Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

Researchers have been studying the medical, physical, and emotional benefits of therapeutic massage since the late 1800s. Their findings suggest that massage is beneficial in many daily aspects of human life. This article discusses the many proven benefits of therapeutic massage:

Stress and Anxiety Reduction

According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), therapeutic massage has been found to foster peace of mind, promote a relaxed state of mental alertness, help relieve mental stress, improve ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately, reduce levels of anxiety, and increase awareness of mind-body connection. Studies have shown that medical students who were massaged before an exam experienced a significant decrease in anxiety and respiratory rates. Cancer patients were found to have a similar reduction of anxiety levels.

Focus and Attention

Research studies have found that office workers who receive regular massages perform better at their job tasks than those who did not receive regular massages. Additionally, office workers who were regularly massaged were more alert and less stressed than those who weren't regularly massaged. Another study performed on autistic children showed that massage could promote a reduction in the erratic behavior common among autistic individuals.

Pain Relief

It's fairly common for pregnant women to undergo massage therapy in order to alleviate the discomfort associated with pregnancy. Additionally, athletes frequently get massaged to alleviate muscle pain. Massage has been proven to reduce the pain and swelling caused by strained muscles and sprained ligaments. Additionally, it helps to relieve tension-related headaches and headaches related to eye strain.

Rehabilitation and Healing

Therapeutic massage can stimulate weak and inactive muscles resulting in a faster, more complete recovery from an illness or injury in which inactivity causes muscle deterioration. Massage has also been shown to promote weight gain in both premature and HIV-exposed infants.

General Health

Massage improves blood circulation and lymph fluid movement. It decreases blood pressure and strengthens the immune system. People who receive regular massages have greater joint flexibility and range of motion. Massage enhances athletic performance, promotes deeper and easier breathing, enhances the health and nourishment of the skin, and improves posture.

While the physical benefits of therapeutic massage are great, perhaps the most notable effects of therapeutic massage are its emotional benefits. Many of the ailments found among persons in today's society are stress-related. Massage has been found to be extremely effective in stress and anxiety reduction, and it has also been proven to reduce the symptoms and feelings of depression. In fact, studies have shown that women who had recently experienced the death of a child were less depressed after being massaged. People who rely on prescription medications to relieve symptoms of anxiety or depression may benefit by indulging in a weekly massage session.

Benefits Of Massaging A Penis With Herbal Penis Massage Oils

Massaging a penis has been found to be very beneficial in treating problem of weak erections in men either due to getting old or due to any other deficiency in the body. It is well-known that a penis appears smaller if a person is not able to get full erections. It is the flow of blood that helps penis become stiff and hard, and it depends on the health of veins and tissues of the penile area on how long they can hold this blood together to perform sexual intercourse.

These days there are many products being sold in the market which claim to increase the size of penis as well as quality of erections, but their results have been found to be of mediocre nature and not long-lasting. As well as there are side effects associated with these products which may even incur permanent damage to penis, although some companies marketing these products still claim that they are safe to use and do not cause any type of side effects.

One of the oldest techniques of improving blood circulation to all parts of the body is massage therapy. Massaging a penis is helpful in increasing its size as well as helps in attaining fuller and bigger erection by enhancing the flow of blood to the penile area and improving the holding power of veins and tissues.

Some experts claim that penis does not have any muscles hence massaging it would be of no use. However some evidences have shown that massaging a penis increases blood flow to the penile area and increases testosterone levels and makes the veins and tissues of the area stronger helping men achieve longer lasting erections. Experts have developed massaging techniques for penis which give positive results in a very short period of time. Jelking, ballooning and milking are the most popular methods of massaging which men mostly prefer. All these help in enhancing the length and girth of your penis by helping the body full erections.

Massaging your penis regularly with cream, gel or herbal oils will make the penis stronger and will hold itself longer in the battle field. Regular massage will help in bringing in more blood to the reproductive organs hence also helping in enhanced libido, more intensity and quick erections after one orgasm.

The most important thing is applying the right technique and using a good herbal product which is free from any type of side effects. The effects of using herbs is long-lasting and almost everyone gets benefited from their use.

One such popular herbal product that is used by men worldwide is Vigrx erection oil. It contains a combination of some of the best potent herbs helpful in improving the overall sexual health of a person, as well as there is no other herbal penis massage oil that has so many positive customer reviews for it spread all over the internet as well as in some popular men's magazines.

While visiting the products website one can safely assume that the company is fully confident of its product as it is offering a full money back guarantee if their oil does not produce the desired results.

While ordering online one should first check the contact details of the company, if it is not offering any type of contact details then one should be wary of buying from them.

From what i found from Vigrx oil website they are offering live help to all its customers, so that all the questions are answered instantly.

One drawback i can see is that Vigrx oil's price is a little bit on the higher side but the company is offering a free tube with the first order, so it is winning deal all the way.

Massage: Helping People Recover From Stroke

One of the leading causes of death all over the world is stroke. It is defined by the Heart and Stroke Foundation as the sudden loss of brain function due to change of blood flow in the brain, blockage of a blood vessel in the brain, or the rupture of this blood vessel. Without proper flow of blood that delivers oxygen and nutrients to the brain, there is a huge chance of incurring brain damage. Suffering from stroke is one of the most unpleasant event that any family can experience. Stroke not only affects the stroke patient, but it affects the whole family as well. As such, recovery from stroke is the recovery of the whole family from a traumatic experience.

So how can massage therapy or therapeutic massage help stroke survivors in their recovery? Well, we all know that massage therapy is known to have a vast effect on the body's nervous system and circulatory system particularly through the improvement of the body's blood flow and circulation. In addition, massage is also known to help people relax, reduce stress, and decrease pain. Armed with these knowledge coupled with the mastery of various therapeutic massage techniques, there is no doubt that massage therapists can assist people in their recovery process.

In 2004, a study has been conducted to investigate how massage therapy affects stroke patients. The study was lead by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Department of Nursing and Wong Chuk Hang Hospital also located in Hong Kong. Results showed that the group who received ten minutes of slow-stroke back massage before bedtime for seven nights had significant lower levels of pain, anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate compared with the control group. If ten minutes can do that, how much more can regular sessions of therapeutic massage affect the recovery of stroke patients?

There are different types of massage therapy techniques that can be used for stroke patients depending on their needs and condition. Two of the most popular massage therapy techniques are Swedish massage and reflexology. Other popular choices of massage treatments especially in the area of Rocky Point, New York are sports massage, deep tissue massage, and pregnancy massage.

Swedish massage, reflexology, sports massage, deep tissue massage, and pregnancy massage can be availed at a leading, and well-known massage spa in Rocky Point, NY. But of course, recognizing the fact that it is hard for some stroke patients to travel back and forth to a massage spa, the massage spa can send one of their professional massage therapist for home or hospital visit.

Suffering from stroke is not a pleasurable experience. Rehabilitation from a stroke can often take months or even years. For massage therapy to succeed in its aim of helping on the recovery of stroke patients, it must be done properly and with utmost care. Relaxing massage environment should be simulated at all times. And of course, there should be open communication between the massage therapist and the patient. It is not just the massage who ensures the success of any recovery, but who gives it. Choose a massage therapist wisely.

Massage Envy Rockpoint
346 Route 25A Suite# 106
Rocky Point, NY 11778
(631) 821-3999
http://www.massageenvy.com/clinics/NY/Rocky-Point.aspx

Do Chiropractors Work With Massage Therapists?

Chiropractic and massage therapy work very well together. So much so, that it's not uncommon for chiropractors to employ or lease space to massage therapists in their very own office.

Some people have visited a massage therapist for stress relief or to deal with a chronic neck or back pain problem. When they didn't quite get the lasting relief they were looking for, they went to see a chiropractor.

While the chiropractor can work wonders on moving the spine and returning it's normal function, some patients end up missing their regular massages. They begin to think that they are "cheating" on their chiropractor and get nervous about whether or not they should even mention their visits.

Your chiropractor will usually be very happy you are seeing a massage therapist (depending on your condition). While the chiropractor adjusts the spine to affect the nerves and the surrounding soft tissues (including the muscles), they may not be able to spend the half hour or an hour that you may need to really get our muscles relaxed.

Having a professional massage your and relax any muscle tightness and spasm will help the chiropractor's ability to give you a more relaxed, pain-free spinal adjustment. The more tense the muscles are when the doctor administers the adjustment, the less comfortable it can be.

From a long term stand point, the Doctor of Chiropractic is also happy to have the improved blood flow and relaxed muscles too. While the doctor moves the bones, it's ultimately the muscles that will end up maintaining the bones in their proper place.

If you typically spend all day sitting at the computer and your muscles tend to get very tense (like most of us), it makes sense that you'll benefit from regular massages. Your chiropractor will not object to this in most cases. Where some people experience problems is when they have a herniated disc, or other condition that involves a lot of inflammation.

When your muscles are very inflammed, a deep tissue massage may tend to increase the inflammation, making things temporarily more painful. When the muscles are more painful, they are more difficult to work with and can keep the chiropractor from being able to work on your spine to the degree that they would prefer.

Talk over any treatments that you are considering or currently doing with any health care provider. Many are okay, and don't think you're "cheating" on anyone.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Massage

What are the health benefits of massage? Well there are many so I thought I'd create a list of ones I know and others that I've read about. After reading my compilation of health benefits, I think you'll agree that massage is a valuable service to mankind and a great addition to a life of health and wellness. Here's my top 10 list, how many others can you think of?

1. Reduced pain and stiffness. Pain is reduced through many choices of techniques that are appropriate to each situation.The human body responds better to human touch than almost any man-made instrument you can think of. I would say that 95% of my clients come to me due to pain and discomfort. Since I enjoy doing treatment work so much, I love it when they're in pain because I get to chase the pain away! One of the rewarding things about doing insurance massage is seeing your clients become independent of pain medications.

2. Stress management. Life is stressful enough and it seems like things are moving faster and faster all the time. It's easy to get overwhelmed these days with so much to keep track of anymore. Massage is a much-needed time-out for many people. It's a time to turn off all cellphones and leave that computer alone for an hour or two. I like to call massages a "Mini Vacation" for those who need a break.

3. Decreased anxiety and depression. Depression and anxiety can be a result of a chemical imbalance or an overtaxed nervous system. Whatever the cause, massage is great for bringing back some balance into the body and helping others to become present with themselves.

4. A stronger immune system. Many studies have shown that regular massage helps to keep the immune system strong and resistant from disease. Remember that the human body responds strongly to touch.

5. Increased lymph circulation. Lymph is naturally moved through the body through exercise which milks the muscles and helps to rinse toxins and impurities from the body. The lymphatic system is the first responder to infections and diseases. The smoother it runs, the less likely you are to become vulnerable to disease and disorders.

6. Improved blood circulation. Blood carries life-giving oxygen throughout the body and it works in tandem with the lymphatic system to keep everything moving right along.

7. Lower blood pressure. Massage can help lower blood pressure as it helps to take someone from a place of stress to a place of peace and rest. I've been told that one hour of an effective massage is equivalent to 4 hours of rest. If you're having trouble sleeping at night try getting a massage before bed.

8. Increased flexibility. Massage is great for increasing your flexibility because a massage therapist can practice range of motion and passive stretching on the limbs. A passive stretch gives you a better stretch than you can get on your own because the therapist is able to isolate the muscles more than you can do on your own. Range of motion helps to open and loosen stiff joints. Getting regular massage can help to prevent muscle related injuries in various sporting activities.

9. Reduced inflammation and swelling. Typically inflammation and swelling in the body are brought on by a trauma but sometimes they can linger in an area that's lacking good circulation. Inflammation and swelling are reduced by increasing the circulation of blood and lymph. With manual massage techniques, stagnant blood and lymph are moved back to the heart and fresh blood and lymph come back in to circulate the area. With less inflammation and swelling comes less pain and discomfort.

10. Greater enjoyment of life. Massage therapy greatly improves the quality of life for many people including the elderly, the stressed and those with painful conditions. I know that giving and receiving massage has improved the quality of my life and I've enjoyed improving the quality of life for others.

So there you have it. Hope you enjoyed my top 10 list of the health benefits of massage. I love sharing this information with my clients and they love becoming more educated about how massage can help their body.

Physical Therapy - How Physiotherapy Can Help You

"Physiotherapy is one of the modern ways of healing physical, mental and emotional injuries. It is also known to be the safest treatment when performed by a professional." There is a big misconception about physiotherapy; some people think that this will only treat serious injuries. However, physiotherapy can teat even the mildest pain like back pain due to stress or perhaps muscle cramps etc. this kind of therapy can help you ease the pain in no time at all. If you are the kind of person who does not want to turn to over-the-counter drugs or pain medications, you can opt for physiotherapy to help you ease the pain.

What is your thought about this kind of therapy? Do see it as a boring and rigid physical exercise? Some people think that this kind of therapy involves nothing but some boring set of physical activity that is somewhat tiring. However, physiotherapy is more than just performing a set of physical exercises. All activities being performed during the entire healing process are all needed in order to regain normal health.

Depending on your condition, you might be required to execute simple physical workout routines to help you ease out the tension from your body and muscles. For people with serious injury you might be required to perform physical exercises along with body massage for a certain number of hours or days. A human being's touch can have powerful healing that there is no need for drug intervention. That is why most people with mild or severe muscle cramps would rather opt to have a full body massage rather than reach for the bottle of pain reliever.

It is not only through healing of mild to severe injuries that physiotherapy can help you but it can also help promote normal blood flow. And this is great for people who are always stressed out with their work. Another way that this kind of therapy can help you is that it helps calm the tiring nerves within your body. People who are especially working manual labor i.e. seaman, construction builders, truck drivers etc will somehow experience muscle stiffness and this can be healed by means of proper massage techniques. Physiotherapy can also help a person using mobility aid to properly use these tools with ease and comfort.

If you have want total healing without taking any prescription drugs you can opt for physiotherapy. Of course, healing will also depend on several factors like the type of disease that you have the severity of your case as well as your cooperation. And when you are choosing a physiotherapist make sure that the person is licensed and has a good reputation. Avoid going to someone who is not a licensed physiotherapist.

Heal thy wounds by means of physiotherapy.

Massage Therapist Can Pick Your Profession by Your Aches and Pains

As a qualified massage therapist, we are often interested, and of course, concerned at how different types of aches and pains may be associated with certain types of professions.

With the simple question to a client, "what type of work do you do" we can predict with a high degree of accuracy where the customer is probably experiencing aches and pains in their body.

The professional office worker - The professional office worker will often have issues relating to one or even both sides of their neck. Even the ear they hold the phone up to can be predicted by the associated neck pain around it that side of the neck. We know who's using an ergonomic phone or ear piece and who's not. The massage would then focus on stretching the cramped neck out. The massage would also often need to extend down to that side of the shoulder. In addition, the muscles that extend up into the skull around that ear and side of the neck would often need attention too.

A male office worker will also often have issues with their calves. The massage therapist then has to focus on stretching out extremely tight calves. This can take several time and even several sessions. This interests me as a massage therapist, because often the customer job often involves sitting for long period of time - yet their calves are as tight as one would expect to find on a long distance runner. I have a theory that the body pushes stress to the furthest point away from the heart as possible to protect the heart.

So for office workers, it's the two extremes; the neck and the calves.

Trades people - The trades person often complain of pain in the mid section; from the legs, the glute muscles and the lower back. Often these physical roles involve bending, lifting heavy equipment and machinery so the mid body is strained. The massage therapist then usually focuses on stretching the back muscles which then results in improved blood flow to the area and relief.

It interests me as a massage therapist, that my massage technique is so dependent on the type of work my clients does.

Men are from Mars - The difference between men and women when it comes to massage needs is that women tend to be 'pamper driven' and enjoy all over massage. Men seem to be driven to solve aches and pain in their body and often have certain points around their body that they like the massage therapist to focus on.

Overall, its important to understand the impact one's profession has on their body. Pay attention to aches and pains and seek a resolution. There are few nicer ways to resolve pain than a massage.

What Does A Teaching Assistant Do? A Job Description

A teaching assistant, or teacher's aide, provides support for certified teachers. Although a teaching assistant's responsibilities vary greatly from school to school, the majority of teaching assistants work at least in part with students who have special needs and thus require more individualized attention. This individualized attention may include working one-on-one with a particular student, making sure several students are receiving their required services, and/or providing support to students to make sure they are able to succeed in their classes. The students may have a learning disability, an emotional disability, a behavioral disability, a physical disability, or they may be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism.

In addition to providing support to students with special needs, a teacher's aide may also assist the certified teacher with various classroom-related tasks, such as grading assignments, entering scores into the grade book, monitoring students, and/or teaching parts of a lesson. Basically, the teacher's aide provides the certified teacher with an extra set of hands and eyes in the classroom, which will allow the certified teacher to better reach all of the students in the class. Typically, classrooms that utilize a teaching assistant contain students who require more attention, so the extra help that a TA provides in these classrooms is invaluable, both to the teacher and to the students being served in the classroom.

TAs may also be called upon to perform a variety of other supervisory tasks, such as supervising the cafeteria, hallways, and/or outside activities. When supervising, teaching assistants will make sure students are following school expectations in these locations. Teaching assistants are valuable to a school because they have the flexibility to perform many tasks that certified teachers may not be free to perform. They perform many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that allow the school to run smoothly.

The teacher's aide position is a great position for three primary reasons. First, it is very satisfying to develop relationships with students, to serve them, and to help them be more prepared for the future. Second, because it is a non-certified position, the responsibilities are less than that of a certified teacher, which allows the teacher's aide to devote more energy to his or her life outside of the job, such as to family, friends, and hobbies. Third, the salary for this position is quite competitive.

Being a teacher's aide means having an exciting and fulfilling job that will make a significant difference in the lives of the children you serve.

Massage and Massage Therapy - Positively Uplifting

Let's cut to the chase.

What do you want to see when you look in the mirror? How do you want to feel when you look in the mirror? Let me take a stab at what you actually see and what you actually feel.

You think that the face looking back at you is unattractive, and that your best years have long gone, or even that the face looking back at you is downright ugly!

Why am I so sure? Because that is exactly what I said and exactly how I felt on a daily basis about the face that looked back at me from my own mirror.

Am I different from you... no way! I have spent far too much money on beauty products and anti wrinkle creams, on age reducing pills and potions and I've fallen for every 'Get young and beautiful' new product that came my way with a net result of not looking a day younger and not feeling any better about myself.

That is, until my best friend gave me a gift certificate for a facial massage. Without getting too dramatic, I can say with hand on heart, that without knowing it, my friend had given me a life changing gift. I had never considered massage or massage therapy, because I had it in my mind that it was an expensive luxury, and if there were any benefits I certainly didn't think they would apply to me.

When the time came, my friend had to drag me along for my facial, because I felt, uncomfortable, self conscious, and I suppose unworthy of that kind of attention. I felt that I was drawing attention to something that I'd been reluctant to even think about, let alone discuss, which at the time was an incredibly negative view I had of how I looked and how I felt about myself.

This doesn't sound like a great start to my life changing gift does it? Fortunately for me, my friend is made of stronger stuff and despite her ulterior motive (the gift certificate was for two!) she and I went ahead and had our facial. The facial itself didn't turn me into a teenager again, and nobody wolf whistled as we sat at a pavement café, but something was definitely different.

I've come to understand that the reason I felt different was because a couple of popular myths had been dispelled during my facial. The first popular myth was that massage was not for the likes of me. The second popular myth was that the benefits of massage and massage therapy wouldn't apply to me. The results of that facial massage and the many that I've had since have been to give me a sense of self appreciation. Massage and massage therapy is for the likes of me and it is most definitely not just for the benefit of a select few. Speaking of benefits, the list of improvements that massage and massage therapy delivers goes on and on, and as I've discovered for myself, the benefits are not confined to physical improvements, but to psychological improvements as well.

Do I look like a supermodel... well I never have and I never will, but that's not the point. I'm now happy to look at myself in the mirror and more to the point, I feel good about what I see and I'm happy with how I feel. To keep me feeling this way I give myself a thorough facial massage every day and I make a big deal out of doing so. I put on relaxing music and I burn essential oils to create a completely enjoyable experience. A half hour is all it takes and yes, I do believe I look younger, if I say so myself.

I suppose the main point here is that you, me or anyone else deserves to feel good about themselves, and for me, the gift of a facial massage was the necessary trigger. There are many things in life that can give you that much needed lift and I hope you find them, but for now, giving yourself a facial massage is as good a kick-start as any.

To your continued, outstanding health.

P.S. Don't be afraid to slap on some so called age-reducing lotion or potion if that's what it takes and don't beat yourself up either, after all, you're only human.

Copyright (c) 2007 Sam Benton

Physical Therapy Techniques - A Compact Detour

The aim of physical therapy is to focus on the well being and health of a patient suffering from any kind of ailment. Such ailments could be diseases such as arthritis, wear and tear of body parts, post-surgical difficulties and any other condition that might occur. Often, physical therapy is used in conjunction with medical practices with a similar goal; the restoration of mobility and the rehabilitation of the patient.

Professionals use different techniques of physical therapy to enable the patients to start healing their injuries. Each technique is unique and has a different level of effectiveness for a particular ailment. A physical therapist is trained enough to know when what kind of technique is useful at what time and should be able to implement the necessary actions to gain desired results.

There are a few techniques of physical therapy that have been prevalent since the birth of this profession, while other techniques have evolved with the changing technological innovations and research. The face of physical therapy is constantly changing with the changing technology and research.

Massage is perhaps the oldest method of physical therapy. Massages usually involve manipulating tissues to achieve a particular goal. This goal varies with each patient and also depends on the needs of the patient. There are a number of benefits of this type of manipulation. Relaxation and tension release are the main benefits gathered from this technique. Although this technique of physical therapy is relatively easier to perform, a considerable quantity of knowledge is required in order to perform it correctly. Very often, the traction force is applied on the area that is tight in order to restore a normal texture and feel to the tissue. This kind of myofasical release concentrates on stretching in order to reduce the restrictions and barriers that are on the body. This helps in reducing pain and improving movement.

Other techniques of physical therapy concentrate on arthritis, general stiffness, soreness and joint care that can severely impair the movement of the joints causing discomfort for the patient. The physical therapist should be able to guess what kind of treatment is suitable to reduce pain: rest, basic joint mobilization or the joint. The physical therapists should be able to loosen up the muscles that are causing the stiffness, as well as improve the mobility range for a particular joint. The therapist will use particular hand motions and placements in order to release particular contracting agents that can reduce pain. This method especially helps those who have arthritis and whose joints might have grown stiff due to lack of use because of pain.

Another physical therapy that is used often is hydrotherapy. Also known as aquatic therapy, hydrotherapy makes use of water as a device for the implementation of different complementary techniques. Water has numerous effects. Water helps in reducing strain and stress built in the body due to exercises performed on land. This especially helps patients who are recovering from fractures, arthritis patients and even overweight people. Water helps in providing the required resistance for successful exercises.

There are a number of other techniques of physical therapy that are effective in the restoration of health to the body. People suffering from pain and limited motion can also benefit a lot from these techniques.

Benefit of Massage For Different Trauma

Massage has physiologic and psychological effects on the body. Part of the physical effects of a massage may include a general and muscular relaxation, improve blood circulation, enhance circulation of fluids and elimination, reduce pain and increase joint flexibility and mobility.

Edema is the retention of interstitial fluids may be associated with inflammation or poor circulation in either case the edema need to be processed by the lymphatic system.
Some types of edema contraindicate massage but when you have fluid retention due to a sub-acute musculoskeletal injury or temporary immobilization massage is a great healing tool. In our South Florida offices we have found edema in most trauma. It is almost a normal reaction that will decrease with time. Part or all of the edema will persist and will organize itself. The massage can drain the edema when it's applied early and help to avoid that organization. Later it will still help but may take longer to resolve. Sometimes the edema will appear later, mostly in the lower body. The massage techniques to use will vary with the type of edema. Long and superficial massage will be used first, later you can go deeper.

Superficial scar: Superficial scar tissue is a growth of new tissue, skin or fascia, after injury. They can be by their extent and their nature a major functional handicap. In absence of contraindications, massage around the edges of a new scar can have tremendous impact on the healing process.

Strains are injured muscles can bring pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling. Pain is exacerbated by stretching. In our Fort Lauderdale office we have found that massage is more effective in the sub-acute stage, it will flush out the toxins and the flow of blood. Massage is instrumental in the rehabilitation of an injured structure. In chronically recurring condition, the appropriate massage technique can reduce edema, limiting adhesions, improving the circulation and the mobility.

Ligaments and tendons pain: In case of rupture the massage is temporary a counter-indication. But when the trauma doesn't request surgery the massage is an excellent indication in order to drain the edema and free the movement. Use some local pressure and deep on specific points.

Edema, superficial scar, strains and ligaments or tendons pain can affect the mobility of the different layers in the segments or articulations of the body. You sometimes have some formation of adherents tissues and the massage can reduce it.

You can definitely benefit from massage in many different trauma.

Career Path Of A Licensed Esthetician

The field of esthetics is a rewarding career opportunity for you to consider as it has a good range to choose from. Becoming a licensed esthetician does not mean that your sphere of work is limited to working in beauty salons. You also can find yourself working in medical spas, dermatologist offices other than the said salons or day spas.

If you have set your mind on this career path, a licensed esthetician, you will need to complete an intensive training program and pass both hands-on and written exams required by the state board. Then you will be ready to give advice on skin related matters, provide services like facials, waxing, makeup applications and other beauty matters. After establishing in your career, by furthering your education helps you to stay informed about the latest trend, technology and innovations in the industry.

The salary ranges from $15,000 to $50,000 or more and all this depends on the types of services offered, the level of experience, geographic location, employer, clientele and more. There is a lot of flexibility in this career field as you can be an employee or you can open your own business with the skills you have acquired.

To start off with after you have decided to take this esthetics career route, you need to look into a school cosmethology program. Cosmetology is a field that encompasses skin care, hair and nail care. If you are only interested in skin care, you might want to look for a specialized esthetician school in your area. There are many massage schools offering esthetician programs. Upon deciding on your education, do ensure that it is an accredited school that allows you to take all necessary state exams upon completion of the program. The duration of your schooling is dependent the choice of educational program. Some programs may take six months to complete while others may take two years or more.

Before enrolling for any esthetics programs, with a known budget, career goals and personal preferences will definitely help you in the choice training you should take. In addition, the schools you may consider enrolling in should have an admission counselor or advisor who can advise you matters related to the course you have shown interest in.

5 Reasons to Get a Therapeutic Massage

For persons who have never experienced a therapeutic massage they may have no idea of the relaxation and healing properties they are missing out on. Many persons would rather to visit a doctor or specialists and receive advice and medication to help relieve their pain or deal with their illness. Nowadays, even doctors are referring patients to certified massage therapists in order to help relieve pain and disease. A massage is much more than someone rubbing aching muscles and playing soothing music in the background. Therapeutic massages have healing properties and are able to successfully and effectively rid persons of pain, swelling, stress and anxiety.

Persons who have had a therapeutic therapy will attest to its effective and healing nature. There have been millions of people who were at one time sick, in pain or simple depressed and after going through a therapeutic massage have come out remarkably healed. Massages are no longer just a hyped concept but has turned into a proven miracle alternative.

Therapeutic therapy has the power to relieve and reduce pain and similar afflictions. There have been many studies on the basis of massage and how it affects the body and mind. It has been discovered that thoughts produce various chemical reactions in the body which further bring about weakness or pain. Just as how a depressed individual may feel tired and have frequent body aches. Massaging various areas of the body will release these troublesome chemicals and bring about relief and positivity.

What happens during therapeutic therapy is that a qualified and certified massage therapist will manipulate and massage various soft tissues which help to stimulate blood circulation. This stimulation reduces pain. Some therapists will also include aromatherapy or the use of oils during massage which have several healing qualities as well. There are five main advantages to therapeutic therapy.

1. Therapeutic therapy helps to relieve aching and tense muscles. During massage, the therapist will use his or her skill to loosen tightened muscles, some of which you may not have known were tight to begin with.

2. It helps to improve the circulation of blood. Bad blood circulation can result in pain in several areas of the body. Once the area is stimulated most people experience a relieving and calming sensation.

3. Therapeutic therapy with the use of oils helps to heal illnesses and diseases. There are many essential oils used during aromatherapy which have several healing properties. For example, peppermint oil can be used to relieve chest congestion, fevers and pains in the joints of the body.

4. Massage also induces a deep sense of relaxation. When going though a stressful time the body is unable to relax or rest. Therapeutic massage has the ability to induce relaxation which will drastically improve the quality of sleep and be able to rid individuals of their stress and anxiety.

5. Therapeutic therapy also frequently detoxifies the human body by massaging and promoting circulation in the lymph system. This rhythmic massage helps to drain the lymph which in turn releases toxins.

Therapeutic massage has countless other benefits and advantages. Athletes are the most common types of people who undergo therapeutic massages in order to relieve their bodies from their day to day vigorous activities. Many physicians also refer asthma, edema and cardiac problem patients to therapeutic massage therapists as this type of massage has had vastly positive effects in these areas.

How to Choose an Equine Massage School

There are many choices on the market today on the subject of deciding from where you could possibly get your equine massage education. Because this kind of alternative healthcare for animals keeps growing in popularity the choices for obtaining instruction within the field seem to be expanding almost exponentially. Just how do you determine which program to choose? Read on for some things to consider when coming up with the decision:

Time
What kind of time do you have to dedicate to learning this new skill before you need to go into practice? Everybody is hunting for a method to make extra money while keeping their current job. Others have lost their jobs because of the unstable economy and are looking for a job whereby they may improve themselves and never know the pain of someone else controlling their income again. Some people are stay-at-home moms with a family to consider while some are high school graduates with all sorts of time to dedicate to their vocation. The different options are any place from one weekend to multiple weeks and even A couple of years worth of weekends obtaining your equine massage education. You need to decide on a school to suit your time needs.

Cost
School fees may differ widely for no apparent reason. The price tag doesn't invariably dictate the quality of education you will definitely get. That's the spot where it gets tricky. You really are going to have to investigate this one. Look at everything the school is providing for that price. As an example, are books or some kind of a printed curriculum included? What about meals? Lodging? Transportation? The list can go on so make sure you are at ease with the price vs. value in the horse massage school you decide.

Location
Where would you like to spend time receiving this education? There are several beautiful schools all over the United States that give classes in horse massage. You should choose a place you can afford in addition to a location where you know you'll be comfortable. School locations vary from extremely rural to extremely urban; the spectrum is quite varied. You might not want to be stuck out in the center of the boonies without having cell service within a rundown farmhouse alongside people you have not met in your life! However, this may be exactly to your taste! Investigate it thoroughly because there is definitely an equine massage school for all.

Instructors
Be sure to understand who your instructors are going to be. Read up on them. Learn their education just as much as you are able to. Here's another tricky topic: just because the teachers have oodles of letters behind their names, they are certainly not necessarily able to explain what you need to know. Sometimes the most effective teachers/coaches/trainers to have aren't those who know it all or have done it all. The best educators are those who definitely have a burning desire for their work and a keen awareness of other ways to impart the knowledge to you and can connect to YOU. One excellent strategy to know if the instructor meets your needs is to be able to speak with them in advance. A phone call can be worth its weight in gold! Connect with the actual instructor(s); do not assume that discussing with the assistant, receptionist or spouse of the instructor is good enough.

Some school websites may even convince you your instructors ought to have written articles or books to be valid. Exactly the same principle applies. While books and articles are an exceptional thing to be able to tout, they don't always mean the instructor can teach the things they know.

Certification
Equine massage schools can provide you a certification if you have taken as little as 16 hours of class on up to 2200 hours of class and even more. Currently there isn't a national standard within this industry. Equine bodywork legal requirements vary from region to region. So a certification from any school or program at this point is simply a certificate of attendance. However, the greater hours you attend, the chances are the more educated you are. Does this necessarily cause you to be an outstanding equine bodyworker? Maybe, maybe not; but, the industry is now making efforts to unify and you are even able to become nationally certified from the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure and Massage (NBCAAM) when you have acquired 200 hours or more of equine massage education. If you truly are concerned with the world at large having respect for what equine bodyworkers do, it might be most appropriate that you endeavor to obtain the National Certification in order to bring harmony and credibility to the practice. You don't have to obtain all 200 hours of education through one horse massage school. As just stated, you are able to still become an equine massage/ bodywork therapist without having a national certification. However, you'll want to have a certificate of attendance from whatever school you chose in the event that a prospective client should ask.

Your Purpose
Knowing what you want to do using the education you are seeking can be an essential element. Do you want to start your own horse massage practice? What type of massage or bodywork are you interested in? Are you looking to improve your ability to look after your own personal horses? Do you possess prior experience with horses or are you completely green to horses and this sounds fun and interesting? Do you already do bodywork or massage with horses and you're simply seeking to increase your knowledge? Are you the type who thrives on large volumes of head knowledge and technicalities, or do you think you're an individual that prefers to discover the art form of the craft and so are more kinesthetically inclined? All of these questions should really be answered to enable you to restrict the list of schools or programs that are perfect for you. Each school offers different elements which usually tend to satisfy different types of people. Discover the what and why of your wish to begin this field and then do your research with your answers at heart.

Conclusion
Needless to say, this isn't a complete list. There are even more items you may consider when you begin finding the right equine massage school to suit your needs. The most important point is, don't enter into a school without knowing enough to set your heart at ease. When you feel you've answered the majority of questions the selection will begin to become clear and you will begin on a path to an experience that you're going to likely enjoy immensely.

Massage Therapy - The Real Health Benefits

Massage therapy has been found to have numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. No longer is it just a luxury, it is a necessary part of living a healthy lifestyle!

What do you think of when you hear the words "massage therapy?" For many of us, the term is associated with an extravagant vacation or a relaxing spa day. While many think of it only as a luxury, there are actually a number of health benefits associated with getting regular massages. Few people are familiar with the many benefits of massage, but once you learn about them you may find that a bi-weekly or monthly massage is essential to your well-being as eating well and exercise! Schedule your appointment today, both for your relaxation and your health!

One of the most obvious health benefits of massage therapy is its effectiveness in stress reduction. This is not to be underestimated as stress can have significant effects on the body, both mentally and physically. Other, less well-known benefits of getting regular massages include improved circulation, increased flexibility, reduction in stretch marks, reduction in post-surgical swelling, and migraine relief. Massage can actually enhance the body's immune system by stimulating lymph flow.

It can also affect mental health, with some individuals finding it decreases depressive symptoms as well as anxiety. Finally, for anyone who considers themselves an athlete, whether just a weekend cyclist or training for a marathon, massage is an essential part of your training. This type of therapy can help to both prepare the body for a strenuous workout and to aid in recovery. If all this is not enough evidence, many individuals report enhanced sleep quality and less fatigue with regular massages.

The medical community has recently begun to embrace massage therapy as a valid treatment and it has become increasingly popular as a valid form of medical treatment for many populations, from newborns to the elderly. The amazing thing about this treatment is that it can be effective for everyone and has virtually no side effects!

Massage therapy was once thought to be a luxury but with recent research touting its many health benefits, massage should no longer be reserved as just a splurge. Getting a 60-90 minute massage regularly can improve your health and overall well-being in a multitude of ways. Schedule your appointment today and start feeling the benefits immediately!

Nursing Program Versus Pharmacy Technician Program

Knowing that you want to pursue a healthcare career, but not exactly which kind, can be uncomfortable. Should you apply to medical school or dental school? A physical therapy program or a speech pathology program? Or, as we will discuss here, a pharmacy technician program or a nursing degree.

At first glance, these two programs may not sound like they have a lot in common. After all:

- a graduate of a nursing program can expect to earn a higher salary than a graduate of a pharmacy program.

- training to work in a pharmacy as a technician takes less time than training to become a nurse.

- graduates of a pharmacy technician program can find work in a supermarket, drugstore, or hospital pharmacy, but nurses are more likely to work in an a hospital or clinical setting, or in a private home.

- Becoming a nurse can mean embarking on a path of lifelong learning. Many nurses return to school after graduation to pursue such specializations as newborn nursing or palliative care; to learn about new developments in the field; and, to qualify for better paid positions.

But, a pharmacy technician program also has some fairly significant overlap with a nursing program in that both programs attract people who:

- want to help others - These are both caring professions. If you prefer the idea of chatting with a customer across the counter, opt for a pharmacy technician program. If you like the idea of participating more directly in the hour-to-hour care of a patient, opt for nursing.

- who are willing to work irregular (i.e., not 9 to 5) hours.

- can pass a criminal background check with flying colours.

- have good communication skills.

- are prepared to observe a code of ethics.

- are organized.

- are responsible.

In fact, some people leave nursing to pursue a pharmacy technician program, and vice versa. In a nutshell, nursing pays better, but can be more stressful. But nurses who switch to working in a pharmacy should be forewarned that they may find it difficult to resist the urge to share their past professional knowledge with clients, who must legally be referred to the pharmacist for medical information of this kind.

A pharmacy technician program, like a nursing program, prepares students for a career that is:

- based on science

- but geared towards patients or clients

Like nurses, grads of pharmacy technician programs must be prepared to work long hours on their feet. They must be alert for signs of drug-seeking behavior in clients.

Like graduates of a nursing program, pharmacy technicians should be able to secure employment fairly easily. So no matter what you decide, you should be able to start earning shortly after graduation.

Physical Therapy Assistant Schools - Your First Step Towards a Promising Career

Are you interested in pursuing a career as a Physical Therapy Assistant(PTA)? Then perhaps you should go through the Physical Therapy Assistant Schools in your area to find out about the training and courses offered.

Training to become a physical therapy assistant is indeed quite an interesting and an enjoyable experience. Simply put, a PTA is a person responsible for assisting physical therapists with a vast range of clinical tasks. These assistants work closely with therapists and administer treatments to most patients. Some of the main tasks of a PTA include:

• Providing assistance in treating patients to improve their mobility, reduce their pain and prevent them from developing physical disabilities


• Aiding in exercises, massages, ultrasound, paraffin baths and electrical stimulations


• Maintaining the cleanliness of the equipment as well as the treatment area


• Organizing the necessary tools and treatment area


• Helping patients who require support or pushing their wheelchairs

The Training

In order to become a Physical Therapist Assistant, you must first complete your high school diploma and then search the best PTA Schools to find the best. Though an associate's degree is sufficient, some Physical Therapist Assistants choose to pursue a bachelor's degree and gain additional work experience before entering the practical field. An advanced degree is also an option you may consider, but it is only required if you wish to become a Physical Therapist

Choosing the Right School

In order to become a good Physical Therapy Assistant, you must first find a good Physical Therapy Assistants' School. So, while checking schools, look for the following factors:

• Accreditation


• Location


• Costs and Financial Aid


• Timings


• Flexibility


• Curriculum and the Courses offered

Courses Offered

During their course of study in Physical Therapy Assistant Schools, future PTAs normally have to study some basic courses such as:

1. Introduction to Physical Therapy

This is a foundation course that is based upon the history of the Physical Therapy, its current state and the upcoming treatments. An understanding of the different health care ethics, psychosocial effects of injuries and different rehabilitation methods is involved in this course.

2. Therapeutic Exercise

This is a class where students learn to develop exercise programs and monitor patients' performance. Other topics included within this course involve injury prevention, conditioning and performance maintenance.

3. Pathology Class

Here students will learn about human pathology, common ailments and injuries. Apart from this, they will also learn how to help in healing patients' respiratory, gastrointestinal, circulatory and musculoskeletal conditions.

4. Orthopedics Class

This class helps students understand different diseases, ailments and injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system. This in turn enables them to recognize the different symptoms of orthopedic conditions as well as develop treatment program.

Now that you are well aware of the different aspects of choosing from the many Physical Therapy Assistant Schools in your area, are you ready to pick the right school for you?

Massage Therapy and Your Golf Game

If you play golf then you know the importance of having a good swing. Your swing makes or breaks your golf game. The follow through and mechanics of your swing are very important to long term success. To ensure you have a consistent swing, it is vital to warm up your muscles, joints and tendons prior to playing. Proper warm up consists of stretching, light exercise and massage. These are important to get your body prepared for the repetitive physical activity that it must perform. Now you may not know that a massage chair can be an effective part of your pre-golf game.

Golf although it is a low aerobic sport, still puts significant stress on the body. The repetitive nature of the swing puts disproportionate stress on the lower back, wrist, elbow, shoulder, knees and hips. These areas must work in tandem to produce a true swing. If there is tightness or soreness, then the body tends to compensate. This affects the outcome of your swing and where your ball will go. Proper warm up and stretching helps to loosen muscles and prepare them to work harmoniously together.

Now when you warm up you should be stretching out the following areas: back, arms, legs, hips, shoulders. Get a stretching routine down, so you work all the areas each time. You will want to do some warm up exercises and perhaps some walking to loosen the muscles. Massage therapy should also be included to loosen up the lower back, hips, shoulders and legs. Massage chairs are particularly effective in this regard. They can provide targeted Swedish and deep tissue massage to these areas. Also the application of heat helps with blood circulation and muscle relaxation. Massage also increases alertness helping concentration during the game. Massage should be performed prior to action, because if inflammation occurs, then there are limited therapies that can reverse it. When getting a pre-game massage remember to obtain adequate hydration.

An area of particular importance is the lower back. Most golfers complain about lower back pain. The lower back or lumbar area is the fulcrum of your swing. The leverage in your swing is a function of this pivot point. This is used repetitively throughout the day on every swing. It is vitally important that the major muscle groups used in this area are effectively warmed up. This includes the low back, hips and legs. These areas need to be warmed up and stretched. A good warm up includes the application of heat to enhance blood flow and a penetrating deep tissue massage.

Injury prevention is important for your long term golf game. Many injuries can be prevented and totally avoided. Some of the common causes of injuries are from poor swing mechanics, hitting the ground, too little warm up, over-swinging and twisting during the swing. Most injuries are related to the golf swing. This is where people can through out their backs or swing too hard hurting their elbow. Most of these causes can be substantially reduced by performing a proper warm up. Know your body and keep in tune with it, so you do not over-exert and injure yourself.

Your golf game can really be improved with massage therapy as part of the warm up. Of course, warming down is also important. If you are playing a few times a week, then it is really important to establish a warm up routine. This way you make sure that all of your muscle groups are adequately prepared for the physical exertion. Most people think of getting a massage when the experience soreness or discomfort. Unfortunately, this is trying to fix the symptom rather than the cause. Massage has many benefits and can help improve your game and your golf attitude. The most convenient and economical way to add massage to your game is with a massage chair recliner. If your swing is on, then life is good. When your swing is off, well then you will need a lot of Mulligans.

Getting Started With Pediatric Physical Therapy

Adults are not the only people that benefit from physical therapy. Children of all ages come in to get the personalized attention that comes from meeting with a therapist and learning new skills or practicing skills that need a little help. For some, these appointments are just to change minor issue before they become a real problem. Others come because they need help to have independent movement and skills as they grow.

Diagnosis

How do you know whether your child needs physical therapy? Parents do not always know what is considered to be normal for children of a certain age. It makes it more difficult that some children develop sooner in some areas and later in others. However, there are some set standards that a pediatrician is aware of that help a doctor determine if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. If you, as the parent have any concerns, be sure to bring them up at the next doctor's appointment. Even if it is nothing it cannot hurt to ask and get some peace of mind that everything is normal.

The Earlier, The Better

In most cases, the early a child begins physical therapy, the better. While this is not the only treatment option available for kids needing some extra assistance, it can begin to help. Some things can be corrected and improved upon right away while others may take months or even years to see real improvement. The goal is early detection of any type of issue so that the child can receive the necessary help as soon as possible.

Options for Patients

There are a variety of different ways that physical therapy treatment can be handled. Some parents go to the first few appointments with the child and talk to the therapist about what can be done at home. There are often exercises that can be practiced to make improvements. At certain increments, the parent and child will come back in for the therapist to talk to and check on how the progress is going.

Others will need to come in at set intervals. Some will come in a few times a week; some will come in a few times a month. The number of appointments often correlates to the issues being addressed. After an initial consultation, the therapist will meet with the family and explain how the evaluation went and which course of action makes the most sense for the child. Most of the time the medical professionals and parents work together to ensure that the child is making progress.

It is important to check with the health insurance company to see what if any pediatric physical therapy is covered. There are times when the coverage is denied and a medical practitioner needs to add more information to the claim to explain the situation and how these appointments will make a difference in the child's life.

Understanding the Health Benefits of Reflexology

You might have tried reflexology massage before. But, were you aware of the possible health benefits this massage therapy technique can provide to you? If not, here are the things that you need to know about the health advantages of reflexology:

Let us start with a crash course regarding the beginnings of reflexology. This technique has been present since the ancient times. This is believed to have originated from China. Some evidence carved in stone reflexology stones and charts show the presence of this technique at that period of time. The most famous technique is foot reflexology. Some people might be aware that foot massage can become a daunting session to undergo. However, the benefits can outweigh the pains that you have to go through.

It makes use of pressure or reflex points on parts of the body. The hands and the feet are the two main parts that indicate these points. The application of pressure unto these points is basically what makes up reflexology. This action allows certain electrical channels to be opened. It is believed that these channels have closed over time due to particular physical and emotional imbalances and stresses that a person has to go through throughout his or her lifetime.

Furthermore, it is believed that when a person is experiencing pain or tenderness on his foot, there may be the presence of a particular health condition that needs attention. This also means that an imbalance is present.

When you undergo reflexology, you will be able to let the blood flow inside your body more effectively. This will then provide a lot of benefits to you in your everyday functioning. This will also make you less susceptible to stresses.

People who have migraines might seek this type of therapy to relieve them of the pain that they are experiencing. Migraines are characterized with acute attacks but the condition can last chronically. This means that you have plenty of time to decide of you would get a reflexology or not. Do not wait for the attacks to come very often before you decide to take measures. Those who are constipated might likewise consider this technique. As the different parts of the body will benefit from the efficient circulation, your digestive system will also be affected. Digestion and peristalsis can resume in a normal manner if this are corrected by reflexology.

If you are experiencing pains in your neck, shoulder or back area, a reflexology massage can help you be free of such problems. The effect can be instantaneous for some while there are also people who will notice that their pain will not go away immediately after the session.

However, you have to keep in mind that this technique might not be the only health management that you need. It is always wise to consult a medical doctor and determine what your health condition is. Reflexology may only be a method that will be used to augment or complement medical management and measures that you need to undergo for your particular condition.

A Physical Therapy Program Can Help Educate Aspiring Physical Therapists

There comes a time when you're contemplating your college degree and you've got to look towards the future. After all, you're not going to be a student forever. Usually, the intention of getting a degree is to move you forward into a professional setting, where you can work at a job you love doing something you enjoy.

Ideally, you'll be able to take some time and brainstorm about what it is you want to do after you graduate long before you're even thinking about putting on a mortarboard. If you have a job in mind, you'll be able to pick a degree that closely resembles your future profession. Even better is the fact that you'll be able to take classes that will help expand the knowledge you'll need for your future.

Nowadays, many students are interested in professions involving the healthcare professions. However, not every student wants to become a doctor or a nurse. Fortunately, there are plenty of careers available to students who want to help others, but aren't looking to donning a white jacket to do so. One of the jobs that is rising in popularity is that of a physical therapist.

These types of therapists are healthcare professionals who work with people of all ages who are suffering from medical problems or other limiting, health-related injuries or illnesses. Usually these illnesses prevent patients from fully moving or performing activities as functionally as they would like to on a daily basis. They also work with patients to prevent the loss of mobility before it happens by promoting healthier lifestyles and habits.

Those who enter this field practice in a variety of locations, from hospitals to outpatient clinics to private offices. Most full-time therapists do work a 40-hour workweek, often including evenings and weekends to accommodate their patients' needs. Being a physical therapist does require physical strength - these professionals may have to stoop, kneel, crouch and stand for long periods while working. Sometimes they also move heavy equipment or help patients turn or walk.

Practicing physical therapy does require some time spent in school, as well as the applicable licensure required in the state where you choose to practice. The American Physical Therapy Association's accrediting body accredits entry-level academic programs specifically focused on this specialty. These programs include 12 master's degree programs and 200 doctorate programs. You will need to complete an undergraduate degree before you can move on to the graduate therapy programs.

Job employment for physical therapists is expected to grow by 30 percent within the next seven years, which is faster than average for all occupations. In 2008, those in this field held about 185,500 jobs, and as patient access to the services of physical therapists increase, so do jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for physical therapists were $72, 790 as of 2008.

6 Things You Must Know Before Becoming a Physical Therapist

Many people do not really know how to differentiate a physical therapist from personal trainer or exercise instructor. In their point of view, these 3 professions are the same. In fact, they are totally different in terms of level of education and scope of work. If you have the intention to become a qualified therapist, here are some important things you need to know before making your final decision.

• In order to get involved in this field, you need a master degree in physical therapy. If you have no idea how to select the right school, you are advised to browse through the website of the American Physical Therapy Association to find out the list of accredited schools and their admission information.


• If you are not sure about the prospects of this career, you are advised to consult the local hospitals, rehabilitation centers or any private therapy practice about their hiring forecasts. From there, you are able to decide whether this is a rewarding field or not.


• You have to bear in mind that this line is highly competitive. As a result, you are reminded to maintain an excellent grade during your study.


• Before getting into this line, you should start enhancing your interpersonal skills. Be prepared that you are required to advise frustrated patients and family members from time to time in your future workplace.


• Before starting your career, you must pass the mandatory licensure examination once you have completed your master degree. It is important for you to check your state's exact licensing requirements before you graduate.


• Remember that you have the freedom to choose which areas you would like to specialize. You can work towards a specialty in neurology, pediatrics, woman's health or sports medicine.

Working as a physical therapist is challenging. You need to make sure that you have reached the competency level required before you start working.

Wheelchair Lifts for Home: Safety Issues Addressed by a Physical Therapist

Potential questions have come up on the safety of using a wheelchair lift in the home for my clients. Designed to provide simple transportation from level to level, the use of a lift will without question improve the quality of living of persons with physical disabilities. In my practice, the question "Are wheelchair lifts for home safe or not?" has become a common one whenever one decides to buy a lift device.

What has made the usage of a lift in the home hazardous in the eyes of some? Lets take a closer look.

Nearly 50% of reports of wheelchair lift injuries feature a trapped limb or family pet getting caught during the lifting procedure. These types of accidents are user caused and cannot be associated with any raised safety risk from the device itself.

Roughly 25% of injury reports of wheelchair lifts in the home are caused by faulty installation of the lift device and not the device itself. A vast majority of these incidences were the result of the user or a family member believing they could self-install the lift when in fact they should have consulted a professional to assist in the install.

The remaining incidences of lift malfunction are from the normal wear and tear of the lift device itself. Just like any other mechanical appliance in the home, the lift does require intermittent maintenance to maintain its function and working status. Failure to do so can result in malfunction and potential injury.

In the end, as a physical therapist I highly recommend acquiring a wheelchair lift for your home to assist in mobility. If installed properly and maintained throughout the years, your lift will provide many years of usage and assistance.

3 Tips For Your Injured Shoulder Before Doing Rotator Cuff Physical Therapy Exercises

- Support your injured arm during your normal daily activities.

Your arm should be propped up when driving your car, while on your computer typing, or while sitting on a chair or couch at home. The arm is pulled down by gravity when it's not supported and this causes excess stress on the muscle of the rotator cuff. A nice pillow or cushion works best. If you can keep your arm supported most of the day, and prevent the natural effects of gravity, your pain and swelling in your shoulder should be reduced. It may be hard at first to keep it supported, but this will create a significant positive difference

- Put ice on the top of your shoulder every day.

A bag of peas or carrots that has been frozen works very well to ice the shoulder. The bags easily conform to the shoulder's shape. As stated before, be sure the arm is supported while icing down. Leave the frozen bag on for fifteen to twenty minutes at a time. If your shoulder is still in pain, it's possible to ice it down more than once a day. People often ice their shoulder before going to bed since it makes it easier to sleep. It's not uncommon to want to use a heating pad for your sore shoulder. It may feel good, but heat doesn't do anything to reduce the swelling, unlike ice.

- Support your hurt arm with a pillow at night while you sleep.

Putting your sore arm up on a pillow while you sleep will help reduce stress and pulling on the rotator cuff muscle. This will help to position the rotator cuff muscle in a good spot and will make it easier to sleep. If possible, sleep on the side of your good shoulder. If you sleep on your bad side, it will put pressure on the bursa causing pain and making it difficult to sleep. Also, don't sleep on your stomach or with your arms positioned over your head. This will cause unwanted stress and pain in the shoulder.

A Solution to Muscle Weakness

MUSCLE WEAKNESS

If a muscle is not given any work to do each little muscle fibre becomes thinner and the whole muscle begins to lose its strength. Some groups of muscles become weak faster than others. When a footballer has a knee injury his quadriceps, the muscles on the front of his thigh get weak very rapidly. These muscles need exercising early on in order to increase their strength so that he can return to his team as soon as possible. It is also very important that all patients are given exercises to restore muscle strength as soon as possible and so minimise the amount of weakness that occurs. These early exercises, therefore, have to be carefully designed so as to complement the other Physio techniques. Exercises are needed for all the muscle groups in the affected area and they are adapted to suit each patient's requirements.

Ideally exercises are part of the ongoing treatment once the initial pain has subsided. Muscles only respond to the demands placed on them. When an injury has healed the muscles will recover in response to the amount of work they are asked to do. If the limb is favoured then the muscle will never recover its normal function. After a period in bed, during which time the leg muscles have been completely inactive, one feels weak at the knees when up. Stay in bed too long and the muscle fibres become so weak that one wouldn't even be able to stand up. So in the case of a long illness or a long-term injury the muscles have to be given specific work to do to build up and restore the power required for every day living. In so many cases, due to the absence of specific exercises, a compromise is struck and the body has to make do. People are heard to say - I've never had any strength in my back since my accident - my shoulder has always been weak since the car crash - that's my bad leg - I'm always going over on that ankle - I've never been able to open a jar with that hand since I broke my wrist - etc. etc.

All of these situations are examples of inadequate muscle power. Even after a long period of time muscles can still adapt and strengthen in response to stimuli from the right type of exercises. Muscular imbalance can lead to problems in the future. For instance a calf injury will result in weakness of the muscles and if not restored to normal strength running and even walking will be slightly out of kilter. This puts strain on other muscles and joints. By being aware of and practising 'special warm-up exercises' prior to any bout of violent exercise many of the torn muscles, trapped nerves, sprained ankles or back problems which occur can be prevented. Exercises only increase the strength in muscles when they are done on a regular basis.

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Running A Day Spa - Things You Need To Do Before You Start

Running a day spa involves a lot of responsibilities like hiring licensed employees such as massage therapists. Check that their licenses are renewed and not expired. You will also need to hire hairstylists, facial specialists, manicurists, and assistants. It's best to get highly qualified workers who charge a little more than get someone who doesn't know how to cut hair or give a proper manicure. Make sure that they have pleasing personalities and excellent manners because working in a day spa involves very close contact with clients.

You also have to find a good spot for your salon. Location is important for the success of any business, including a spa business. Look for a place with a lot of traffic, both foot traffic and clients who come by car. The salon should be visible and provide a lot of parking space. Check zoning laws in the area to make sure you will be allowed to open a spa in that area.

Running a day spa also needs a bit of sophisticated flair. Decorate you spa to what appeals to your market. If you are going to service upscale clients, use good quality porcelain tiles for the floors, install good quality mirrors, choose your lighting well to be both functional and appealing to customers. Makeup artists prefer a certain type of lighting. You can have just a small section specifically for make-up and facials. Salons are supposed to be relaxing so lay off red paint or other loud colors.

Once begin hiring workers, ask for reference and make sure that their licenses are renewed. Have them do procedures on you like a facial or massage to test if they are good at what they do. Crunch some number and find out if you should pay them a fixed monthly rate or offer them commissions. Some dayspas offer a small monthly rate but give commissions to employees.

Running a day spa also includes the responsibility to buy equipment and supplies. There are many supplies needed at a salon from nail polish to hair treatment solutions and massage oils. The list is pretty extensive. If you don't have a list of supplies yet, go to a massage or beauty school and ask them for a complete list of equipment and supplies you will need. They may also know where you can get cheap used equipment that are still in good shape. This can lessen the initial money you have to spend to open a spa.

Provide something special when customers visit your salon. Offer a nice refreshing drink or tea. Stick bottled water. Create an ambiance that spells P-A-M-P-E-R-I-N-G. Buy luxurious towels, soft linens, fluffy pillows, and comfortable massage tables. Have enough supplies of towels, robes, nail polish, etc. Make your clients feel like they are royalty for a day.

Direct more budget into promoting your salon that buying expensive new equipment. Good marketing can get more customers through your doors. Have some brochures and fliers printed prior to opening the salon so you can start spreading the word around town that you will be running a day spa in their area. Advertise in the local publications and have the local radio station advertise yours service a few days before opening.

Running a day spa involves more details than what we've just discussed here. There are more things to do before and after you open the salon. You have to manage earnings, train staff, buy cheap supplies, find affordable equipment, and keep learning new trends in the day spa industry. You can learn a lot by talking to people who have been in the business. Their experience and unbiased advice can come in handy for you. Look for a mentor who can guide you to success.

How to Grow Your Business As a Massage Therapist

Starting your very own massage business can be nerve wracking as making the effort to grow your business as a massage therapist. The potential to earn in this industry whether you are employed or you own a brick and mortar is high establishment.

Who would not prefer to be their own boss and be flexible with their schedule? Unfortunately, the problem is that you may be trained in the best massage schools in the proper techniques of giving a massage therapy but to be able to grow your business as a massage therapist is sometimes not part of the training.

Truly to the successful therapist making good money and seeing your business thrive is a dream come true. Having your own massage business and knowing how to grow your business as a massage therapist is also a way for you to make the dreams of other therapists come true by providing them an avenue with which they can practice their craft without having to worry about having their own office space.

Maybe all you need to know is how to implement marketing strategies to be able to market your massage business. Marketing is important to any business and if you don't have the budget to be able to hire a marketing professional then it's time that you learn what to do to see to it that you grow in this industry.

Marketing is one of the main ways for you to be able to grow your business as a massage therapist and in this industry it means the things that you do that the clients can see, hear, or smell. From how you maintain hygiene in your office, how your office looks, the tools and equipment that you use, down to the massage products that you apply to your clients during a massage, constitutes marketing.

Next, identify your target market this will help you narrow down the scope of the potential clients you want to attract.

Create flyers that catch the attention of potential clients. Put a very catchy phrase or a photo that creates a mental image of what you are about. Provide all the necessary information so that you can be reached: your name, your license number which is mandatory, the name of your business and its location, phone number, and these days email address is also important.

Also add the services that your business has to offer and the price range because people nowadays will want to know beforehand what they will have to pay for before reaching deep into their pockets. If you specialize in a particular service, it would not hurt to let your potential customers know of this.

You may also want to put a discount coupon that they can bring and use on their first visit. Once they decide that your services are good they will want to do repeat business with you and pay the regular price.

The last tip is if you want to grow your business as a massage therapist, you should take the time to keep track of your clients, know where they are and their contact numbers. If you notice some of your regular clients not coming back you can remind them by sending letters.

You could inform your clients in your letters of your enticing new promos and packages. You must regularly remind these people because the more you remind them the better the chances of them coming back and perhaps at that time, they'll bring along their friends.

Massage Therapy As a Career

Have you been thinking of receiving massage therapy training? The interest in massage therapy, as well as its reputation as a respected healing form, has grown tremendously in the last several years. Years ago massage would bring up visions of questionable "massage parlors" but that is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. With the growing interest in natural forms of healing, massage schools teaching how to give a therapeutic massage are now showing up everywhere.

If you are thinking of making massage therapy a career, I would suggest you receive a number of massages from different therapists first. Get a feel for what kind of work feels best to you. Are you interested in massage therapy that is sports oriented or are you more interested in a more relaxing style? Take note of styles and types of techniques that you most resonate with. Most massage therapists, after working for some time, will bring their own blend of styles and techniques to the table.Therefore receiving massage therapy from seasoned massage therapists can teach you a great deal.

Chances are the style you received and liked will be taught in a school somewhere in your area. Explore the different massage therapy schools that are available. Take a look at the different styles they teach and how many hours of training they provide. Some will provide the minimum number of hours required by your state. Others will provide more extensive training. If your thinking of working in another state, check to see what their requirements are as every state is different.

It is also very common for massage therapists to continue to receive additional training once they have started to work. If your willing to leave your area , there are countless schools that provide short trainings that can even "certify" you in different styles that you can then incorporate into your own massage sessions. The great benefit of doing this, is not only does you massage continue to become better and more specialized, but it continues to make giving a massage more fun and interesting!

Once you choose a massage school that feels good to you, there is no doubt that your massage therapy training will be a truly memorable experience. The journey of attending classes can be a fun and inspiring experience. The training will include receiving work as you and you fellow students practice on each other. This is vital as you continue to experience what does and does not feel good and can receive feedback from the friend your practicing on. Very often a bond is created with the other students and your realization and respect for the gifts of massage therapy continues to deepen.

Sleep and Massage - Circadian Rhythms and Singing the Blues

Sleep and Massage therapy should be a normal part of your natural life rhythm. We have a biological clock that is called a circadian rhythm. This rhythm is what keeps us healed and whole. On a 24-hour cycle, the sleep and wake rhythms carry us through the vitality of the day and the restfulness of the night.

But what happens when you interrupt any rhythm? Pretend you are at a stunning Beethovan concert listening to a piece being performed, awaiting the crescendo. Suddenly, the music quits.

When rhythms are broken or interrupted, the result is discord and feelings of anxiousness and maybe even anger. Interrupting the circadian rhythms produces the same results. Lack of sleep can have you singing the blues all night long. Massage helps restore balance so the rhythms of your life ebb and flow in a natural pattern.

Sleep and Massage - Chronobiology and Songs of Exaltation

Chronobiology is the study of biological rhythms and that is what sleep is - a biological rhythm. When your sleep is consistently poor or constantly interrupted, it has a direct impact on your physical and emotional health. While you are sleeping, the body is preparing for another wake cycle. It is during sleep that most of the healing process takes place.

Sleep promotes immune function and restores metabolic balance. During sleep, brain proteins are increased which affects mental acuity the next day. Adequate sleep is instrumental in maintaining weight. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by a severe lack of sleep.

The consequences of insomnia on your health include loss of concentration and decision-making abilities. It causes irritability and emotional instability. Many people turn to over-the-counter drugs to combat insomnia, but massage and insomnia relief is a much more natural approach to the problem. If you have insomnia and message therapy is available to you, life is about to improve drastically.

Massage therapy is a technique of applying pressure on the upper tissue levels of the body using kneading and pounding and rubbing. Sleep and massage are perfect partners, because massage activates the parasympathetic half of the autonomic nervous system for relaxation.

Massage also turns off the sympathetic nervous system which is the source of stress. In doing so, getting a massage and relieving stress create better sleep patterns. If you want to sleep and massage therapy can help, there is no reason to delay. It is a therapeutic drug-free means of reducing incidences of insomnia. Instead of singing the blues, you will be singing songs of exaltation.

Sleep and Massage - All Night Long

The daylight hours must not be long enough, because many of us use what should be sleep time to stress about problems. Massage therapy is a technique that can eliminate the physical results of the day's stresses so sleep is enhanced. There are many reasons why sleep and massage make a great match - reasons both emotional and physical.

• Lessens lower back pain







• Eases chronic fatigue syndrome







• Reduces muscle tension







• Eliminates headaches







• Lessens effects of medicinal side-effects on sleep







• Relieves stress







• Assists with weight control







• Relaxes nervous tension







• Increases blood circulation

Hospitals use physical therapy massage to help insomniacs sleep as an alternative to drugs. If you can't sleep and massage therapy sounds as if it can help, please visit your local massage therapist. She or he can help you find your circadian rhythm again.

Get a massage and sleep will be restored as a time of rest instead of a time of restlessness. You will be able to sleep all night long, waking refreshed instead of tired and tense.

Physical Therapy - A Good Career Choice

Physical therapy jobs can be very rewarding. Physical therapists (PTs) help people who have some type of debilitating disease or injury be able to regain their body's strength, function, and mobility. Some of the conditions that PTs help people recover from are arthritis, lower back pain, broken bones, head injuries, sports-related injuries, and cerebral palsy.

The job description for a physical therapist is quite extensive. Their duties are vital to many areas of medicine and are usually carried out in a hospital, orthopedic treatment center, or rehabilitation clinic. In order to provide the patient the physical therapy benefits that will help them recover from their illness or improve function, the PT must do an evaluation of the patient's physical condition and then come up with a physical rehabilitation plan customized specifically to that patient's needs. This plan must improve the patient's strength, range of motion, flexibility, and motor control as well as decrease any pain and swelling that exists. Other aspects of a physical therapist's duties include:

繚 Using therapeutic equipment like ultrasonic machines, whirlpool baths, and ultraviolet and infrared lamps

繚 Teaching the patients to use exercise equipment

繚 Instructing patients and their families in the use and care of equipment like wheelchairs, braces, crutches, canes, and prosthetic limbs

Physical therapy jobs require graduation from an accredited education program in physical therapy with a master's or doctoral degree. To get into one of these programs the applicant must have a graduate degree that includes a number of prerequisite courses. In order to practice as a PT, graduates must take and pass both state and national licensing examinations. Some states require that PTs take further continuing education courses in order to keep their licenses.

Because there is such a wide range of conditions that physical therapists treat, the job outlook is always excellent. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapy jobs are expected to grow faster through the year 2018 than any other occupation that requires at least a graduate level degree.

Physical therapy jobs paid an average salary of $72,790 in 2008. The typical PT employed full-time can expect an annual salary between $55,000 and $80,000. There are considerations that factor in to determining salary. These considerations include things like the state or city in which the job is located, level of training and education, amount of experience, and if the PT has any certifications and specializations.

Massage Therapy for High Blood Pressure

There has been a recent study by Boris Prilutsky, MA, and Victor Gura, M.D., concerning the benefits that might be derived from medical massage by those who suffer from hypertension that is caused by arterial hypertension.

In the United States, it is estimated that as many as 70 million people suffer from hypertension. Of that 70 million, only about 8% are diagnosed with an actual cause for the high blood pressure, such as kidney insufficiency, a tumor on the adrenal gland, or narrowing of the aorta. A full 2% are simply diagnosed with essential hypertension. It is the same condition. It is just a condition without a named cause.

The study conducted by Gura and Prilutsky determined that most hypertension patients with musculoskeletal abnormalities can benefit from medical massage. There were only six patients involved in this study.

Medical massage therapy is defined as a soft-tissue mobilization method. The massage causes an acceleration of blood flow and lymphatic drainage as well as a mechanical breakdown of soft tissue calcifications. The objectives of the pilot study was to determine whether or not the elimination of musculoskeletal abnormalities in the reflex zones would cause the elimination of pain in the neck and upper back as well as headaches, increase range of motion, and cause a reduction in blood pressure.

Cardio examinations and blood pressure readings were taken before the start of treatments and again after they concluded. Each participant received a medical massage treatment every other day for a total of 15 treatments. That was followed by a two-week break, after which another course of 15 treatments was administered.

At the end of the study, all participants reported the disappearance of their pain. It was also evident that symptoms were eliminated from reflex zones and blood pressure readings returned to the normal range.

School Yourself on Wellness Training

Massage Therapy Training

- What should you look for in a massage therapy training program? Most important, say experts, is attending an accredited massage school. Agencies such as the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCST), Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as specialized accrediting agency for bodywork programs.

- Accredited massage schools are usually eligible for federal financial aid, including loans and grants. The average tuition for massage school is $9-$10 per credit hour. If you are in an unlicensed state, you may be able to complete a short program that will get you 100 hours of training for under $1,000. States that require licensing however, typically require 500 hours of training, with tuition ranging anywhere from $5,000-$9,000. If the school you plan to attend does not supply you with a massage table, plan on spending an additional $500.

All About Acupuncture Courses

- Millions of people turn to acupuncture when traditional medical treatment isn't resolving the problem, is too expensive, or has significant side effects associated with it. Some conditions recommended for acupuncture by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) include a variety of ailments from bronchial asthma and gingivitis, to rheumatoid arthritis and migraines.

- The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) is the sole accrediting agency for acupuncture courses and Oriental medical education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to accredit professional programs in the field.

- Several medical schools now include Acupuncture courses. There are currently over 22,671 licensed acupuncture practitioners in the US. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia either license, certify, or register practitioners, thus statutorily recognizing the practice of acupuncture. In the remaining seven states, acupuncture is either unregulated, no determination has been made, or it is determined to be the practice of medicine.

What's the Oriental Medicine hype?

- Health care providers without an education and licensing in Oriental Medicine are not necessarily qualified to practice Chinese Herbology or may be practicing herbal medicine from a different viewpoint. The requirements vary from state to state. In California, Texas, Nevada, and New Mexico, for example, the state exam tests acupuncturists on proper prescribing of Chinese herbs. In other states, however, herbal certification is voluntary. Ask if your acupuncturist has passed the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine herbal exam.

- Few studies in western journals have measured the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine, but you're likely to get better results by going to an experienced herbalist. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is now sponsoring research on Chinese herbs and other TCM techniques for treating conditions ranging from depression to cancer.

Hot Stone Massage Therapy - Things to Consider Before Having a Stone Massage Therapy

A hot stone massage therapy is one of the most popular and satisfying body treatments available nowadays. It is a relaxing and rejuvenating way of relieving stress and alleviating pain. It is so popular especially in the winter season because it is basically a massage that utilizes hot stones to balance the body, mind and the spirit. Before you consider getting this type of massage, it is essential for you to be knowledgeable on the different elements surrounding this treatment. In this way, you will be able to enhance your experience and ensure that it is everything you imagine it to be. Here are a few things you need to know about a hot stone massage therapy:

o A hot stone massage is not inexpensive. The price usually ranges from $10 to $40 dollars more than a regular massage. A hot stone massage is worth that price because of its therapeutic effects. The preparation time is longer and the Swedish massage is incorporated. To be able to get your money's worth, it is recommended you research initially on the massage salon you are planning to go to. Another good idea is to ask for referrals from family and friends so you will not be disappointed on the kind of service you will be paying for.

o You should also know that there different kinds of hot stone therapies. One common type is the La Stone therapy which uses both hot and cold stones for the treatments. It is usually offered in day spas. There are also other treatments available which makes use solely of heated stones. These treatments either use these stones all over the body or exclusively on the back of the client. There are also alternatives where the stones are not the focal point of the whole treatment. It may only be used in one part of the treatment or combined with energy work.

o This treatment is minimally invasive and used with a combination of a Swedish massage. Some people may be disappointed and expect more than these so it is very important to ask questions before committing to the massage therapy. It is much better to understand the whole process by requesting your therapist explain the whole procedure. If the masseuse refuses to answer your questions, then it is time to find another one who will. After all, you will be spending your time and money so the massage must be worth it.

o Asking the therapist to describe how the hot stones will be placed and used prior to the session will surely give you a clearer idea on how it is done properly. In this way, you will anticipate everything about the massage therapy and not be thinking about what will happen next. This will allow you and your therapist to have a more comfortable session.

These are only some things you can consider before getting that much needed stone massage therapy. Determine if this treatment is right for you. Asking questions will surely open the lines of communication between you and your therapist leading to a much pleasurable massage experience.