massage is becoming increasing popular as a therapy that can help! Massage is
a calm therapy for relieving pain and tension. In combination with other techniques, massage can help us avoid prescription
drugs or surgery.
What types of problems will a massage help?
Massage is great for relieving muscle tightness. There are massage techniques
for releasing muscle tension through stretching and kneading the tissues of the muscle and the layers around it. In addition,
there are techniques that indirectly stimulate your nervous system to help your muscles relax.
Massage is one of the best therapies for stress. Without stress, you'll
find that you have more energy to enjoy life and help to prevent illnesses in the process. Because it can help relieve stress,
massage can also help with conditions that are associated with anxiety.
- Arm or leg tingling or pain
If a muscle stays contracted, it can interfere with the nerves that go
to the arms, legs, hands, or fingers. This interference will typically give a pain or tingling in that extremity. Massage
can help to relax the contracted muscle and allow the nerves signals to flow freely again.
What will my first massage appointment be like?
Howard, your licensed massage therapist, will begin your appointment by asking
you to fill out a Medical Intake Form that asks general health questions, since there are some conditions for which massage
is not appropriate. Based on your condition(s), Howard will determine a massage plan specifically for you.
Depending on the massage technique that is best for you, you may or may not
need to undress. For a full body Swedish Relaxation massage, people usually undress completely or just wear underwear. Howard
will show you to a private room where he will leave you for a short time so that you can undress and get onto the massage
table. During the massage, you will always remain covered except for the area being worked on (e.g., one arm, one leg, back,
etc.).
The massage will be given on a sheet-covered padded table that's heated with
a heated mattress pad, making it comfortable. The table is professional quality and stable (Howard uses an Oakworks® massage table for house calls, which has been tested to remain stable with more than
500 lbs.). When you are face-up, Howard will place a cushion under your knees for low back support and will use an adjustable
face rest for support when you are face-down. The room will be comfortable and quiet and will have soft music playing to set
a relaxing mood.
For most massage techniques, Howard will use a lubricant, such as light natural
oil or lotion, which is good for your skin and absorbs well. For some types of bodywork, no oil is used.
A massage session usually begins with a light pressure to start to calm your
nervous system and begin releasing tension. Gradually, Howard will work more deeply on areas that require it, but never to
a point of much pain, since the benefit of massage is gone with high levels of pain.
What other massage techniques are offered?
Currently, Howard specializes in the following:
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Relaxation Massage
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Deep Tissue/Therapeutic Massage
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Trigger Point Therapy (also known as Neuromuscular Therapy or NMT)
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Myofascial Release
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Medical Massage (prescription for massage from a physician)
He also offers the healing energy technique called Reiki (pronounced RAY-kee).
This technique can be used in a full session (a Reiki session) or can be added to your massage as needed.
For additional information on Reiki, go to
