Essence & Qi

A blog by Pacific College

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Biofeedback and depression: Treating the blues with body-mind therapies

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When you’re stressed out or concentrating hard, your body responds in certain ways that you may not even be aware of: your stomach muscles tighten, you hold your breath and you blink less often. Your palms become sweaty, your heart rate increases and you clench your teeth. Realizing that such bodily reactions are occurring, and that you can learn to control them, is the basis of biofeedback therapy.
Biofeedback is an alternative therapy that can help people suffering from all sorts of health issues including high blood pressure, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , chronic pain, migraine headaches and urinary incontinence. Particular benefits are seen with biofeedback and depression , when bodily signals are used to help patients relax and elevate mood levels.

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/biofeedback-and-depression-treating-the-blues-with-body-mind#ixzz3M5oTQMI7

Myth Busters: Debunking False Claims About Massage

Massage therapy has a number of amazing benefits, but just like anything else, there are myths that exist to tarnish its reputation. We are here to debunk these falsities and shed some much-deserved light on a miraculous form of therapy!

Myth 1: The Effects of Massage are Temporary

Debunk: Ever heard of muscle memory? The wonderful (and sometimes frustrating) thing about our muscles is that they have long-term memory. If you spend most of your workday hunched over looking at a computer screen, odds are that you will begin to experience some type of pain. Whether you’re experiencing back or neck pain, getting a massage on a regular basis can re-educate your muscles to improve the mechanics of your body and your posture as well.

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Myth 2: Massages Don’t Help Migraines

Debunk: Massage therapy is a complementary treatment for migraine headaches. The application of pressure to points in the neck, shoulders, head, and face can help to ease any tension that a patient may be feeling. The applied pressure from massage can interrupt pain signals that would otherwise travel up to the blood vessels supplying the brain.

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Myth 3: Don’t Interrupt a Therapist During a Massage, Even if it Hurts

Debunk: Massage therapy is a relaxing and enjoyable experience, however we all have some “knots” that take a little extra pressure to loosen up. It’s not uncommon to experience a slight degree of discomfort when your therapist is working on a particularly tense spot on your body. If the discomfort persists, don’t be afraid to speak up. Your massage therapist wants to know how you are feeling so they can give you the best massage possible.

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Myth 4: Massage Spreads Cancer

Debunk: Some people fear that massaging over a tumor could cause cancerous cells to break off and enter different areas of the body via the bloodstream. Fortunately, massage has no way of spreading cancer throughout the body and a properly skilled massage therapist would not massage directly over a tumor site.

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Myth 5: Massage is not Safe in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Debunk : Prenatal massage is completely safe! In fact, research has been done to prove the positive effects that massage can have on pregnancy. The key to a successful prenatal massage is to find a certified pregnancy massage therapist. Doing so will ensure that he or she is massaging you through all the trimesters with the appropriate protocols for each. A prenatal massage therapist can also modify your massage to aid your specific symptoms.

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If you are ready for a massage, make sure to schedule an appointment with one of our clinics ! We are here to heal you.

-PCOM

It’s All in Your Head: Cranio-Sacral Massage

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Cranio-sacral therapy is a gentle, non-invasive hands-on massage technique. This specific type of therapy works gently on the bones of the skull, spine, and pelvis to enhance the cranio-sacral system. The cranio-sacral system consists of the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, as well as the attached bones. Cranio-sacral therapy is extremely beneficial and can be applied to anyone (at any age) who is looking for a relaxing experience.

The benefits of this modality are extensive. It can be used to increase resistance to disease, detoxify the system, boost immunity, and as a form of preventive healthcare. Cranio-sacral massage can also alleviate a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

Take a look at this list of the medical concerns that cranio-sacral therapy can improve:

  • Migraines
  • Chronic neck and back pain
  • Motor-coordination impairments
  • Colic
  • Autism
  • Central nervous system disorders
  • Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries
  • Infantile disorders
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Emotional difficulties
  • Stress and tension-related problems
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Temporal mandibular joint syndrome (TMJ)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorders and more

It’s not uncommon for patients to have powerful emotional releases during a cranio-sacral massage therapy session. Get ready for a truly healing experience!

Massage is a wonderful way to rid yourself of stress and achieve peace of mind. If you’re ready to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to give our clinic a call! See you soon.