Posts Categorized: General

A national survey of consumers who received massages found that 92% reported it was effective in reducing their pain. That being said, massages come in many forms. From a classic Swedish massage to sports massage, aromatherapy massage, and more, it’s safe to say that everyone can reap the benefits of the right type for their needs. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most basic yet beneficial types of therapeutic massage.

Swedish Massage

A Swedish massage, in many massage clinics, is considered to be the “default” in terms of healing without surgery and providing general health benefits. For example, in a recent study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers concluded that massage therapy could serve as an effective intervention in controlling blood pressure in pre-hypertensive women. The study showed that the immediate results of lowered blood pressure lasted up to 72 hours after the massage. Swedish massages are available at most massage clinics and are intended to provide pain relief, comfort, and energy to the patient, who can also identify problem areas for extra attention.

Aromatherapy Massage

Similar to Swedish massage, aromatherapy massage uses the addition of essential oils and other aromatics to provide a more sense-oriented experience:

“Extracted from flowers and other plant parts, essential oils offer a pleasing scent and are believed to have healing properties. Lavender and rose, for instance, are known to promote relaxation. Although oils may be selected to address specific needs, the therapist typically uses pre-blended oils to relax, energize, or uplift,” writes Cathy Wong on Very Well Health.

Sports Massage

Finally, don’t be mistaken; massage and natural pain relief options aren’t just for adults. In fact, more than 775,000 children, ages 14 and younger, are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries each year. Most of the injuries occurred as a result of falls, being struck by an object, collisions, and overexertion during unorganized or informal sports activities. That being said, sports massages are intended to target troublesome areas to improve flexibility and limit pain.

Ultimately, massage therapy comes in a variety of types, and there’s bound to be a specialty therapeutic massage technique that works best for you. For more information about acupuncture and therapeutic massage therapy, contact Valleyview Injury and Physical Medicine.

Contrary to popular belief, massage therapy isn’t just for those who want to pamper themselves. Massage therapy truly has a wide range of medically proven benefits, from pain reduction to increased circulation and more. With that in mind, here are just a few of the top benefits that massage therapy can provide.

Pain Management

Experts estimate that as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives, so it should come as no surprise that massage therapy can help reduce this pain. In fact, a national survey of consumers who received massages found that 92% reported it was effective in reducing their pain. This is especially important to consider if you were recently involved in some sort of physical accident. Many accident recovery specialists recommend massage therapy to their patients.

Improved Blood Pressure

A large number of Americans struggle with blood pressure and circulation issues. Fortunately, therapeutic massage therapy can help. In a recent study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers concluded massage therapy could serve as an effective intervention in controlling blood pressure in pre-hypertensive women. The study showed that the immediate results of lowered blood pressure lasted up to 72 hours after the massage. That being said, if you’re consistently experiencing stress, massage therapy can help keep you calm and limit the physical risks that come with emotional stress.

Digestive Relief

Finally, massage therapy can benefit those with digestive issues as well. There are many different types of massage therapy, and your doctor can make the best recommendation based on your digestive issues and symptoms.

Ultimately, understanding the medical validity of massage therapy can help you understand why so many accident recovery specialists recommend it for their patients. After all, the Mayo Clinic said it best:

“Massage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs. Today, massage therapy is offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even airports… Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever.”

For more information about natural pain relief and other types of wellness care, contact Valleyview Injury and Physical Medicine.

Joint pain can happen to anyone and joint care is important for everyone.

Many people suffer from chronic joint or ligament pain after an accident. Sometimes pain will occur immediately after an injury, other times the onset is delayed. You do not have to live with chronic pain. You have natural treatment options to recover. One effective way of helping your body heal is getting regenerative injection therapy with one of our naturpathic doctors. Through Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP Therapy) and Trigger Point Injections (TPI) you can treat pain and avoid invasive procedures. These treatments are effective in treating chronic pain from sports injuries and arthritis, including Osteoarthrits.

One effective way of helping your joints heal and maintaining joint health is with regenerative injection therapy in the affected joint to replace damaged fluids and boost your joint’s natural ability to take care of itself. There is no cure for damaged cartilage, arthritis, or osteoarthritis currently, but regenerative injection therapies can prevent the degeneration of the joint, relieve pain, and increase joint stability.

How We Can Help 

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy, also known as PRP therapy, promotes pain relief by injecting a concentrated level of your own platelets into the site of your pain and repair your joint naturally. PRP therapy starts by drawing a small amount of your blood and separating the healing platelets using a centrifuge. Your platelets are then harvested and combined with a natural activating agent, and then injected in and around your joint or ligament. Platelets found in blood contain many proteins and growth factors that help heal the body and can relieve joint pain. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for reducing lingering pain from injury, several tendinopathies, and forms of arthritis. Many professional athletes including professional golfer Tiger Woods, previous Trail Blazers Brandon Roy, and professional tennis player Maria Sharapova have used PRP Therapy to treat joint and tendon pain.

Trigger-Point Injection Therapy (TPI) is used to treat painful ‘knots’ of muscle (trigger points) that form when muscles do not relax. The definition of a trigger point, is an isolated spasm affecting just a patch of muscle tissue (not a whole-muscle spasm like a “charlie horse”). Often felt under the skin, the knots may cause localized pain and may irritate the nerves around them, causing pain elsewhere in the body.

Stem Cell Therapy (Coming soon)
We are working hard towards offering Stem Cell Therapy to our patients in the near future. Please contact us if you have any specific questions about when treatment will be offered and what health issues this treatment is designed to help.