Massage Therapy With Our Student Massage Therapist

Tristen Threefingers, Student RMT

Offering therapeutic and relaxation treatments to help people get back in to balance with movement, function and sense of ease!

Our passionate student massage therapist, Tristen Threefingers, has returned to Reset Wellness to complete her second year practicum with Makami College. In early 2017, Tristen provided our clients with effective care and treatment, making a strong impact in the quality of life and health in our community. Her contribution to the clinic's environment and team had her being praised wide and far.

Tristen provides Massage Therapy treatments at Reset Wellness as a registered student Massage Therapist with the City of Edmonton and CRMTA. Since she hasn't graduated from her program yet, (not until April 2018), and her treatments cannot be claimed through insurance, but are offered at a discount rate--serving as an option for people who do not have insurance coverage or have none left!

Tristen is highly professional, up beat, caring and thorough. She specializes in deep tissue treatments, sports massage and hot stone massage. She enjoys tackling challenges and learning from them, and would like to further her skills in neuromuscular and orthopedic treatments. She is committed to sharing her knowledge and talent with individuals to relieve pain, stress and anxiety, and restore balance and harmony. 

We are so excited to have her back with us and hope to see you booking your appointment with her!

Student RMT Massage Therapy Pricing

30 minutes for $35
60 minutes for $55
90 minutes for $75

 

What is Therapeutic Massage?

Therapeutic Massage

Therapeutic massage seeks to obtain a therapeutic benefit. While therapeutic massage is often relaxing, the end goal of the session or series of sessions is not relaxation.

Therapeutic goals can vary considerably between massage therapists and clients. In some cases, massage is recommended by a health professional and may be performed as part of a larger treatment plan. For example, someone attending physiotherapy for an injury might have regular therapeutic massage to loosen muscles, improve muscle tone, and increase their flexibility. Likewise, therapeutic massage can be used to supplement wound care, cancer care, and a variety of other treatments.

People can use therapeutic massage as a standalone treatment. Some people, such as athletes, labourers or stressed out even office workers, receive regular therapeutic massage to keep themselves in good physical condition.

People of all ages can benefit from therapeutic massage when it is performed by a competent and fully qualified remedial massage therapist. Massage is also suitable for people with disabilities, expecting mothers, and people in treatment for medical conditions, although some special precautions may need to be taken to protect the health of the client.

Basic therapeutic massage techniques are derived from a variety of massage styles. Your massage therapist will tailor your massage techniques depending on your needs. If you are unsure whether or not massage is appropriate for you, please call us at PhysioWorks for individualised advice.

How Does a Therapeutic Massage Help You?

 

Therapeutic Massage is a combination of Relaxation Massage and Remedial Massage to not only relax your whole body but at the same time, work through some of the muscle issues or “tight spots” you may be experiencing.

Massage therapy may also improve your circulation, which enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells and helps remove waste products or reduce swelling. These circulatory effects of massage may have value in the treatment of some inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.

Massage therapy induces a relaxation response, which lowers your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure; plus boosts your immune system; and generally decreases the physical effects of stress.

These effects suggest that massage may be helpful for a wide range of conditions.

What Conditions Benefit from a Therapeutic Massage?

Massage therapy helps your body in numerous ways. Massage can relax muscle tissue, which may lead to decreased joint and nerve compression, increased joint and muscle range of motion. This commonly results in less pain and improved function.

Therapeutic massage benefits the following conditions:

  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • General Wellbeing
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Arthritis
  • Low Immunity
  • Minor injuries

When are the Best Times for a Therapeutic Massage?

The best time for a therapeutic massage is when you feel yourself getting worked up or when you are just not feeling your best.

Others find a regular therapeutic massage every month or two to be a great dose of prevention therapy. We even have some highly stressed patients who have weekly massages just to cope with daily life.

What Duration is the Best Therapeutic Massage?

If you have never had a therapeutic massage before or it has been quite some time since your last massage then your initial treatment should ideally be for 60 to 90 minutes so that the therapist can work through those tired muscles at an even pace to minimise any possible soreness the following day. 

If you are a more regular massage recipient, your massage therapist will guide you as to the direction that works best for you and your muscles.

What Massage Frequency Works Best?

Everyone needs differ depending on your lifestyle. As a guide, regular therapeutic massages work best when on a 4 to 6-week basis. This is because your muscles need to keep relaxed and moving through their full available range. Otherwise, they become “creatures of habit”. If tense is how they are most often, that’s what they will consider normal. And… we all know what that leads to… tight muscles, stress, and pain!

For optimal results and less potential for muscle soreness the day post-massage, having a regular massage will keep your body from not only reacting to the positive change we are trying to provide, but it can also retrain your body to help itself and provide you with a better healthier you.

For advice specific to your therapeutic needs, please ask your massage therapist how regularly they feel that you should have a massage to function optimally.

 

This article originally appeared on physioworks.com.au and was written by Jodie Woulfe

Massage Therapy and Pain Management

Incorporating massage therapy into comprehensive pain management programs may yield better outcomes.

A growing body of research shows massage therapy can be an effective part of pain relief and management. This research data, and the experience of physicians, massage therapists, and patients should encourage pain specialists to consider incorporating massage therapy into their pain management programs.

Some base findings about the value of massage therapy for pain relief have included the following:

  1. According to Cherkin, Eisenberg, et. al. in the April 2001 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine,1 massage is effective for providing long-lasting relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain.
  2. Data collected nearly 10 years ago indicates that therapeutic massage promotes relaxation and alleviates the perception of pain and anxiety in hospitalized cancer patients.2 Recent studies have confirmed the findings and others indicate positive effects for massage in decreasing pain intensity among cancer patients.3
  3. In 1990, Jensen et al. published data indicating that massage was better than cold pack treatment of post-traumatic headaches.4 The October 2002 issue of the American Journal of Public Health reports that new research by Quinn, Chandler and Moraska showed muscle-specific massage therapy is effective for reducing the incidence of chronic tension headaches.5
  4. A pilot study in 2000, conducted by Gregory P. Fontana, MD at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, found that massage reduces pain and muscle spasms in patients who have multiple incisions. When surveyed, 95 percent of patients felt that massage therapy was a crucial part of their hospital experience, while need for medications dropped on days they received a massage.

In the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals: The Official Handbook of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), updated in August 2000, recommends massage as a non-pharmacological therapy that can be used successfully in pain management. Some hospitals, because of public demand, are including massage therapists on patient care teams to fight pain. The teams may include a physician, several nurses, a nutritionist, a yoga instructor, a chaplain, and a massage therapist. More research needs to be done to evaluate the effectiveness of such teams and the optimum combination of therapies for different types of patients and different types of pain.

The effectiveness of massage lies in a simple and direct strategy: working from the external, outer mechanisms of pain to the primary, root cause. Massage therapists utilize a holistic approach, focusing on the entire body system and its relationship to soft tissue — their care is not focused solely at the site of pain.

Another benefit of massage therapy — from a patient perspective — is that it helps patients become more aware of their bodies and better familiarize them with the pain they experience. The massage therapist not only helps relieve muscle and other soft tissue pain, but also has an impact on the patient by virtue of human touch. This is especially pronounced for women facing mastectomies and dealing with the outcomes of that surgery. While women directly benefit from various forms of massage that focus on lymph drainage and muscle pain, massage also helps them feel comfortable once again with their bodies, improves their confidence and allows them to better deal with pain.

Although more research is needed to confirm the optimal uses of massage, the potential for a positive impact on patients with acute or chronic pain is clear. As it stands, enough research exists to encourage pain management specialists and massage therapists to forge professional relationships. These pain management relationships should exist in the hospital, in clinics, in private practice offices and in home care.

 

This article originally appeared practicalpainmanagement.com and was written by Brenda Griffith.

Acupuncture For Relieving Hot Flashes

As menopause approaches, approximately 85 percent of U.S. women experience hot flashes and up to 50 percent of them continue having them for several years.(1) The sudden flushing of the skin that often leads to sweating, and/or feeling very warm and sometimes, chilled, is a frustration that many women seek to find relief from.

Acupuncture helps provide relief from hot flashes

Acupuncture has been suggested as a way to help ease hot flashes, but now, a new study conducted by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) reinforces its effectiveness.(2) Researchers assessed hundreds of other past menopause-related studies, looking at ones where acupuncture played a role in providing women with relief from hot flashes. They also studied women ages 40-60 who were currently experiencing menopause, observing them as they tried a variety of acupuncture techniques, ranging from traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture (TCMA), ear acupuncture, electroacupuncture, laser acupuncture and acupressure.(2)

They concluded " . . . that acupuncture positively impacted both the frequency and severity of hot flashes."(2) NAMS executive director Margery Gass, MD., says that "The review suggests that acupuncture may be an effective alternative for reducing hot flashes, especially for those women seeking non-pharmacologic therapies."(2)

It's thought that acupuncture may be helpful because it helps to reduce endorphins in the part of the brain that affects thermoreguation, which is related to core body temperature.(2)

The Mayo Clinic is on board with acupuncture as an alternative way to help manage hot flashes. In fact, according to the clinic, acupuncture, along with relaxation practices such as yoga and hypnosis, may be beneficial for women, as is maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding spicy foods.(3)
 

Foods that help minimize hot flashes

Foods that can help naturally fight hot flashes include drinking herbal teas like chamomile, eating nuts, and enjoying potassium-boosting vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.(4)

Avoidance of alcohol and caffeine is also important as they can elevate the intensity and duration of hot flashes.

Sources for this article include:

(1) http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/menopausal/facing/hot_flashes

(2) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140714122812.htm

(3) http://www.mayoclinic.org

(4) http://www.naturalnews.com/044700_hot_flash_relief_menopause_diet.html

 

This article originally appeared on naturalnews.com and was written by Antonia.