Category: General Health

A Few Questions to Ask a Massage Therapist, Prior to Treatment

If you’ve never had a massage and are considering trying it, you may not know where to start or what questions to ask. Choosing the right massage therapist is much like choosing the right chiropractor, you’ll want to be sure your massage therapist is trustworthy, reputable, knowledgeable, and in line with your plans for fitness and health. Regular massage can improve flexibility, prevent injury, and speed up muscle recovery. Still, you may have questions about how the massage should go and what to expect before and after. There are many massage therapists to choose from, so it can be confusing and challenging to choose the right one. It’s important to have a comfortable relationship with your massage therapist, and we work hard to maintain a comfortable environment for our clients. We suggest you consider asking the following questions before you get a massage with someone new.

What type of massage education does the massage therapist have?

You want to be sure your massage therapist has attended an officially recognized, accredited massage school or massage program. Not all massage therapy education is created equal and this is a good way to determine if your selected therapist has the background needed to help you achieve optimal health.

Are they licensed and/or certified?

It is important to know and understand the licensing and/or certifications your massage therapist may or may not have.  In the state of Oregon, massage therapists are required by law to be licensed. This ensures that the LMT (or Licensed Massage Therapist) you visit has had a basic education in massage techniques, has passed a nationally recognized exam, and complies with standards of sanitation, communicable disease control, and ethics. All of the massage therapists at Total Body Chiropractic & Massage are LMTs. You can read all about their education, licensing, and philosophy here.

How many years have they been professionally practicing massage therapy?

Like any other professional service, it’s good to know how much experience your massage therapist has. While not always a determining factor in your selection process, years of experience can indicate a therapist’s level of intuitiveness. Also, the more bodywork a therapist practices, the better they become at understanding the complex anatomy and physiology of the human body.

Is it normal to have bruising after a massage?

It’s normal to have occasional bruising, but let your massage therapist know if it becomes excessive.

What is your philosophy on total body health as it relates to massage?

This is one of the most important questions to ask. Some therapists prefer deep tissue massage and a no-pain no-gain approach. Some focus on gentle massage. Others look at the goal of total body health and create massage therapy plans based on your specific needs. Before you get on the table, it’s important to understand what types of massage your therapist uses and why they use it.

What’s the difference between a sports massage and a relaxation massage?

A relaxation massage is a soothing experience that aims to relax the body, while a sports massage is more intense. Both of these massages can be tailored to meet your needs and comfort level.

Can I read some patient reviews?

Ask your potential Bend massage therapist or practice for patient testimonials. Another great resource is online reviews, which you can easily find yourself. You can often find a practitioner’s reviews on their Facebook page or Yelp. We encourage you to take a look at some of Total Body Chiropractic & Massage’s Facebook reviews. Also, ask your friends about their experiences and recommendations. Do your homework on the therapist before you book that first appointment.

Finally, if you choose a therapist and don’t feel good about the experience after your first appointment or two, go back to the drawing board and switch to someone new. You know best what your body needs and doesn’t need, so pay attention to what feels right.

Are you looking for a skilled massage therapist who cares about your total body health? Total Body Chiropractic & Massage has three highly trained LMTs on staff. From deep-tissue, pregnancy and sports massage, to fire cupping, acupressure and hot stones, we have a wide variety of massage treatments for everybody.

Gifting a Massage: Best Gift to Give Anyone on Your List!

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone and figuring out what gifts to give loved ones can add to the already busy time of year. Choosing thoughtful gifts takes time and it’s extra stressful when you are out shopping because you aren’t the only one trying to find the perfect gifts. Gifting a massage could be the solution for everyone on your list this year. Whether your loved one is stressed or just needs a reminder that they deserve some good self-care, massage therapy is a gift everyone will appreciate and it’s an appropriate gift for just about any relationship, whether it’s a boss, a co-worker, a family member, a client, a teacher or friend.

Gifting a massage is a great way to remind someone that they are valued and appreciated. It is a gesture showing you care about that person and it says you want thebest for them, “You deserve a break…You deserve a little pampering…etc”. Most of us don’t take the time to pamper ourselves or give ourselves an indulgentgift, so by gifting a massage, you are giving your loved one permission to takea little break from the usual chaos of life.

There are some major health benefits gained from receiving a massage, and some of those benefits can last for days and even weeks after the actual treatment. One of those benefits are the obvious muscle relaxation and pause your body experiences during the massage. That calm, relaxed state of mind can help jump-start a new perspective and give you a chance to reset your intentions. Massage can also help to loosen up tight muscles and help ease the tension that causes headaches and migraines.

Check out the following list of people in your life that you might consider getting a massage for this holiday season;

ACTIVE PEOPLE/ATHLETES

NEW MOMS

TEACHERS

CO-WORKERS

NEW CLIENTS

Whether you are gifting a massage to a friend or scheduling one for yourself, it’s a perfect time of year to indulge and do it right. Feel free to give us a call at 541.527.7309, or stop by to learn more about the massage options we offer. Happy Holidays!

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Ease Holiday Stress

As the holiday season kicks off this week, and we are all out doing the hustle and bustle, some of us are acutely aware of our daily stress and find ourselves wondering how to manage it while simultaneously preparing for family and friends and a big turkey dinner. Chiropractic care is a great way to help ease holiday stress as well as daily stress in general. Whether it’s work stress, parenting stress, relationship stress or just feeling overwhelmed with the speed at which time seems to fly by these days, we all have our own special kind of stressors that effect our lives. At Total Body Chiropractic & Massage, in Bend, Oregon, we can help get your body feeling relaxed and ready for the busy season ahead!

CONTROLLING STRESS          

One of the biggest lessons we learn in adulthood is what little control we have when it comes to people, places and things. Managing our stress is a daily task that involves identifying the stressors, figuring out how to embrace the stress and doing what we can to control the stress, so it doesn’t cause us to feel suspended in crisis day in and day out. One way to help ease some of the tension is to implement some positive self-care habits that benefit your mind, body and soul. Although we can’t always control the stress, we can control our response to the stress and getting chiropractic care on a routine basis will allow your body to release some of that pressure that our bodies ultimately hold, because of our stress load. Chiropractic care focuses on realigning your spine, which helps ease muscle tension. The adjustment realigns the spine and calms the central nervous system, so you can think clearer, feel less aches and pains and eliminate the distraction of feeling like your body is out of whack. It also keeps the messages transmitting throughout your nervous system, on track so your body and mind are working together to manage the stress.

BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Visiting the chiropractor for an adjustment will help your spine restore function to your body. You may find yourself to be sick less, have more energy and feel less stressed overall. The relief for body and mind after an adjustment is a great way to begin good habits as you move into the new year ahead. The following are just some of the positive benefits of chiropractic care;

• Pain relief in the neck, upper and lower back
• Helps to lower blood pressure
• Boost in mental clarity
• Relaxation of body and mind
• Migraine and headache relief
• Asthma relief
• Aches and pains eased, including during pregnancy

Consider calling to schedule yourself an appointment with some of the best Chiropractic practitioners in Central Oregon. Or visit our website at https://bendtotalbodychiropractic.com/.

Consider Chiropractic Care for Your Headaches & Migraines

If you are someone that suffers from headaches and migraines, you know that it can feel like a never-ending cycle of pain and frustration. The debilitating pain can keep you from doing your best at work and from participating in life. Finding a successful treatment for migraines and headaches can be tough, but we’ve got solutions that have given positive results for many of our patients. If you’re suffering from ongoing headaches or migraines with no relief in sight, it’s time to try chiropractic care. We offer non-invasive, total body-based treatments that help identify the root cause of the headache or migraine.

OLD SOLUTIONS, NOT BETTER SOLUTIONS

There are several ways to treat migraines and/or headaches and medication is often the first option for most people. Medication can be an effective band-aid to pain, however, a reliance on drugs alone can quickly become a crutch instead of a long-term solution.  Instead, consider a total body approach to chiropractic treatment. It discovers and treats the underlying issues at work in your complex system, which in turn, allows us to treat the root cause of your pain instead of simply covering up the symptom of pain.

TOTAL BODY APPROACH

A total body approach recognizes that headaches and migraines can be triggered from anything and anywhere in your body. For example, pressure and emotional stress can play a huge role in how your body functions, often creating tight muscles which lead to back and neck issues, along with headaches and migraines. The first step is to discuss your pain, discomforts and overall body functions with your chiropractic physician. They will walk you through the discoveries they make during your initial visit and wrap your historical information into consideration for a treatment plan. After you get through the thorough exam process, your chiropractor will come up with a treatment plan based on your unique situation and needs. Your migraines might be due to posture, poor alignment, referred pain from an injury, stress, lack of sleep or even dietary deficiencies.

MASSAGE

One of the possible treatments you might want to consider is massage. Massage helps by easing muscle spasms and tension, a common source of tension headaches and migraines, along with stress and injuries. Our massage therapists at Total Body Chiropractic & Massage are very experienced with headache sufferers and see great results in their clients with regular massage therapy. Your therapist will make assessments during your initial exam along with your input and come up with the best approach for your massage treatments.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Chiropractic care is another therapeutic option for treating migraines and headaches. Your chiropractor, like your massage therapist, will listen to your experience, history and complaints and develop a treatment plan using stretching, manipulation of the spine and exercises to address the tension and discomfort you experience with headaches and migraines. “Adjustments” are done with your spine to better align your body and relieve symptoms that contribute to the headaches and migraines. They will often use heat and/or ice during or after treatments and sometimes they might send you home with at-home exercises for you to do in between appointments. The condition of your joints may be a contributing factor to your headaches and with proper chiropractic care, your chances of finding relief are great!

If you are having to push through your days or nights with unbearable headaches or migraine pain, please know that drugs are not the only answer. A comprehensive, total body chiropractic approach can help you start to feel better and possibly eliminate the use of medication altogether. At Total Body Chiropractic & Massage, we can help you get back to living the life you want, ideally without those long days and nights fighting headache pain!

Is Cupping Therapy Right for You?

Cupping Therapy is an ancient Chinese medicine practice that acts as a myofascial release. It isn’t the same as regular massage because it focuses more on pressing and compression. The skin is essentially lifted by glass cups, which creates space between the skin and the fascia. The fascia is the connective tissue that encases your muscles. By “cupping” the skin, it increases the blood flow and relieves muscle tension in the targeted area. With cupping, it is common for the therapy to leave bruises on the skin or red spots, but it isn’t dangerous or even painful, and the bruising resolves quickly.

Cupping Therapy has been practiced for thousands of years but has only recently become popular in the last decade. Many professional athletes use this therapy for injury recovery and prevention and some even believe it helps improve athletic performance. If you are interested in trying our Cupping Therapy, consider the following information when making your decision. While it’s a wonderful option for many, you may prefer the traditional massage, which is also an ancient practice focusing on muscle tension and release.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUPPING THERAPY

There are two common types of cupping, called fixed cupping and moving cupping. Fixed cupping is when the cups are applied to the skin and remain in place for several minutes in the same spot. Moving cupping involves the practitioner using oil on your skin and then putting the cups on your back and sliding them around.

THE PROCESS

Once the treatment area of the body has been identified, the area must be clean, so typically the practitioner will wash the skin with either soap and water or alcohol to make sure the skin is free of any makeup, lotions, etc. Oil is sometimes applied to the treatment spot but this is based on preference rather than being mandatory. You will want the intended treatment cups to be clean and dried thoroughly before use. Next, a cotton ball gets soaked in alcohol and then it gets lit by a lighter or candle. Once the cotton ball is flaming, it gets placed in the cup for a few seconds, long enough to heat the cup up and burn away the oxygen inside the cup. The cotton ball then gets removed from the cup and the practitioner quickly applies the cup to your skin. As the glass cools, the space inside the cup creates a vacuum-like effect that holds the cup in place. The skin gets suctioned up towards the cup and this is what stimulates the blood flow to that targeted area of your body. Generally, the practitioner only works with one cup at a time and the size of the cup depends on the targeting area. The entire process only takes a few minutes per cup.

Cupping Therapy is both an art form as well as an ancient practice that helps loosen tight muscles, increase blood flow and provide an overall sense of relaxation. Call our office today if you’d like more information, our staff at Total Body Chiropractic & Massage would be happy to answer any of your questions or set-up an appointment.

Get Outside and Get Moving!

Switching up your exercise routine can bring many benefits, especially when the change allows you to incorporate some fun into the sweat session. The change of scenery can be just what you need after working out in the same old gym or doing the same exercises over and over. The fresh air is one of the many benefits, along with higher vitamin D doses from the UV rays.

Change it Up

There are all kinds of outdoor activities that are fun and provide a good workout and trying these activities might be a good way to discover a new hobby you find interesting. Some examples of outdoor activities include paddle boarding, yoga in the park, ultimate frisbee, and hiking. Whether you are exercising to lose weight, heal from an injury or training for a sporting event, the workout doesn’t have to be miserable. You are going to want to repeat the exercise if you can implement some fun into the task and getting outdoors gives you the opportunity to get off the same old boring treadmill or standard gym routine. Outdoor activities can help your body relax faster, gives you a chance to stretch out and not worry about bumping into the person next to you, and allows you to work around any injuries you are dealing with. Back and neck injuries don’t have to keep you from exercising and sometimes just a good walk can help treat minor aches and pains.

No More Excuses

To live a healthy lifestyle and maintain a consistent workout routine, the excuses must stop before they even start. Getting yourself mentally straight will help ensure your commitment to the exercise. Justifying the junk food after a good workout only defeats the purpose of exercising in the first place, so let that go and realize that diet is responsible for 80-90% of your success. If you can’t find time during your busy day to exercise, consider changing your schedule up to allow some free time, even exercising for a half an hour can make a difference.

Exceptional Results

Outdoor exercise, otherwise known as “green exercise,” combines two health-enhancing activities; moving your body and getting outdoors. It enhances your mood, saves you money and eliminates the trouble of going to the gym and waiting for machines. A regular dose of outdoor activity can help boost your self-esteem and lower depression. Don’t let the idea of outdoor activity scare you, instead start with small activities and slowly try new things as you gain confidence. You will be happy you did and might just discover a new love of the outdoors!

Standing Up with a Stand-Up Desk

Stand-up desks are offering a range of benefits to computer users. The desk forces you stand up to use the computer keyboard and to see the monitor. In the standing position, you are relieving the aches and pains in back muscles that can be caused by being in a slouched position or when your back is being held in an unnatural manner while typing.

A stand-up desk can also improve your posture when placed at the right height. With the computer monitor set at slightly above eye level, it forces you to keep your head up so you don’t slouch your back or shoulders. You end up improving your core strength for better posture. In addition, at this height, you can also help prevent eye strain.

Besides improving posture and your vision, you may also find other benefits. While standing, you are more likely to walk about on occasion. This walking will prevent you from having a sedentary lifestyle that could be a factor in causing you to gain more weight. You end up burning more calories throughout the day while keeping muscles and joints strong.

Take Your Time with Stand-Up Desks

It usually isn’t a good idea just to jump into the stand-up desk trend where you are standing for eight hours right off the bat. You will want to ease into it so your body gets used to standing for longer and longer moments throughout the day while typing at the keyboard. Start at standing for 20 minutes. Then add more time when you feel comfortable. Eventually, it will then become a welcome routine as you won’t end up straining your body too quickly.

Stand-up desks can offer you a range of benefits to get your body up from the office desk or couch and moving about more. Check out the types of stand-up desks that are available and decide on a setup that fits into your needs. Some stand-up desks simply have a shelf for the monitor and a place for the keyboard. Others have multiple shelves to hold other items such as printers, a wireless mouse, scanners, work binders and other items. You may even decide to incorporate treadmills and stationary bikes into your routine for additional exercise opportunities.

Is Deep Tissue Massage Right for You?

When people get a massage, they imagine relaxing under a towel as the massage therapist works to relieve the aches and pains in joints to loosen up muscles as the tension goes away. Yet many people get scared when they hear that it may cause pain when it is performed. Finding out what deep tissue massage is, understanding the benefits, and knowing why it is not for the faint of heart will allow you to decide if you want to have this treatment done to your own body.

What is Deep Tissue Massage?

Deep tissue massage is where a massage therapist manipulates the deep layers of soft tissues as well as muscles in the body. There is more pressure to a deep tissue massage because they have to go through the top layer of muscle to reach the lower layers. The massage therapist will use direct pressure as well as warm oils to help relax the body.

A deep tissue massage is designed to help people who experience chronic pain and aches in muscles and joints to relieve the pressure. Many people also get a deep tissue massage if they suffer from lower back pain, or if they have tension in the upper back, neck area, or shoulders.

Why Are People Uneasy with Deep Tissue Massages?

Since a deep tissue massage targets a deeper tissue layer, people who get this technique will often tense up, which causes muscles to react by increasing tension. There is normally discomfort when the session begins if the soft tissue layers have inconsistencies with tense places. It can take several sessions before the deep tissue massage begins to loosen and relax the muscles, as the therapist will modify their technique to work with the patient’s comfort levels.

However, a person with a low tolerance for pain may not be able to deal with the amount of pressure that is applied to the body for them to gain the benefits from the massage. If they are constantly tensing their muscles in anticipation of the discomfort, their muscles never have the chance to relax, hampering the massage therapist’s session. So it might take multiple sessions for them to get the same results as someone else who has a higher threshold for pain.

Is it Right for You?

If you have never had a massage session before, you don’t want to start out with getting a deep tissue massage. It would be better to get other massage techniques and work your way up to a deep tissue massage once your body became used to the massage therapist working the muscles and tissues of the body. You may decide to get one if you enjoy the deeper pressure that a deep tissue massage provides and your body can relax and find comfort with the release of tension in muscles. It will depend on your pain threshold and the reason for the treatment.

Are You Hydrated Enough?

Water is the most essential part of human life, without it we would not survive. It makes up over half of your body weight and you lose water every day just by breathing, going to the bathroom, sweating and if you are physically active. Every cell, tissue, and organ depend on water to work properly. There has always been a belief that each person needs 6-8 glasses of water a day, but it differs from person to person. Generally, most healthy individuals can stay hydrated simply by drinking water whenever they feel thirsty, while other people require more water intake than the average 6-8 glasses a day. Other drinks and foods contain water and can be useful sources of hydration, however, there are other factors with those things that you must consider, like the added sugars and extra calories those foods and drinks contain. Some foods can dehydrate you, especially things that contain high sodium and fat.

One of the best ways to measure whether you are dehydrated or not is to look at the color of your urine. Any dark yellow or dark amber colored urine is a good indication that you are dehydrated. The optimal urine color is either colorless or a very light yellow, both indicate that your body is sufficiently hydrated.

We usually receive warning signs when our body isn’t properly hydrated, and those signs can start to show up gradually or they can come on quickly, depending on how dehydrated you are as well as other factors including weather, environment, etc. If you are dehydrated, acting and knowing what to do is very important. Warning signs that may indicate you are dehydrated include but aren’t limited to the following;

• Extreme thirst
• A headache
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Dry mouth
• Dark urine
• Little to no urine, infrequent trips to the bathroom
• No tears when crying
• Sleepiness or fatigue
• Confusion
• Vomiting
• Unconsciousness

Some people don’t like to drink water and others find the tastelessness rather boring, so they don’t try to drink much of it. Because it is a necessary part of life, we’ve pulled together some great suggestions to help those of you that struggle to stay hydrated. The following tips can help;

• Drink water on a schedule, set certain times throughout the day or every hour on the hour
• Carry a water bottle with you during the day so you always have the option to take a sip
• Add some lemon or lime slices to the water to give it a little flavor
• When eating out, drink water instead of cola or other beverages
• Be sure to drink water before you exercise, during your exercise activity and after your workout
• Drink tea, green tea and chamomile are great options for hydration