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Caregiver Stress

Posted:Wednesday, December 13, 2017

By Massage Therapy Foundation President-Elect, Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB

65 million. In 2009, that was the number of unpaid caregivers in the United States. In a population where the average age is increasing, the number of unpaid caregivers in the USA is probably much higher in 2017. While the burden of caregiver stress is often overlooked, it is a very serious issue affecting our national health. Quite often, the caregivers do not seek medical care for themselves, yet the people they are caring for have far more attention from the health care system. The burden is heaviest for those caregivers who are taking care of a spouse since they are living with the people they are caring for; the burden is often unrelenting. In many cases, the caregivers are also dealing with medically challenging tasks such as catheters and wound care, challenges for which they feel very unprepared. The overall health picture for caregivers is quite bleak, with increased rates of depression, insomnia, heart disease, and ultimately decreased longevity.

However, there is positive news when looking at studies of the effectiveness of caregiver interventions. Even when the actual demands of care-giving have not lessened, many interventions have shown to decrease caregiver burden associated symptoms. It often doesn’t take a lot to make a significant impact. Massage therapy can be one of those interventions that can make a difference in the lives of people who give so much, but receive so little.

To this end, the Massage Therapy Foundation funded a 2017 Community Service Grant for the Rural Resources Community Living Connections in Pullman, Washington. This grant will fund massage therapy sessions for caregivers who are typically very low income, age sixty or older, and typically underserved in the health care system.

“For the first time in 6 years, it (therapeutic massage) forced me to do something for myself” — V.C.

This quote is from an individual who has been taking care of her husband for many years after his storke. He is bed-bound and remains at home and his wife was beyond thrilled when offered services that included massage therapy. Therapeutic massage is often the first step in a self-care regime that family caregivers need.

Community service grants are a program that everyone who has donated to the Massage Therapy Foundation can take great pride in. Together, we make a difference in the world.

Help us continue our Community Service Grants program with a gift today >>

Post-Massage Stretching Techniques To Enhance Your Treatment

By Jo Sahlin, Massagetique Correspondent

If you regularly engage in physical activity or exercise of any duration or intensity, you’ve probably been advised to stretch before and after. Incorporating stretching into a regular warm-up routine prior to exercising helps reduce the risk of tearing, straining, or otherwise injuring muscles and joints. It also helps muscles cool down after physical activity, which can guard against stiffness and soreness later.

Stretching after exercise, in a way, helps preserve the effects of exercise by preventing muscles from seizing up and losing their strength and elasticity. Similarly, stretching helps preserve the effects of massage–including relaxation and flexibility. Though athletes and others who lead highly active lives may stand to benefit most from stretching after bodywork, anyone can enhance the effects of a treatment by stretching. Consult with your massage therapist first to see whether they recommend specific stretches after considering your personal health profile.

Why Stretch after Your Massage?

Deep massage and exercise can affect the muscles in similar ways. Massage increases blood flow and circulation and can create friction in the tissues like vigorous movement does. During massage tissues and muscles are pulled away from one another, which creates the “loose” feeling you might have after a treatment. You might also feel taller, because massage helps counteract the daily compression and gravitational pull we experience.

Stretching after a treatment can keep joints mobile, maintain the looseness in muscles and tissues, and improve flexibility. It will also increase your tolerance for stretching–the more you do any stretch, the easier it becomes over time. Wise massage therapists also stretch before and after giving a massage to optimize body mechanics during the treatment and reduce their own risk of injury, strain, and soreness.

Simple Post-Massage Stretching at Home

Your routine will vary depending on your body’s limitations, your massage therapist’s guidelines, and your own goals. Keep movements slow, maintain a steady breathing pattern, and do not hesitate to modify any stretch for greater comfort. Most stretches are designed to be performed alone, though you can also call upon a friend or partner to assist if you would like help balancing, deepening the stretch, or creating resistance to build strength.

• Standing arm pull + bend: Stand with good spine alignment (hips over ankles with relaxed knees, tailbone relaxed, shoulders over hips, and ears over shoulders). Stretch your arms overhead and alternate reaching the fingertips of each hand up even higher. Keeping your arms stretched above your head, lean side to side. You should feel the stretch in your ribs and oblique muscles. To deepen this stretch, grasp and pull your right wrist as you bend to the left, and pull on your left arm as you bend to the right.
• Forward fold: Slowly bend at the waist, keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed. Rather than exerting pressure to touch your toes or the floor, simply let your upper body dangle in place and let gravity work to decompress your spine. You can sway slowly from side to side to help release tension. Your chin should drop to your chest so your neck isn’t working to hold your head. When you return to standing, do so very slowly and keep your knees bent. Lead this movement with your hips, so that your shoulders and head are the last thing to raise and stack on top of your spine.
• Knee hold: While lying on your back, bring one knee to your chest and hold it in place with clasped hands. Switch knees after 30-60 seconds. This alone is a significant stretch for many people; to deepen it you might press your knee into your palms to create resistance. For other variations, take your knee out to the side, away from your body (hip opener), or cross it over your other leg (twist).
• Cat – cow: On all fours, make sure your back is parallel to the floor as if you’re forming a table. As you inhale, sink your back toward the floor, stretching your tailbone and forehead up toward the sky. Exhale and curve your spine, folding your nose toward your knees. Keep your palms and knees on the floor the entire time, and repeat using your breath as a guide.

Check out the included YouTube videos for more pointers on stretching. If you would like to continue searching for or creating a different custom stretching routine, focus on low-impact movements that are not limited by clothing, space, or time. Tailor your routine to your needs and preferences, taking into account any recommendations from your massage therapist, current pain or injury you’re experiencing, and where you will be doing your stretching.

Precautions for Stretching Exercises

Never push yourself to a greater level of movement than is comfortable. Your range of motion will increase naturally over time, and you won’t do your body any favors by rushing that process. If something causes pain, it’s best to stop attempting that particular stretch and ask your massage therapist for further pointers.

These stretches are best used with massage therapy. While any stretch is likely to prove beneficial for you in some way, pair these with bodywork treatment to get the best of all worlds and start feeling better all around.

References:

1. Bandy, W. D., & Irion, J. M. (1994). The effect of time on static stretch on the flexibility of the hamstring muscles. Physical Therapy, 74(9), 845-850. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/74/9/845/2729345
2. Boston, G. (2014). Massage, foam rolling and stretching: A recipe for muscle recovery. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/massage-foam-rolling-and-stretching-a-recipe-for-muscle-recovery/2014/07/15/a0d7519a-0907-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html?utm_term=.53136b804b54
3. Herbert, R. (2012). Health check: do you need to stretch before and after exercise? The Conversation. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/health-check-do-you-need-to-stretch-before-and-after-exercise-46197
4. Joke, K., Nelson Arnold, G., Carol, E., & Winchester Jason, B. (2007). Chronic static stretching improves exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(10), 1825-1831. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Arnold_Nelson/publication/5936445_Chronic_Static_Stretching_Improves_Exercise_Performance/links/0912f50b4b9d12dad4000000.pdf
5. Magnusson, S. P., Simonsen, E. B., Aagaard, P., Sørensen, H., & Kjaer, M. (1996). A mechanism for altered flexibility in human skeletal muscle. The Journal of Physiology, 497(1), 291-298. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8951730
6. Weerapong, P., Hume, P. A., & Kolt, G. S. (2005). The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. Sports medicine, 35(3), 235-256. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200535030-00004
7. Why stretch after massage. (2015). A Healing Touch Massage and Reiki. Retrieved from https://icmassage.net/why-stretch-after-massage

Massage Therapy and Temporomandibular Disorders

By Massagetique Staff

It’s not news that massages offer more benefits to us than just a few heavenly minutes of relaxation (and some peace and quiet) – in reality they can serve as a natural solution to many of the illnesses, injuries, and everyday aches and pains we experience.

Of course, not all types of massages are suitable for every ache and pain – but the right massage can work wonders.

With that in mind, we are going to take a look at how massage therapy relates to and aids with one specific set of issues that many people experience: Temporomandibular disorders.

An Introduction to Temporomandibular Disorders

The term “Temporomandibular disorders” encompasses a variety of issues that affect one’s temporomandibular joint.

But What Is the Temporomandibular Joint?

To put it in the simplest terms, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the piece that connects your jawbone to your skull (along with the various ligaments and muscles that are connected to it).

This piece, the TMJ is a small disc-like piece of cartilage that sits between the upper jawbone (which is along the base of your skull) and the lower jawbone.

Essentially, it is a hinge (yes, like on a door) that allows movement of the jaw. Unlike a door hinge, however, which only provides one form or direction of movement, the TMJ enables us to move our jaws in a few different ways.

Not only does the TMJ allow us to move our jaw in an up and down motion, we are also able to move our jaws in both a forward and backward sliding motion and a side-to-side sliding motion.

This range of motions combine to allow us to perform various functions such as speaking, chewing food, etc.

What Are Some Common TMJ Injuries?

Different injuries to the TMJ, known as the temporomandibular disorders (TMD), can arise due to a variety of reasons and can cause different symptoms for different individuals.

The most common causes of TMD are:

• Trauma to the jaw, joint, or surrounding muscles – such as whiplash or a forceful hit to the jaw/face – which can cause fractures or torn ligaments/muscles
• Grinding or clenching your teeth, which in turn causes too much pressure on the joint and can cause inflammation and soreness
• Arthritis in the joint

How Can I Tell If I Have A TMD?

Of course, you won’t know for sure unless you visit a doctor, but some common symptoms to watch for if you suspect you have injured your TMJ are:

• Pain, soreness, and general discomfort of the area (on one or both sides of your face)
• Difficulties opening and closing your mouth, especially when eating or yawning
• Clicking or popping noises when opening and closing your mouth
• Swelling (again, on one or both sides of your face)
• Toothaches, headaches, neck aches, or earaches
• And lastly, even dizziness or ringing in your ears (also known as Tinnitus)

Massage Therapy for TMD?

Many who suffer from TMD have found the typical doctor recommended exercises, medications, etc. to be of little to no help in reducing the pain and discomfort their TMJ is causing them. This leads to many cases of individuals dealing with these issues long term – living with the pain everyday.

Fear not.

If you have been diagnosed with a TMD, there may be a few ways to heal the joint – or at least relieve some of the pain and discomfort impeding on your daily life – using massage therapy.

Intra-Oral VS. Extra-Oral Massages

When it comes to TMD, there are two directions you can take with your massage therapy treatment: intra-oral or extra-oral.

Intra-oral massages consist of treatment of the muscles inside of the cheek. This means the massage is done inside of your mouth. Massaging these muscles from inside, rather than from outside of the mouth, can actually be up to 80% more effective.

Extra-oral massages include any massaging of the facial muscles around the mouth from the outside. These massages are less invasive – and in turn more comfortable – and still highly effective for treating a variety of TMD symptoms.

Below we will take a look at one type of extra-oral massage that is commonly used to help treat issues surrounding the temporomandibular joint.

Myofascial Release for TMD

Myofascial release is a technique used specifically to help relax muscles and soft tissues in order to regain function and treat chronic pain – both of which are symptoms highly common to TMD.

Your fascias are the connective tissues that surround your muscles – injury and inflammation of your fascias can cause pain and discomfort and restrict motion. These fascial restrictions are common for those who have issues with their TMJ.

So, What Is Myofascial Release?

This is a technique used by trained therapists that consists of light pressure being applied to the soft tissue area around the affected area to release fascial restrictions. This release is done by increasing blood flow in the area, relaxing the muscles, and elongating the fascial tissues.

What to Expect

Going for a Myofascial release session is very similar to going to any other type of massage therapy. Your session may last from 30 minutes up to an hour, and will begin with your therapist identifying the certain areas that will need to be worked on.

For TMD, the areas that your Myofascial therapist will typically work on include the muscles and soft tissues of your neck, shoulders, jaw, and various spots around your head (including the intra-oral massage technique we discussed earlier).

Of course, it’s also important to practice techniques outside of your scheduled appointments as well. Self-care techniques that your therapist can show to you will only quicken the healing process and keep the pain at ease.

What Are You Waiting For?

Many who have gone through various massage-therapy treatments for different issues surrounding their temporomandibular joint have seen significantly reduced pain and discomfort as well as increased flexibility and movement of the jaw.

If you have been diagnosed with any type of TMD, or are experiencing symptoms that sound like it could be TMD – speak with your medical professional about massage therapy treatments and whether or not they would be right for you.

References:

1. https://www.massagetique.com/types/myofascial-release/
2. http://www.rmtedu.com/blog/temporomandibular-disorders
3. https://brontewellness.com/expect-tmjintra-oral-massage/
4. http://intrains.co.uk/experience/shop
5. https://paincareclinic.co.uk/pain/pain-conditions/tmj-and-jaw-pain/

Massage and the Mental Health Connection

By Massagetique Staff

Massage therapy has been used as a healing method for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations all over the world utilized their own unique massage techniques to heal injuries, relieve pain, and even cure or prevent illnesses. Even today, we are well aware of the many benefits massage therapy offers – aside from an hour of peace and quiet at the end of a long week.

It is surprising, then, that we are only now beginning to really utilize massage therapy as a method of healing not only physical ailments but mental illnesses as well.

With dialogue surrounding mental illness becoming more open and supported, we are recognizing that mental illness is, unfortunately, far more prevalent within society than we knew. We need all the help we can get to fight mental illness, which is why understanding the massage and mental health connection is a big step in a positive direction.

The Growing Issue of Mental Health

Awareness surrounding mental health is growing – as we become more aware of mental health and mental illness, we think it is safe to assume that this increased societal awareness is leading to better treatment for those suffering. If that were the case, mental illness would be on downward trend – in fact it is quite surprisingly the opposite.

Mental illness is on the rise. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will actually be the most widespread global disease within by the end of the next decade.

For the purposes of this article, Let’s take a quick look at how mental health affects Canadians in particular.

Mental Illness in Canada

• Each year, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience some kind of mental health problem or illness
• By age 40, close to 50% of the country’s population will have, or have had, a mental illness.
• Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some point during their lives
• Anxiety disorders 5% of the household population
• 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by mental illness or disorder
• Only 1 in 5 Canadian youth who need mental health services receive them

These are not the statistics we want to hear, so it is our responsibility as a society to work our hardest to find solutions to the mental health crisis (yes, crisis) that we are facing.

One technique that is now being used to help heal, or at least reduce symptoms in, those suffering with various mental health issues is massage therapy.

Massage therapy provides numerous benefits to those suffering physical ailments and is known to help reduce stress and rebalance our bodies – so it only makes sense that it would have the potential to provide similar benefits to those struggling with mental illness.

How Massage Therapy Can Help

In fact, massage therapy has been proven to assist those with mental illness in many ways. Different types of massage therapy have been found to have different affects, such as reducing symptoms, in individuals depending on what type of mental illness they are struggling with.

Two of the most common mental health issues, depression and anxiety, are two issues that have been found to greatly benefit from massage therapy.

Massage Therapy for Depression and Anxiety

The brain and the body are more connected than we realize.

A variety of studies have been done, along with the ongoing research that is taking place, in an attempt to understand the connection between massage therapy and mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

These studies have come to a number of helpful conclusions in terms of whether or not massage therapy is capable of reducing symptoms associated with these conditions, and how it does so.

• Massage activates participants’ sympathetic nervous system, which aids in reducing anxiety and improving mood
• Massage therapy activates various neurotransmitters that can decrease anxiety and lower stress hormone levels
• Massage therapy increases the amount of “feel-good” hormones in our bodies, such as serotonin and dopamine, while simultaneously reducing the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone
• Massage can alleviate many of the stress-inducers we experience, such as tension, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, insomnia, and headaches.

We already knew that massages were relaxing and stress relieving – but now we can see that they are so much more than that.

The ways in which massage therapy alters our nervous system and hormone balance in such a positive way make it hard to believe anything other than the idea that the connection between massage therapy and mental health is a strong one.

Mental illness brings us down – it creates a cloud of negative thoughts and feelings that overshadow our ability to enjoy life. The fact that a massage can trigger such positive chemical reactions within our body, reactions that are biologically intended to reduce stress and lift our moods, make massage therapy a great option to help those struggling with mental health issues.

It Can’t Hurt To Try

Many believe that massage therapy can help us to strengthen and heal our mind-body connection. This is evident in the ways in which we’ve seen massage therapy drastically reduce symptoms and improve quality of life once more for patients struggling with different mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety.

If you or someone you know is struggling with some form of mental illness, massage therapy might be the answer you are looking for.

Speak with a massage practitioner today about your concerns and open your mind to what they have to offer you.

References

1. https://www.massagetique.com/blog/health-wellness/6-mental-health-benefits-of-massage-therapy/
2. https://elementsmassage.com/blog/mental-health-loneliness-and-massage-
3. https://cmha.ca/about-cmha/fast-facts-about-mental-illness