MASSAGE

A: This is called P.M.S.M.--Post Massage Soreness and Malaise!  A common misconception is that your body ache, headache, fatigue and nausea are a response from the toxins being excreted from your body.  However, your body naturally flushes toxins from itself, and regular amounts of metabolic waste such as lactic acid that builds up after a work out, is dispelled by the body through natural processes within an hour.  Massage can enhance circulation to speed up the process of detoxifying the blood, and expelling toxins from the body so that they do not sit in the tissue.  However, massage does not directly flush toxins from your system in a drastic phenomena causing the flu.  The real reason for the malaise is because the illumination of pain receptors in the muscles and the altercations in the soft tissue trigger the immunity system to produce T-Cells to repair the muscles. This immune response is the body's same response to the onset of a cold or flu.  The immune system's activation to heal the muscles is why you experienced body aches, headaches, fatigue, and nausea--all common symptoms that your body is fighting to repair itself and reestablish homeostasis.

A: Have you ever heard of D.O.M.S.?  Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is a common phenomenon!  One day a pug on a walk, and he could not handle walking more than a mile, so I had to carry this pudgy dog the rest of the way home.  My biceps ached so badly the next day!  Your muscles experience D.OM.S. or "muscle fever" after undergoing unusual amounts of stress.  The pain is a result of microtears in the muscle fibers, as well as the immune system's inflammatory response to heal the muscle.  This is why the pain sets in half a day to a day after the trauma occurs.  The immune system sends in a clean up crew of neutrophils and macrophages to clear away the metabolic waste of the broken down tissues.  However, these inflammatory cells can begin to affect other areas of the muscle tissue that were not damaged, therefore causing even more pain and inflammation.  Therefore, soreness is a sign that the body has acknowledged the trauma and is in the process of healing up.  Interestingly, a massage with moderate pressure two hours after an intense workout can reduce soreness by decreasing the spread of inflammatory agents throughout the muscle.  This is because the massage increases circulation, which speeds up the excretion of metabolic waste.  Massage also provides a temporary analgesic effect from boosts in serotonin and the gate control theory--which proposes that massage illuminates larger feel-good neurons, thus overriding the smaller pain neuropathways firing.

A: Massage breaks down the soft tissues in your body, thus releasing metabolic waste.  The way that your body clears metabolic waste is through the circulatory system.  The blood in your circulatory system carries the toxins through the liver to be filtered out and excreted through the gut, skin, and urinary system.  This entire system depends on the flow of blood. Blood is approximately 90% water.  Additionally, the main detoxification system of your body is the lymphatic system, and lymph is 95% water.  Therefore, keeping hydrated after a massage is simply a recommendation to make sure that your systems a fueled with water and flowing optimally to cleanse your body of all the metabolic waste that was more rapidly produced during the massage.

A: Massage helps clients with diabetes regulate their blood glucose levels--some studies have reported massage even LOWERING hemoglobin A1C levels.  

Are you one of the 50% of diabetic clients who suffers from peripheral neuropathy?  Intentionally long, gliding massage strokes from the extremities toward the heart can bolster circulation, slow down the build up of plaque that narrows blood vessels, and manage diabetic foot ulcers.  Over all, massage can improve a client's range of motion, stiffness and level of pain. 

PLEASE NOTE that the benefits of massage MANAGE symptoms, and DO NOT CURE disease!  A doctors note is advised before a diabetic client receives massage, as certain contraindications my apply or appropriate precautions must be taken before and after the massage.  For example: for clients with insulin injections a massage should take place in a timely manner in the middle of doses, or a client may experience severe dizziness from a significant drop in glucose levels by the end of the massage and should ingest candy or orange juice to restore their levels.

A: It is common to feel like your face is swollen or sinuses are dripping after a massage.  This could simply be due to the pressure of your face on the face cradle, as well as, gravity doing its job causing bodily fluids to pool in your head.  All this pressure causes the sinuses to flow!  

Another cause of facial swelling could lack of blood flow to your face while it is pressed tightly against the face cradle, then after releasing from the face cradle all of the blood rushes back to your face all at once. 

Blood and lymph fluid can also build up in the face due to poor circulation!  This can possibly be resolve with facial massage that specifically targets the facilitation of lymph and blood circulation.  

Another cause of swelling could be that the increased circulation and squeezing of muscles alert the immune system to send blood to areas of the body that require repair...which could include the cranial region.

A: The most immediate reasons that a client with insomnia can fall asleep on the massage table is because all their muscles that are constricted during the day are applied with extra pressure thus reminding them how to relax.  Having the entire body go limp brings the client one step closer to sleep, but there is also a chemical phenomenon at play here...

Massage releases feel good hormones--serotonin, endorphins and dopamine.  Endorphins are inhibitory neuro transmitters that block other neuro signals, such as stress and pain.  They bind to the opioid receptors of the nervous system so that signals of stress and pain cannot be launched.  These pain and stress hormones keep us restless and wired, so once they are bound up...it's easy to slip into slumber.

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