Massage and Chronic Fatigue

Massages used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM are known for their therapeutic value, particularly for the treatment of common ailments and disorders.  One of the most common disorders with which TCM is used is chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness that manifests itself through a variety of symptoms, many of which are similar to other disorders and illnesses.  This is why Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is difficult to diagnose.  However, it can be treated and many patients have turned to traditional Chinese medicine and massage therapy for relief. 

Fatigue is an ailment that probably every person has experienced at one time or another.  Although common, it is not always a cause for concern since it often goes away after some rest and relaxation.  The problem is that fatigue can be a symptom of a disorder known as CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  People who suffer from CFS frequently complain of extended periods of extreme fatigue with seemingly no perceivable cause or reason. 

Winter means many things, some of them not as positive as hot cocoa and holidays. Cold, dry weather can wreak havoc on the skin, and one place often requires special attention is a person's foot. Feet are often neglected when it comes to lotion and other skin care methods that the rest of the body daily receives. In winter, foot eczema is a common occurrence. Eczema is the result of extreme dry skin that forms into a scaly, red, often itchy rash.

Oriental herbs can effectively treat eczema and provide fast relief. Herbs that prove helpful for this condition include Flos Ionicerae (Japanese honeysuckle), Herba Mentae (peppermint), Cortex Moutan (root bark of a peony tree), Atractylodes Rhizome (the underground stem of the Atractylodes herb), and Cortex Phellodendri (Amur cork-tree bark). A licensed practitioner of Oriental medicine can prescribe and concoct a mixture of these five herbs, which can be taken orally (the extracts are placed into a pill capsule) once daily. The British Journal of Dermatology recently performed a study using this treatment and found that patients that received these herbs reported that their life improved by a third.

By Alex A. Kecskes

More commonly known as pediatric acupuncture, Shonishin literally translated means sho for little, ni for children, and shin for needle (though typically no needles are used and nothing actually penetrates the skin).

By Alex Kecskes

A study conducted at University of Miami Medical School in Florida revealed that massage may offer considerable benefits for children suffering from stress-related disorders. A 30-minute back massage was given daily for a 5-day period to 52 children who were hospitalized due to depression and adjustment disorders. Subjective assessments were made by the children themselves and by the nurses based upon perceived anxiety levels, sleep patterns and the willingness of the child to be co-operative. Objective analyses were also made by evaluating stress hormone levels in both the urine and saliva. The results were then compared to a control group who were shown relaxing videotapes for 30 minutes instead of massage therapy

By Steve Goodman

Go to your typical doctor's office and you are likely to find coffee in the waiting room. Go to your typical Massage Therapist's office, or MediSpa, and you're increasingly likely to find coffee in the treatment rooms!

Yes, believe it or not, massage practitioners may be bringing a whole new meaning to the term "coffee break," as coffee is increasingly used in various types of therapeutic massage. Coffee massage is one of the latest trends in the field of massage therapy. Coffee is being used as a base ingredient in body scrubs, lotions, oils, and body wraps. There are coffee body soaks and coffee aromatherapy candles. Take a look at the number of people lined up every morning waiting to drop more than $4.00 at Starbucks, and their can be very little doubt as to the popularity and possible healing effects of coffee.

Typically, a coffee massage involves the application of coffee grounds mixed with soothing gels or lotions to the skin by hand or with a wet cloth. Primarily, the coffee beans are used as a stimulating exfoliant to remove dead skin cells through scrubbing the skin. This is then followed by the actual massage where a coffee based lubricant or oil is used during a therapeutic massage.

Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) like coffee because they say it is gentle enough for facial massages. It has a cleansing and moisturizing effect and it is also loaded with antioxidants, especially when using green coffee. It can even tighten skin and reduce puffy eyes, albeit the effect is temporary. A typical coffee massage invigorates tired muscles and provides protection from oxidation and sun exposure. LMTs say these coffee based massage creams and essential oils stimulate circulation and at the same time provide aromatherapeutic effects with their rich, deep scents.

Massaging Negative Energy Out of Your Body

By Alex A. Kecskes

By Michelle Fletcher

Massage is no longer solely the refuge for overworked athletes and office workers suffering from carpal tunnel. The littlest in our lives are now reaping the many benefits of massage infants.

The American Hospital Association conducted a survey in 2006 that revealed that more than one out of every four hospitals in the U.S. now offer some “alternative” therapies, including acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and massage therapy, among other types of non-Western treatment. According to the survey, which is conducted every year by the AHA, the percentage of hospitals offering “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) therapies grew from 8 percent in 1998 to 27 percent in 2005.

More Americans are finding relief through alternative forms of health care.  Hospitals have increasingly expanded programs in order to attract this patient base as well as to optimize care options.  CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) inpatient programs nearly doubled between 1998 and 2001, as attitudes and perceptions toward alternative medicine change.  The Journal of the American Medical Association states that 42 percent of U.S. adults receive at least one of sixteen alternative therapies surveyed.

As wild fires ravaged San Diego, more than 500,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes, and seek shelter among the several sites open countywide.  The largest of these refugee centers was Qualcomm Stadium where thousands went to wait for the fires to be controlled.

Evacuees at Qualcomm found healing for all types of ailments from exhaustion and stress, to more serious diseases like Diabetes at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s (PCOM) treatment area. PCOM’s students, alumni, and faculty volunteered their time and services to provide massage and NADA protocol acupuncture.  PCOM was also assisted by Helio Medical Supply and Bodywork Emporium, both companies donating needles and supplies, while PCOM alumni, Ryan Altman’s non-profit organization, the Alternative Healing Network, helped organize and execute the volunteer effort at Qualcomm.

By Michelle Fletcher, B.A., http://michellefletcher.net

Each day, more and more Americans are turning to massage therapy to ease pain. Ranging from carpal tunnel syndrome, to chronic arthritis, massage therapy techniques are helping patients of all walks of life get back on their feet again.  Just about every culture has used a form of massage to ease pain.  Although its healing powers were muted by modern medicine, a growing number of people are returning to its age-old healing properties.  The Journal of Rheumatoidology reports that over 70 percent of doctors refer their patients to massage therapy.