Massage eases depression

Image by darijus via Flickr

Massage Magazine has published several articles about how massage can help dealing with depression. Lots of research is being done in the field. Researchers prove many things we as massage therapists intuitively have known for a long while. Now it is backed up by scientific studies and research.

This week I will quickly describe a number of articles from Massage Magazine relating to depression and how massage can aid.

Massage Therapy Can Turn that Frown Upside Down; depressed people feel more pain than happy people.
Research Review Shows Massage Therapy Effectively Addresses Symptoms of Depression; studies show how massage therapy can ease depression.
Research Exclusive: Aromatherapy Massage Eases Depressive Symptoms; studies show that Swedish massage coupled with aromatherapy eases depression.

Massage Benefits Depressed Pregnant Women; a detailed article about how massage helps ease the depressions of pregnant women.
Massage Therapy Benefits Depressed Pregnant Women and Newborns;not only is massage good for the mother, but also for the child.

In the two last articles, the partners had been instructed by professional massage therapists how to give their pregnant partner a massage.

This does show how important touch is for our well-being and health, even if the touch isn't professional. A caring touch with the intention of comfort, easing pain and facilitate healing can make a world of difference for someone feeling down.

Next time you feel blue, let someone touch and nurture you. You will feel better.

Health considerations in stone massage

Working with temperature and massage always gives rise to considerations and things to be aware of. There are many contraindications in stone massage, though fortunately in most cases they just mean the treatment needs to be adjusted.

It is very important that I, as your therapist, am told if you have any medical or health issues. A simple thing like high blood pressure can be negatively affected by heat. I need to know this, so that I can lower the temperatures and adjust the treatment to fit your specific case.

Contraindications and considerations

• Any disease where there is nerve damage or neuropathy, eg. from surgery, multiple sclerosis, diabetes
• Any skin condition which might be worsened by moisture and heat
• Pregnancy
• If on prescription medicine which may have side effects due heat or temperature changes
• Heart diseases and too high/low blood pressure
• Overweight, obese or underweight
• Being sick or feeling very weak
• Varicose veins
• All autoimmune dysfunctions, such as AIDS, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome where the immune system is already taxed
• Epilepsy
• Emotional and mental disorders, where the brain and nervous system are challenged
• Thin skin, eg older people or on Cortisone medications
• Young children
• And any situation where normal Swedish massage is contraindicated

All the above conditions mean that I need to adjust the treatment so the body is not challenged too much. The purpose of a LaStone® session is to tone and strengthen the body, not tax it and make it weaker. In most cases, if your doctor allows you to take hot baths, use a sauna, drink ice-cold water and have a massage, then you can receive a full LaStone® treatment without concerns.

Please do inform me about your situation in advance, so that I can tailor the session to suit your needs and support your body in its healing process.

More thermo-therapy at home

Using alternating temperatures can create amazing results to your health and well-being. It can help with aches and pains, strengthen the heart and circulation, support the lymphatic and immune systems, as well as increase your energy levels and ability to deal with stress. In short, daily thermo-therapy is good for you.

Last week I wrote how to do Thermo-therapy in your shower. This week I'll describe a couple of other thermo-therapy self-treatments you can do at home.

Water Treading is good for the lymphatic system and pain in feet and legs. All you need is a bathtub or large bucket filled with ice cold water which is deep enough to cover your lower legs.

• Stand in the water and begin to walk, bringing your knee all the way to chest with each step
• Continue to do so for 1-5 minutes
• Step out of the water and dry only between your toes, letting the feet and legs air dry before you put on socks and shoes.

The Arm Plunge is good for the heart as well as pain in arms and hands. A massage therapist's life-saver. What is needed is a sink or bucket filled with ice cold water, which is deep enough to cover your arms 10 cm (4 inches) above your elbow.

• Place your bent arms in the cold water, staying for 1-3 minutes - no more
• Take arms out of the water and brush off the water, and let the air dry them

Finally, for those of you who has the luxury of a bathtub you can do a Hot Bath followed by Cold Application. This treatment is good for isolated areas of pain.

You will need some more equipment, such as cold stones or cold packs, and moist heating packs can be used instead of going back into the tub the 2nd and 3rd time.

• Take a hot bath with Epsom salts and soak for at least 15-20 minutes, step out of the bath and dry off
• Place cold along the part of the body which is hurting and cover the rest of your body so you keep nicely warm
• Repeat three times

Applying the specific techniques when you have pains and aches might save you from taking pain-killers or even a trip to the physiotherapist. If the pain persists or is strong, see a doctor. Be aware if you have any conditions where heat and cold might be contraindicated. Should you begin feel sick during any of these treatments, cease immediately. Are you in doubt, ask your doctor for advice.

Even if you don't suffer from any acute pains or aches, implementing thermo-therapy into your daily life will increase your overall well-being and strengthen your health.

Related articles:
The effects of hot and cold, Why cold stones, Geothermal Deep Stone therapy, Benefits of Stone Massage by Mary Nelson

Thermo-therapy in your shower

Image by hegtor via Flickr

A hot sauna visit followed by a cold winter
dip is effective thermo-therapy.

Using alternating temperatures can create amazing results to your health and well-being. It can help with aches and pains, strengthen the heart and circulation, support the lymphatic and immune systems, as well as increase your energy levels and ability to deal with stress. In short, daily thermo-therapy is good for you.

Not everybody has access to hot saunas and cold snow to do thermo-therapy. Luckily, there are several things that anyone can do at home, provided they have hot and cold water.

The easiest thing to do is an alternating shower. It's easy and quick and can without problems be implemented after the normal morning shower routines.

Alternating shower is good for the heart and overall relief of pain.

• Take a long hot shower and make sure you feel over heated
• Turn on the cold water, as cold as you can stand it
• Pour cold water from hip to ankle on the outside of the right leg, and go back up on the inside of the leg
• Repeat on the left leg
• Pour cold water from shoulder to wrist on outside of the right arm, and go back up on the inside of the arm
• Repeat on the left arm
• Pour cold water from hips to neck on the front side of the body and down the back from neck to hips
• Pour cold water over face and head
• Repeat this entire procedure three times, overheating and application of cold 

When done, step out and dry off. If you did it correctly you'll be sweating.

If this seems a bit too much to start on, just start with the legs and slowly as you get more and more used to doing alternating showers, you can add more steps. Just doing the cold application on the feet and lower legs can make a big difference. Just keep in mind that you don't overheat the areas where you will not be pouring cold water.

How hot and how cold the water has to be fully depends on you. Make sure you go to the extremes, but not so much that it's intolerable and feels really bad.

More self-treatment suggestions next week.

Related articles:
The effects of hot and cold, Why cold stones, Geothermal Deep Stone therapy, Benefits of Stone Massage by Mary Nelson