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Prenatal and Postnatal Massage Reduces Maternal Depression

2024-08-26T12:59:51-04:00August 26th, 2024|

Massage is known to increase neurochemicals associated with improved mood, such as serotonin and other endorphins. So it shouldn’t be surprising that it can help alleviate depression. Today we’re examining this healing relationship between massage and depression for one special group: mothers.

In two previous blog posts, we examined the benefits of receiving prenatal massage and postpartum massage. Today we’re diving deeper into one major benefit of massage: Decreased likelihood of maternal anxiety and depression. As we’ll see, this also leads to improved health outcomes for infants.

The Importance of Maternal Mental Health

Before birth, depression and anxiety can […]

Cancer Care for LMTs: What you Need to Know to Help Clients Going through Chemotherapy

2024-08-22T14:52:16-04:00August 22nd, 2024|

A desire to help others is a common reason to become a massage therapist, and giving healing touch to cancer patients is certainly one way to help. During chemotherapy, cancer patients are dealing with physical, emotional, and mental challenges, from loss of taste and appetite to gastrointestinal challenges such as vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea, not to mention the bone-deep fatigue following an infusion. Even a few minutes of comfort can make all the difference in a cancer patient’s day and well-being. Massage therapists can have a hugely positive impact on cancer patients by providing this comfort. To safely deliver […]

Long-Haul COVID Patients: A New Kind of Massage Client

2023-07-03T11:37:58-04:00July 3rd, 2023|

While society seems to have moved on from COVID, some patients still battle with it. These “long-haulers” face a unique set of symptoms. According to medical journal The Lancet, long-haul COVID symptoms usually last for more than seven months. Let’s define long-haul COVID (formally known as post-COVID syndrome), examine common symptoms, and review how massage therapy can help. We’ll also include suggestions for therapists hoping to serve clients with long-haul COVID.

What is long-haul Covid or Post-COVID Syndrome?

According to the September 2021 Journal of the American Medical Association, about 10% […]

What’s Cool About Side-lying Treatments?

2024-02-25T14:09:32-05:00April 26th, 2023|

Massage therapy images typically show clients on their backs or bellies, but a side-lying position provides many unique advantages. For instance, those who suffer back or neck pain may find the side lying position to be the most comfortable option for massage treatment. After reviewing the benefits of this underutilized massage treatment position, we suggest practical tips for LMTs who would like to offer side-lying positioning to clients.

6 Benefits of Side-Lying Position for Massage Therapy

1. Client Comfort. Many clients, particularly those with back pain and/or large, sensitive breasts will feel most comfortable lying on their sides. Offering […]

The Great Resignation is Driving People to Launch Massage Therapy Careers

2022-02-25T10:13:31-05:00February 25th, 2022|

Certain portals in history change how we think, live, and act. A world war, for instance, changes everyone who lived through it. COVID may be our era’s catalytic event. Looking back over the last two years, it is clear that many of us will never be the same. The pandemic has altered nearly every aspect of life, and the workforce is no exception. Let’s examine how the Great Resignation of 2021 has pushed many people to leave their positions, and why massage careers are attracting many to shift gears. 

What is the Great Resignation?
In 2021, millions of people […]

Massage Modalities: Lymphatic Drainage Massage

2020-03-18T15:38:41-04:00January 18th, 2020|

The world of massage is not monotone. There are multitudes of massage modalities, several of which we have covered in previous articles. While completing massage therapy training at East West College, our students can take specialized classes in different massage techniques. Today we’re reviewing Lymphatic Drainage Massage. We will provide a basic definition, as well as listing benefits, techniques, and contraindications.

First, let’s review how the lymphatic system works. This portion of the circulatory system has two big jobs: 1. Removing waste and excess fluid, and 2. Fighting off infections. The lymphatic system exists throughout the body, and includes vessels, […]

Stretch Mark Massage

2020-01-14T17:30:09-05:00January 2nd, 2020|

Did you know that most babies are born in August? In fall and winter months, new mothers may be thinking about self-care, and wondering about stretch marks. Of course, stretch marks are not exclusive to mothers. What are stretch marks? What kind of treatment helps rebuild stretched tissue? Read on to discover answers to these questions, and more.

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks occur as the body expands to accommodate changing dimensions, such as during pregnancy. A stretch mark appears where connective tissue breaks down. The epidermis, dermis, and superficial fascia of the skin is stretched more quickly than the epithelial tissue […]

Grief Massage: Reconnecting with the Body Through Healing Touch

2019-11-14T17:18:02-05:00October 15th, 2019|

The significant loss of a loved one often flows through every part of a person’s life. Grief often manifests as a stress response, complete with sleep disruptions, immune system suppression, changes in eating patterns.  Physical symptoms may include headaches, and lingering tightness in the jaw, shoulders, and neck. Physical touch through massage therapy can be a powerful way for a grieving person to reconnect with their body. This blog will offer research on grief massage, as well as intake form tips, treatment suggestions, and communication techniques for working with grieving massage therapy clients.

Grief massage helps a person heal by allowing them […]

Common Injuries for Massage Therapists, and How to Avoid Them

2019-07-02T15:19:36-04:00May 2nd, 2019|

Do you shudder at the prospect of working at a desk for 40 hours per week? Do you long to heal others? Does the human body fascinate you? If you answered yes to all these questions, you should be a massage therapist (if you’re not already one!). There are few other jobs that allow for such active, fulfilling work. Yet at the same time, the repetitive nature of massage therapy presents the potential for injury. In this blog, we’re looking at the most common injuries among massage therapists, as well as how you can avoid injury while providing massage. Portland massage […]

Customizing Massage: Questions to Ask to Improve Client Comfort

2019-02-28T16:41:52-05:00November 14th, 2018|

When dreaming of how to become a massage therapist, a person might think of all the incredible healing techniques they’ll learn at massage therapy school. However, a high-quality school of massage must also teach therapists how to communicate with clients before, during, and after the massage. Asking the right questions can help create a customized healing experience that clients won’t soon forget.

Here are a few questions students at our school of massage are trained to ask to optimize each client’s massage session:

1. Do you prefer lotion or oil?
Each emollient provides a different viscosity for delivering massage strokes. However, it is also […]

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