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9 Ways To Relieve Plantar Fasciitis Pain

7/16/2017

 
What Is Plantar Fasciitis
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Plantar fasciitis is a chronic inflammation of the "bowstring-like" plantar fascia ligament that stretches underneath the sole. The plantar fascia supports the arch in your foot, acting like a shock-absorber. If tension and stress become too great, small tears can develop in the fascia that become inflamed and irritated. 
​

The main symptoms are:
  • Heel pain
  • Foot pain
  • Stiffness
  • Tenderness

Pain is usually the worst right after awakening with the first few steps, after long periods of standing, or rising from sitting, and worse after exercise. 

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis
  • Standing on your feet for a long time.
  • If you have recently started to exercise, increased your workout, or exercise on a different surface.
  • Wearing shoes with poor arch support or poor cushioning.
  • Tight calf muscles or Achilles tendon
  • Injury to the foot
  • Pregnancy
  • Obesity
Often there is no apparent reason for plantar fasciitis
What You Can Do To Relieve The Pain
Plantar Fasciitis Stretches
Plantar Fascia Massage

Rest
Stop or reduce any activities that may cause your foot to hurt. Avoid walking or running on hard surfaces. 

PicturePhysioadvisor.com.au
Ankle exercises
​Write the alphabet with your feet every night. This will increase circulation and strengthen the ankle muscles.


Ice and Heat
Ice your heel at least once a day. You can also use contrast baths, which alternate hot and cold water. Make sure to end with a cold bath. You can also use a heating pad on the low setting. 

Frozen Water Bottle
Roll a frozen water bottle under your foot. This can be especially helpful in the morning. You can also freeze and use a golf ball instead. 

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Supportive Footwear
Wear shoes that have the right arch support and heel cushioning for your feet. Your doctor may do a gait analysis to identify problem areas and prescribe orthotic inserts. 


Splint At Night
Wear a splint at night to stretch the plantar fascia ligament and the Achilles tendon. 

Physical Therapy
Your physical therapist can instruct you in a series of exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles, which stabilize your ankle and heel.

TMJ Pain and What To Do

4/27/2017

 
PictureMayoclinic.org
    Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) is a type of temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
The Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull (temporal bone) in front of the ear. You have one on each side acting like a sliding hinge. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open and close your mouth, you should be able to feel the joint move. If you move your jaw side to side you can feel that the joint has a wide range of motion. Problems with the joint or muscles can cause jaw pain, neck pain, headaches, or ear pain.

Causes
The exact cause of TMJ pain can be difficult to determine and in many cases the causes are unclear. Dentist believe the problems originate from the muscles in the jaw or the joint itself. 
  • Grinding and/or clenching your teeth 
  • Disk has eroded or moved out of its proper alignment
  • Arthritis in the joint
  • Accident - whiplash or heavy blow to the jaw
  • Stress
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http://anatomybody101.org
Signs and Symptoms
  • Pain or tenderness in jaw joint, face, neck and shoulders.
  • Aching pain in or around your ear
  • Jaw getting "stuck" or "locked" in the open or closed position.
  • Pain or difficulty chewing
  • Clicking, popping or grating sounds when you open your mouth or chew. 
  • Swelling around the jaw. 
  • Toothaches, earaches, ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dizziness
Seek medical attention if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or if you can't open or close your jaw completely.

What You Can Do To Relieve The Pain


See Your Dentist

Your dentist can replace crowns, bridges or braces to make the biting surface more balanced or correct your bite. They can also recommend a splint or night guard to lessen the effects of clenching and grinding.  

Jaw Exercises and Stretches


Use Heat or Cold

If you wake up in the morning and  your jaw is sore or painful, use a warm washcloth to warm up the area then do a few gentle jaw stretches. You can also use ice packs on your jaw and temple area for about 10 minutes, followed with a warm washcloth for 5 minutes. You can follow this up with either gentle stretches or self-massage. 

Be Nice To Your Jaw

Avoid extreme jaw movements, which means no chewing gum or ice. Try not to yell, sing, or do anything that forces you to open your mouth wide. Don't rest your chin on your hand.
Keep your teeth slightly apart, this relieves pressure on your jaw. 

​Jaw Self Massage


Professional Massage

Your therapist will focus on neck, shoulder, and facial muscles.  They will eliminate trigger points and release tension in the muscles around your neck, head, face, and jaw.  
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Get Rid of Tension Headaches
What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
Texting Thumb Got You Down?

Is Your Smartphone Hurting You?

4/24/2017

 
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Texting thumb, BlackBerry thumb, Gamer's thumb, Washerwoman's sprain, Radial styloid tenosynovitis,
​de Quervain disease, de Quervain's tenosynovitis,
Mother's wrist, Mommy's thumb.
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Americans love technology! We love it so much that we have multiple names for the Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) that happens when we use our smartphones, tablets, or other devices too much.  The average person spends around 23 hours a week texting, giving our hands, arms and elbows a workout without realizing it. 
The muscles and tendons that allow and support the movement of the thumb are very strong but were not designed for the intense repetitive texting that has become a common day occurrence. The cramped position that is required to hold our smart phones causes muscle fatigue, strain and tension. This leads to aches and pain in our thumbs, hands, neck and shoulder muscles. 
What It Feels Like:
  • Pain and numbness at the base of thumb
  • Swelling in base of thumb
  • Spasms, tenderness, burning sensation in hand
  • Tingling and numbness in hand, including joints
  • Difficulty gripping with hand
  • Pain in elbow
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What You Can Do To Relieve The Pain:
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Change The Way You Text​
Avoid using your thumbs for texting. Instead hold your phone firmly in one hand and use your forefinger of the other hand to type. Use speech to text feature whenever possible to reduce texting with your thumbs. 


Give Yourself a Massage
Gently massage around your thumb and into your palm. You can also use a Knobble wooden tool to get firmer pressure. Move up and massage your wrists and forearms. Make sure to do both sides! 

Daily Hand Strengthening Exercises 

Get a Professional Massage
If your pain is daily and debilitating, you may need to get deeper work to release trigger points in the hand and forearms. Your therapist will not only work on your hands and forearms, but also your neck and shoulder muscles. 
Use Heat and Ice
If you only been experiencing pain for about a week, cold is best as it will reduce swelling and inflammation. If you the pain is chronic or lasts longer than a week, using heat will help relax the muscles. 

Immobilize The Thumb
Our thumb is the most commonly used fingers and every day we inadvertently use it over and over. Resting the thumb (by NOT texting) and immobilizing it can speed recovery time.  Many different types of hand and wrist braces are also designed to immobilize the thumb. 


Daily Hand and Finger Exercises
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​

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Get Rid Of Tension Headaches

4/17/2017

 
Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headaches. Although some people get tension headaches for no apparent reason, they are usually caused by muscle tension in the neck and shoulders. Tension headaches are not hereditary. ​​
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Common causes for tension headaches:
  • Bad posture
  • Fatigue
  • Stress, including anxiety and depression
  • Hunger
  • Teeth grinding or clenching
  • Injury (whiplash, shoulder injuries)

Up to 80% of adults get tension headaches with women being two times more likely to get them as men.  If you experience a tension headache daily, you have chronic tension headaches and should consult with your doctor.
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The suboccipital muscles sit at the base of your skull. These four pairs of muscles are responsible for subtle movements between the skull and first and second vertebrae of the neck.  Tension in this group of muscles is a common reason for tension headaches. 
Tension headaches usually start with a dull pain or tightness in the base of your neck and shoulders. This can then wrap around the head and forehead. It has been described as feeling like a clamp is squeezing the skull.

It's best to treat tension headaches at the first sign when symptoms are still mild. The goal is to stop them from happening and to relieve any pain you're in. ​
Get Rid Of Tension Headaches Now
  • First thing if you can, take an aspirin or ibuprofen - right away - now - immediately - without delay - these pills have ingredients that help to shrink the swollen vessels that are contributing to your headache. If there is a medical reason or a possible other reason why you should not take such medication , then of course don't take them..
  • Start sipping very cold, ice water. Place the glass next to where you're lying down or sitting and sip it frequently.
  • Try applying a hot or cold pack to the base of the skull for 15-20 minute intervals.
  • Stuff two tennis balls into a sock and tie it off tightly. Lie on your back on the floor. Place the tennis balls under the base of your skull and allow your head to compress against them. Gently rock your head back and forth and side to side for a few minutes.
  • A 30-minute massage that concentrates on the neck and shoulders can be an effective way to relieve tension headaches. ​
  • If you feel a migraine coming on, you can place your feet in warm water and place a cold wash rag around your neck.  This causes the blood to rush to your feet and can relieve symptoms.
  • Many people have found either White Flower Oil or Tiger Balm to be very effective with relieving tension headaches.  
Long Term Prevention
If your headaches persist, are daily, or excessively painful, or came on suddenly, we strongly advise you to consult a doctor, without delay.  There can be more serious conditions that are causing the headache that require medical attention. ​
Improve your workstation to make ergonomically friendly using these 4 Steps!​
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Work on ​Your Posture
Regular Massage​
​
Receiving massage on a regular basis, can greatly reduce the occurrence of tension headaches. Massage will relax tense muscles and trigger points. It can also reduce intensity, frequency, and duration of tension headaches.
Online scheduling
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During the massage, your therapist will focus on the muscles causing the tension headaches, most likely in your neck, face, shoulders and back. Specifically treating the suboccipital muscles to relieve pain and tension quickly.

What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)?

4/3/2017

 
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a group of disorders that occur when nerves or blood vessels in the area between your collarbone and first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed. This narrow passageway is crowded with blood vessels, muscles, and nerves. This generally causes pain in your shoulders and neck and numbness in your fingers. Diagnosing can be very difficult and is often confused with carpal tunnel syndrome, frozen shoulder, brachial plexus syndrome, rotator cuff syndrome and bursitis.​
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There are three main types of TOS, named according to the cause of the symptoms; however because TOS is not well understood, there is still much controversy among physicians over these classifications.
Vascular - Rare and usually involves compression of the subclavian artery or vein. 
Neurogenic - Involves compression of the brachial plexus. The majority of TOS cases are neurogenic.  
Nonspecific-type - Involves unexplained pain in the cervical region, scapular region, and arm. Symptoms typically begin after a traumatic event.
What Causes TOS
  • Physical trauma or injury
  • Repetitive injuries from job or sports related activities
  • vigorous overhead arm activity
  • Weight gain
  • Anatomical abnormalities - such as having an extra rib
  • Pregnancy
Signs and Symptoms
Depending on which structures are compressed, symptoms can vary. 
Vascular:
  • Bluish color in hand
  • Arm pain and swelling
  • Lack of color in one or more of your fingers or your entire hand
  • Weak or no pulse in the affected arm
  • Cold fingers, hands or arms
  • Numbness or tingling in your fingers
  • Weakness of arm or neck
  • Throbbing lump near your collarbone
Neurogenic:
  • Muscle wasting in the fleshy base of your thumb.
  • Numbness or tingling in your arm or fingers
  • Pain or aches in your neck, shoulder or hand
  • Weakening grip

What You Can Do To Relieve The Pain

Massage Therapy
Massage is effective if the impingement is due to muscle tightness or spasm. Massage helps by relaxing the muscles, increasing circulation and reducing inflammation. If symptoms do not diminish with massage, impingement may be due to another cause and you should see your doctor. 
Stretches and Exercises
Ice or Heat
Using either ice or heat on the collar bone, shoulder blades and armpits and give some relief.  Generally rule is 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. 
Physical Therapy
Manual (hands-on) therapy may be applied to manipulate or mobilize the nerves of the arm to help reduce symptoms, such as pain and numbness/tingling. 
Acupuncture
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome such as pain, tingling and numbness is seen as a "stagnation of Qi and Xue”. Specific placement of single use, hair-thin needles can help release this stagnation, promoting smooth flow and inhibiting pain.
Improve Your Posture
Use a Tennis Ball
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When To See A Doctor
See your doctor if you are consistently experiencing any of the signs and symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Jaw Pain? Tips to help ease the pain!

3/31/2017

 
Experiencing jaw pain? Does your jaw click or pop when you are eating?
While tiny, your jaw joint the TMJ is a vital part of your health. Any type of jaw pain can prevent healthy eating and chronic pain of any kind can begin to affect your quality of life.

Common causes of jaw pain:
  • Whiplash
  • Head or face injury
  • Teeth grinding and/or clenching
  • Stress – As a response to stress, it’s natural to hold the body tight, including the jaw.
  • Common Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction:
  • Jaw, face or ear pain
  • Popping or clicking in the jaw
  • Difficulty in opening or closing your mouth
  • Headaches
If you suspect you have TMJ problems, you should first go see your dentist.

At-Home Tips You Can Use To Help Ease Tension and Pain

  • If you notice that your jaw hurts on the same side as you sleep this could be a major contributing factor. Try wedging a pillow under your back to prevent you from sleeping on that side.
  • Your jaw muscles work every day, and yet, are rarely treated to a soothing massage.  Take a few minutes each day to massage your face.  Gently use your fingers to massage, in small circular motions, along your cheek bone to the jaw angle looking for tender spots. If you feel tenderness that is a trigger point, press on the tender area for 15 seconds. You should start to feel the pain go away as you press. Continue to massage your cheeks, temples and forehead. It is best to repeat this daily to help the muscle stay relaxed.
  • Use an ice pack wrapped in a towel several times a day, for about 10-15 minutes each time. If you’re recovering from locked jaw, you may benefit from using heat packs. Once again, use for 10-15 minutes each time.
  • ​Spend long periods of time with your jaw wide open. The extreme reversal from clenched to wide open helps to break the habit of clenching.  You want your mouth to be wide open, but only as comfortable for you. Saying “ahhh” can help achieve this. Hold this for an hour, if you catch yourself with your teeth together, simply stretch your mouth open again.​
IMPORTANT : There can be many reasons for jaw pain symptoms labeled as TMJD and is often misdiagnosed. If your jaw pain does not improve with relaxation and TMJ massage, we strongly suggest that you get a second medical opinion. Jaw pain can be a sign of serious bacterial or fungal infection, or even Lyme disease. All can be very serious if left untreated.

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Get Rid Of Tension Headaches

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10 Tips for Enjoying Your Massage

3/10/2017

 
1.  If you don’t feel comfortable removing all your clothing, discuss it with your therapist. You can both come up with a plan so you can remain comfortable and the therapist will still be able to focus on your problem areas. If you would prefer to remain completely clothed, you can try chair massage and still receive the beneficial effects of massage!
2.  Don't eat just before a massage session. After eating, our blood rushes to the stomach to aid in digestion. When you receive a massage the blood is drawn away from the stomach to the areas being massaged. If you've eaten just before a massage, this can cause indigestion. 
3.  To talk or not to talk? Some people enjoy talking during their session while others enjoy silence. You should do whatever feels comfortable and your therapist will follow your lead. 
4.  Good communication is key for both you and your therapist. Before the session, let your therapist know of any new health information and what you are looking for in the session. During the session, speak up and give feedback on speed, pressure, music or anything else that would make you feel more comfortable. 
5.  If you feel like you are tightening up during your massage, let your therapist know. Your therapist can adjust technique, speed and depth of their stroke to help relax the area. 
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6.  During the session, if your therapist hits a “knot” or Trigger Point, very often people will stop breathing if the pressure is too deep. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation, so this is the opposite of what we want. You want to be able to breathe through the pain and we want the pain to “hurt so good.”

7.  It can be hard to quiet the mind during a massage. One way to bring your focus back to your body and quiet your mind is to follow the hands of the massage therapist. 
8.  Drink extra water after your massage. This is very important! After a massage, it’s important to flush all the toxins out of your system. It also helps to release “knots” hours after the massage! If you get a headache or feel nauseous after a massage, this is your first sign you’re not drinking enough water.  
9.  It’s not uncommon to feel dizzy or light headed after a massage. Take a few minutes to relax before getting off the table slowly. 
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10.  The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you receive a massage, your body will respond quicker and you will feel better. If you are getting massage for chronic muscular tension or recover from an injury, more than one session is usually needed, so be prepared to schedule several sessions.

​***If anything happens during the massage that you dislike or seems improper, you have the right to ask the massage therapist to stop. If necessary, you also have the right to end the session.***

    Heather McNay

    I've been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2006. In my free time I enjoy hiking with my husband and dog. I also have a passion for cooking, baking and gardening.

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  • Home
  • Pricing and Services
    • Massage Services >
      • Aromatherapy Massage
      • Bamboo Massage
      • Deep Tissue massage
      • Hot Stone massage
      • Swedish massage
      • Trigger Point Therapy
    • Pricing
    • Massage Wellness Plans
    • Scheduling
  • Gift Certificates
  • About
    • About the Practitioner
    • Contact Information
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Our Clients Love Us
    • Why we don't accept tips
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
    • Benefits of Massage