Can massage therapy help with a pinched nerve?

In short, yes!

What is the definition of a pinched nerve?

Basically, the laymans term explanation of it is: 2 muscles get naffed off, get more tense and tight than usual, and make a jam sandwich out of the nerve.

It feels awful, like a lightning bolt going through your limb or wherever it is, and it can make a person feel really nauseous. My own personal experience that comes to mind is one time I had a pinched nerve in my neck and shoulder as the discomfort was coming down my arm to my middle finger (median nerve) and it just made me want to jump up and down and shake my arm till the feeling went away. Jumping up and down didn’t help, but a really effective massage DID.

I booked in with my colleague Trevor Chisman who, quite frankly, is a nerve geek. I’m more into the muscles of the head and neck and that is where I have put my extra study into, where as Trevor with nerve pain is just a master.

I gave Trevor as much information as I could about how long I had symptoms, can I remember if anything set it off, and what it feels like when it did kick off, and then basically he got to work. He pinpointed a problem in a very specific area of my neck where the nerves come out of the spinal column, and it immediately felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Getting out of pain should not, in my opinion be a traumatic experience, it should feel precise, and effective without beating the client up.

Last week I had a client come in with sciatic type discomfort. The reason I am not writing ‘my client had sciatica’ is because, as a massage therapist, it’s not in my remit to diagnose!

The most important thing about treating any kind of nerve discomfort is listening to the client, what makes it feel worse, what makes it feel bette, how long have you been feeling this way.

My roll as a massage therapist is to then try to smooth out whatever is causing that sensation, and almost tease the muscles apart gently by applying appropriate pressure. It really is quite an intuitive process and enormously satisfying when you find the trouble maker.

So there we have it, it’s a resounding yes, that soft tissue work and massage therapy can have a positive effect on nerve pain and a pinched nerve

Book here if you are suffering from a pinched nerve, and let’s get you back to optimum wellness.

You have my permission...

To feel crap.

Yes, your read that right.

You totally have my permission to feel a bit flat, not quite get it right, feel a bit vulnerable, feel a bit worn out. No judgement, and to be honest, I am not bloody surprised.

The past 15 months or so, have been nothing more than exhausting, both in personal and business terms, and the general feeling of waiting for something crap to happen. It’s like driving a car at high speed not knowing what is around the corner, or sometimes, for me, it’s felt like I am laying down train tracks as quickly as I can, with a high speed train on its way.

This is June the 14th 2021, and I safely say, that for the past couple of weeks, what I have noticed is, fear, fear, and more fear, mixed in with not getting communication not quite right, possibly not being as organised as we usually are, and lots of other unexpected nonsense just deciding to rear it’s goddamn head. Sometimes the only thing you can do, is try to give yourself a sensory distraction - hot bath, give yourself a foot rub, or book in with me and I will do it! Just take your foot off the pedal and stop mentally beating yourself up.

I really have noticed some absolute cock ups recently with regard to not having the right conversations at the right time. Whether it’s you, or whether it’s someone else, just stop what you are doing and just breath, instead of going for the option of having a meltdown.

Don’t get me wrong, the odd meltdown with some ugly crying a snot, can really clear the decks, but I’d rather not be in a situation where I look like a punchbag we’ a tattie nose (thats what my Mum calls it).

I really am sorry if you are feeling down trodden at the moment. Sometimes you really do need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. That’s from a musical and I can’t remember which one. Hang on, I’ll call my Mum… Swing Time with Fred Astaire. My Mum is better than Alexa.

So anyway.

Please don’t keep feeling awful to yourself. Especially ESPECIALLY if you are with the work form home corporate athletes. You will be surprised at the amount of people who will LISTEN and empathise with you, a

Please also reach out to me if there is anything I can do to help.

Liz x

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...

Can Massage Therapy Help Me Sleep Better?

A good night’s sleep is crucial to our wellbeing and our health. If you’ve ever had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, then you know that being tired or craving sleep can impact your entire day. You feel drowsy or irritable, your thoughts may be foggy, and you may start to notice a difference in your body as well.

If you’re having trouble falling asleep at night maybe it’s time you consider massage therapy to help you sleep better.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is such an important part of our wellbeing. While some people need more sleep than others, getting too little sleep is associated with a host of medical issues, and a habit of poor sleep can lead to a decline in your overall health.

The Centre for Disease Control has reported that a lack of sleep is associated with a host of medical issues:

●      Diabetes

●      Cardiovascular disease

●      Obesity

●      Depression

An ongoing issue with sleep can really start to affect how you feel physically and emotionally, and grow into a larger health issue.

Massage for Better Sleep

Some research is illuminating how massage therapy can benefit people who are having difficulty sleeping. For example, one study followed several people with lower back pain and sleep disturbances. The group that received massages reported feeling less pain, with fewer depression symptoms and improved anxiety and sleep.

This study followed these adults with lower back pain and sleep disturbances for five weeks. Each of the adults chosen for the study had been experiencing lower back pain and related sleep issues for at least six months.

One group received 30-minute massages, two times per week, and the other group received relaxation therapy sessions twice a week for 30 minutes. Each participant filled out a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the trial, and those in the massage group reported benefits in anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. They even showed improved trunk and pain flexion performance.

Massage and Fatigue

Sleep issues will lead you to feel fatigued. Another study followed the effects of massage therapy for patients with poor sleep quality who had also received a coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This study looked at whether massage therapy was an effective way to improve sleep quality for these patients.

The 40 participants in the study were randomly assigned either to a control group or a massage therapy group after they had been released from the ICU. For three nights following their release from intensive care, the participants in the massage therapy group received massage therapy sessions.

Every participant in both the control group and massage therapy group were evaluated the following morning for pain in their back, chest, and shoulders, and also on fatigue and sleep. While both groups reported feeling an improvement in their back, shoulder, and chest pain over the course of the three days, the participants in the massage therapy group also reported fewer complaints of fatigue on the first two days, and more effective sleep throughout the entire study.

Another reason, and this one you won’t believe:  poor sleep can also contribute to weight gain.  With the amount of work I have done to try and lose menopause weight gain there is no way I am letting this one creep up on me!  Menopause itself can lead to insomnia due to waking up lots during the night due to the horrible night sweating. 

The soundproofing in my flat is not as good as it could be, so for me, it’s earplugs for the win!

Other things you can do is have lavender essential oil to hand, and sprinkle it on your pillow as part of your bedtime routine. Counter balance this with rosemary essential oil first thing in the morning to help with concentration.

I know how much sleep matters, and I’m a firm believer in the benefits of massage therapy for sleep disturbances, sleep disorders, and fatigue. Let’s work together to help you experience the benefits of massage therapy, so you can sleep better at night, and wake up feeling rested, happy, and well the next morning. Contact me today, and let’s set up an appointment.

In days of yore, when I had clients that were feeling poorly or had the start of a bad cold, I would ask them in anyway for a full body tune up to stimulate their lymphatic/immune system.  These days with a whole new load of bloody viruses and variants going around, I can’t do that, as the symptoms mean a wider public health problem!

If you DO find yourself feeling drained, look up a foam rolling class, give yourself a good foot massage and really get in between all your toes etc.  Have a lovely hot bath, or get in the sea, flowing water actually stimulates your lymphatic system as it gently glides over your nodes.  The highest concentration of lymph nodes are under your armpits and in your groin area.  That’s why these areas ache when you are feeling under the weather, its your lymph nodes working super hard. 

It's all change with 'the change'.

So anyway.

After a few years of studying and researching menopause, turns out I need to listen to myself more often.

Oh boy.

Like everything in life, I think I have worked something out, then the plot twist happens.

Don’t worry, it’s nothing more than simply overeating, but its amazing how it can get out of control.

My amazing 50 something body has changed tack again, going in another direction that seems to be very fond of making all my cloths feel a bit nipped.

Lockdown has affected us all, in many different ways. I have started wearing my fitness tracker again as I was more than aware of not moving enough, over the last couple of months, especially not working at the moment.

The overeating was very subtle, and it took my sister to flag it up to me.

Would you believe that having a period actually uses up a lot of energy, so when in menopause, and your period stops, the amount of calories you need daily/weekly/monthly drops too. It does’t help that during this process, our leptin levels also drop. Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating as you are full, so the menopausal munching continues! Oh my!

I also noticed that I wasn’t doing myself any favours at all, by eating light during the day, then having an enormous dinner. So have switched it up, and am now making my evening meal lighter.

So I really have had to go back to basics. Get outside walking daily for at least an hour. Revisit my beloved Toned in 10 Davina McCall DVD, and start eating delicious homemade soups in the evening.

If you are trawling the internet looking for menopause advice, look no further than my Menopause Workbook, available for £4.99 from my website. I wrote it, and it’s jam packed full of helpful information to help you take steps towards better menopause management.

There is no magic pill to make the symptoms completely disappear, but there is great deal you can do, to turn the volume down, including a focus on stress reduction.

Find out more here.

Onward!

Elizabeth

Does an octopus have forearms? No, it has 8! (sorry)

It started with a twinge. You know, that sensation between a tickle and a tingle.

Then it progressed to an ache. And then a throb.

And now it hurts every time you try to type (which, let’s be honest, is all day long) or hold your coffee mug.

For such small muscles, forearm injury can pack a real punch (pun intended, thank you) because they are integral to even the most basic everyday activities.

So let’s break down this mighty group of muscles and learn what they do and how to keep them healthy and pain free.

What do forearms do?

The forearm is the lower arm, or the area of your arm between the wrist and elbow.

Forearm muscles start just above the elbow and cross the elbow, wrist, and finger joints. These long, thin muscles allow you to bend and straighten your wrist, rotate your palms face up and face down, bend and straighten your elbow, and grip stuff.

Forearms come into play with an endless array of daily activities such as (but not limited to):

●      Grasping and turning a doorknob

●      Opening a jar

●      Holding a glass

●      Fist bumping

●      Arm wrestling

●      Giving a thumbs-up

●      Typing on a computer keyboard

●      Playing golf or tennis

●      Performing push ups, pullups, and holding on to any type of weight

What are the forearm muscles?

Muscles of the forearm can be grouped into two categories: flexors and extensors. These muscles affect the elbow, wrist, and fingers, so there’s a lot going on.

Forearm flexors

Flexors do just that: they flex a joint (or decrease the angle). Bending your elbow, bending your wrist, and closing your hand are all flexing movements.

Forearm flexors can also move the wrist side to side and turn your palms face down.

Forearm extensors

Like with the flexors, there will not be a quiz on the specific muscle names. The important thing to know is that these muscles extend (or straighten) the elbow, wrist, and fingers.

Forearm extensors can also move the wrist side to side and turn your palms face up.

Types of forearm pain

Forearm pain can be the result of an injury or overuse. Some of the most common forearm pain conditions are:

●      Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

●      Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)

●      Carpal tunnel syndrome

●      Trigger points

●      Repetitive stress

●      Arthritis

Most forearm pain develops over time, and pain can range from sharp and shooting to a dull ache or throb.

Common treatments for forearm pain

As always, the type of treatment depends on the exact cause of the pain. You should see a doctor if you’ve experienced a trauma, don’t know the source of your pain, or your pain is worsening over time.

The good news is that most forearm pain can be successfully treated through behaviour modification and some simple remedies.

The most common treatments for forearm pain are:

●      Rest

●      Anti-inflammatory drugs

●      Ice

●      Exercise and stretches

In cases of something like tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome, physical therapy can be very useful to strengthen underused muscles or modify movements to avoid further injury.

Forearm stretches and exercises

Many people underestimate the value of stretching your forearms. But you can easily perform these stretches throughout the day while working at your desk, or even in the evening while watching TV. Regular gentle stretching can help ease forearm pain in a very short period of time.

As with any stretching protocol, maintain a pain free range of motion. You want to feel a sensation and be able to take slow even breaths throughout the stretch. If you experience pain or have to hold your breath, back off.

Wrist circles

Making a loose fist, rotate your wrist 10 times in one direction, then 10 times in the other direction.

Wrist extensor stretch

Extend your right arm in front of you with the palm facing down. Using your left hand, gently continue to bend the wrist. Hold 10 seconds. You should feel the stretch along the top of your forearm.

Repeat on the left side.

Wrist flexor stretch

Extend your right arm in front of you with the palm facing up. Using your left hand, gently bend the hand and fingers of your right hand back toward you. Hold 10 seconds. You should feel the stretch along the front of your forearm.

Repeat on the left side.

Can massage help forearm pain?

Massage is extremely useful in reducing forearm pain and helping to keep you pain free over time. While you can massage your own forearms, it can create more stress on the working muscles as you try to access hard-to-reach areas or grip using muscles that are already irritated.

Massage therapy to the forearms can improve circulation which can help reduce inflammation. It’s also best for a massage therapist to help assess and treat trigger points that might be contributing to your pain.

During your massage treatment, passive stretching through your range of motion can also be critical to helping you feel good again - not to mention it feels great.

In the absence of being able to make an appointment with me at present, stretching and moving your forearms is such a winner! Get in touch if I can help you out in any way!