Massage Therapy

 The Benefits of Massage

What exactly are the benefits of receiving massage or bodywork treatments? Useful for all of the conditions listed below and more, massage can:

•    Promotes the flow of blood, lymph, and oxygen
•    Helps to eliminate toxins stored in your muscles
•    Facilitates tissue healing
•    Helps to manage pain and discomfort
•    Relieves muscle soreness, tension, spasm, and stiffness
•    Increases range of motion and mobility
•    Improves muscle tone
•    Lowers blood pressure
•    Helps muscles recover more quickly from exertion and fatigue
•    Reduces pain, swelling, and formation of scar tissue following injury
•    Boosts the immune system
•    Balances the nervous system
•    Increases endorphin secretion (the body’s natural painkillers)
•    Improves posture
•    Promotes restful sleep
•    Enhances skin condition
•    Promotes deeper and easier breathing

A Powerful Ally

There's no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your health care regimen.

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress. This translates into:

•    Decreased anxiety.
•    Enhanced sleep quality.
•    Greater energy.
•    Improved concentration.
•    Increased circulation.
•    Reduced fatigue.

Furthermore, clients often report a sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible physical benefits.

Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits

Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you'll be and how youthful you'll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn't mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.

Intra-oral Massage

If you have been diagnosed with TMJD or experience any of the symptoms below, a therapeutic Intra-oral massage may be right for you.

Common Symptoms:
    - Pain that is often described as a dull ache in the joint and nearby areas that comes and goes
    - Being unable to open the mouth comfortably
    - Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the joint on one or both sides
    - Locking of the jaw when attempting to open the mouth
    - TMJD Headaches mimics other types of headaches such as migraines
    - A bite that feels uncomfortable or "off"
    - Neck, shoulder and back pain
    - Swelling on the side of the face
    - Ringing in the ears, ear pain or decreased hearing
    - Dizziness
    - Vision problems
    - Biting cheeks or tongue regularly

The Massage Session:

The treatment consists of massage to the neck, shoulder, facial, and muscles of the mouth. The focus of treatment will be on your chewing muscles, eliminating any trigger points, and pain referral areas by releasing tension in the fascia around the jaw, neck, head and face. This treatment also includes intra-oral massage in which latex-free gloves are worn, releasing the masseter muscles inside the mouth to reduce the stress it can put on the jaw and temporomandibular joint.

Causes of TMJD:

Trauma-
According to studies by The Journal of the American Dental Association, trauma appears to be what causes TMJD the majority of the time. Trauma can take place in the form of a violent hit to the face, a car accident, dental work and any number of other ways in which the jaw area is disturbed. It’s been proven that mental trauma can lead to TMJD as well. TMJD can also result from upper cervical joint dysfuntion of the neck.

Teeth Grinding/Clenching-
The grinding and clenching of one’s teeth – also known as bruxism – causes extreme pressure on the TMJ joint. This constant pressure leads to the discs and ligaments deteriorating and breaks down the cartilage lining within the joint. Bruxism commonly happens while sleeping.

Stress-
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to you that stress has a great effect on your appetite, how you sleep, and your overall sense of inner peace. Well, stress is also what causes TMJD for a great number of sufferers. Stress causes tightening of the muscles, especially in the neck, shoulder, and jaw area. In turn, abnormal pressure is applied to the temporomandibular joint throughout the day. Try deep breathing exercises for 5 minutes each day to help combat stress.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis-
As you get older, effects of trauma and uneven wear and tear cause the  degeneration of the temporomandibular joint. The two biggest culprits are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the deterioration of your cartilage and lack of new bone formation in the temporomandibular joint. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a metabolic form of inflammation of the joint that can also lead to it breaking down.