Healing Touch Bodywork and Massage

Healing Touch: Bodywork and Massage

Your skin is one of your largest and most important organs, covering approximately 12 to 19 square feet and weighing between 5 and 8 pounds, depending upon your height and weight. In addition to forming a protective sheath around your muscles, joints, blood vessels, and internal organs, your skin is also an extremely sensitive and animate structure. A piece of skin about an inch in size contains more than 3 million cells, 100 to 300 sweat glands, 3 feet of blood vessels, and more than 50 nerve endings.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when your skin is touched, the feelings generated reach far below the surface into the very depths of your physical and emotional self. And when stronger pressure is applied, your muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and even your internal organs receive benefits.

For centuries, healers from virtually every culture around the world have used the power of touch as a method of curing illness and relieving pain. In recent decades, massage and other methods of bodywork using the human hands as instruments of health and healing have finally been gaining in popularity and acceptance across the United States as well.

In this chapter, we discuss some of the ways that bodywork techniques can help to heal the body and bring it closer to the ideal state of balance and integrity we know as health. Performed by expert hands, massage is able to

* help relax the body by calming the nervous system

* soothe tense and cramped muscles and joints

* break up scar tissue and loosen adhesions that may form after injury to joints or during long periods of sedentary activity

* foster healing by stimulating circulation of immune system cells

* trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers

* increase blood flow, helping to remove harmful chemical waste products from muscle and nerve tissue

* help reduce swelling and other symptoms of inflammation

* release pent-up, potentially toxic emotions through deep breathing and verbal expression during massage

* bring muscles, bones, joints, connective tissue, and organs back into proper alignment

You have virtually dozens of different bodywork and massage techniques from which to choose. Although the goal of all forms of massage remains to return the body to a balanced, healthy state, each technique is slightly different. Following is a brief overview of several different methods available in the United States today. You can find out even more about them by calling or writing the organizations and agencies listed under "Bodywork and Massage" in Natural Resources, page 174.

Please note, however, that if you suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis in which your joints are currently inflamed and swollen or if osteoarthritis has already caused significant degeneration of bone and joint tissue, you should approach bodywork with great care. Make sure you consult your primary physician or alternative practitioner before you visit a massage or bodywork specialist—especially if the approach you choose involves a great deal of thrusting or joint manipulation. That said, the vast majority of people with arthritis will benefit from being touched and massaged by a trained professional.

Therapeutic Massage

The word massage is derived from the Arabic massa, which means "to stroke." Therapeutic massage, and its offshoot Swedish massage, involve kneading and stroking the skin and applying pressure on tense muscles. Tapping, clapping, or similar percussive hand movements along the spine and muscles may also be employed. The circulation-boosting aspects of massage often help relieve the pain of arthritis, especially arthritis that has already caused some disability or inactivity. Massage can be a form of "artificial" exercise that helps blood flow, increases the range of motion of limbs, and helps maintain the suppleness of your body's soft tissues—all of which help to keep your joints moving to the best of their ability.

Swedish massage, developed about 150 years ago, is the most popular form of massage in the United States at this time. The technique involves five basic strokes:

Effleurage consists of long, gliding strokes from the neck down to the base of the spine or from the shoulder down to the fingertips. Effleurage is designed to acquaint the therapist with the subject's body, and vice versa.

Petrissage involves gently lifting muscles up and away from the bones, then rolling and squeezing them, again with a gentle pressure. Petrissage is especially useful for people with arthritis because it tends to increase circulation and clear out toxins from muscle, nerve, and joint tissue.

Friction consists of applying deep, circular movement near joints and other bony areas with thumbs and fingertips. Friction breaks down what are known as adhesions. These are knots that result when muscle fibers bind together during the healing process. Breaking down adhesions thus contributes to more flexible muscles and joints. It also helps to induce deep relaxation.

Tapotement is a short chopping stroke applied in several different ways—with the edge of the hand, with the tips of the fingers, or with a closed fist. Tapotement attempts to release tension and cramping. For those in the midst of an arthritis flare-up, this type of stroke might best be avoided, since it can cause an increase in inflammation.

Vibration, or shaking, involves the therapist pressing his or her hands on your back or limbs and rapidly shaking for a few seconds in order to boost circulation and help the muscles to contract more efficiently.

With these five types of stroke, the Swedish therapist will attempt to manipulate all of your muscles, paying special attention to those supporting the joints most affected by disease. In addition to licensed or certified massage therapists, many health professionals now practice massage, including physical therapists, athletic trainers, and nurses.

A visit to a massage therapist typically lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. In most cases, you will be asked to remove your clothing, lie down on a massage table, and drape a sheet over your body. Before he begins the session, the therapist may ask about your medical history and your current emotional and physical state. In some cases, pleasantly scented mineral oils may be used during the massage.

In addition to Western forms of therapeutic massage, of which there are any number of variations, Eastern techniques of massage also flourish. These include shiatsu and acupressure, both of which developed out of Chinese medical theory.

The Alexander Technique

Posture—the way we hold our bodies as we stand, sit, and move—has a direct effect on the state of our physical and mental health, or so claimed Frederick Mattias Alexander, a turn-of-the-century Australian Shakespearean actor. Plagued by chronic voice loss, Alexander studied the way he spoke by reciting lines in front of a mirror. What he noticed surprised him: Whenever he began to speak, he tended to tense his neck, move his head back and forth, and slightly hunch his back. When he altered these habitual muscular movements, however, he found that his voice returned in full strength.

Based on his own experience, Alexander formulated a theory that the root cause of many disorders—especially those directly connected to the musculoskeletal system such as arthritis—is the muscular tension that results from holding our bodies in the wrong position over many years. He developed a technique by which practitioners could help subjects "unlearn" faulty movements or postures.

The heart of the Alexander technique consists of allowing your spine to slowly stretch upward to its optimal length by releasing the tension in your neck and lifting your head up so that it sits just above the spine. Whenever you move, you should lead with your head, follow with the spine, and let your body lengthen to its full balanced extent. By doing so, the technique helps to expand the spaces inside the body, including the spaces between the bones that form joints.

During a typical Alexander technique session, which can last up to an hour and a half, you might be asked to sit, stand, or lie on a table (fully clothed). The practitioner will then touch your head, neck, and spine, feeling for any tension or muscular compression. Generally, she will move your body into alignment, helping you with words and motion to find your correct posture and thus release your joints from any undue pressure. Eventually, over time, you will learn to hold and move your body in a whole new and, hopefully, pain-free way.

Today, there are about 500 teachers of the Alexander technique nationwide. To be affiliated with the national professional society—the North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique—a practitioner must have had three years and at least 1,600 hours of training.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists attempt to show individuals how to conserve energy, protect their joints, and treat their symptoms with heat and cold. With the goal of restoring normal—or at least functional—movement, they evaluate movement to recognize and correct abnormal movement. There are a variety of ways that physical therapists can help the people they see. In some cases, treatment will permanently solve the problems, such as occurs with physical therapy after an acute injury or trauma. In other cases, they can help to evaluate and control pain, work to decrease muscle spasm and joint inflammation, and help people learn to use their joints more efficiently and with less stress and strain.

Often, physical therapy is scheduled two or three times a week, especially at the beginning of a program. Physical therapists are highly trained health professionals, having graduated from four or five years of intensive, hands-on experience in a physical therapy program at a university or college. Upon graduation, students receive their B.S. in physical therapy, then must pass a state licensing exam to receive the official title of physical therapist, or P.T.

Myotherapy

A technique developed by Bonnie Prudden, myotherapy is based on the idea that past injuries can result in hidden pockets of pain called "trigger points." Trigger points are tender spots on the body caused by any trauma or injury—emotional or physical—at any age and can be in any part of the body. Trigger points related to arthritis may involve old strains or injuries caused by an accident, by years of poorly performed repetitive movements, or may result from any of a number of emotional wounds and scars. Once activated, trigger points force affected muscles to shorten and remain that way, restricting the range of motion of the joints involved.

When you visit a myotherapist, he or she will first take a medical history and ask you about your symptoms as they stand today. You will then be asked to remove your clothes and put on a gown. Carefully, and using a combination of intuition and training, the therapist will locate your trigger points by gently pressing down upon your back or other body parts. Because trigger points can also "refer" pain to a distant site in the body along predictable patterns, you shouldn't be surprised if your therapist begins to work on your foot or hand first.

Once a trigger point is found, the therapist will apply pressure to the area directly above it using his or her elbow, knuckles, or fingers. Although you may feel some pain along with the pressure, once the pressure is released, the pain often disappears. Because a slight soreness may remain for a day or two as the muscles released try to rewind themselves into their old, tensed positions, the therapist may suggest various stretching exercises and massage techniques you can perform yourself.

In order to receive treatment from a myotherapist, you must be referred by a physician. There are about 200 certified myotherapists practicing in the country today.

Rolfing

This technique, also called structural integration, was developed in the 1970s by Ida Rolf, Ph.D., a biochemist. According to Dr. Rolf, pain and disease occur when the body comes out of proper alignment through habitual poor posture and movement. Over time, the fascia (the connective tissue covering muscles and organs) has to compensate and stretch to hold everything in this incorrect and ultimately painful position. As this occurs, the fascia becomes more rigid and solid as adhesions, or scarring, occurs.

In order to return the body to health and balance, Dr. Rolf suggested that the deep connective tissue be manipulated and stretched back into place. As the fascia returns to its natural position, the muscles, joints, blood vessels, and nerves out of alignment slowly work themselves back into place. Finally, the body is remade to conform to its original, balanced design, forming one single vertical line extending from the head and shoulders through the thorax and down into the legs. When this occurs, posture improves, muscles and joints work more easily and with more strength, and self-esteem is elevated.

Rolfing, as this technique is called, is not painless—nor is it completely safe for patients who are experiencing severe arthritis flare-ups. In order to stimulate and realign deep connective tissue, the Rolfer (therapist) must apply some force as he or she massages tissues. It is likely that your first visit to a Rolfer will involve having photos taken of your body in order to assess your posture as you sit and stand. You'll be asked about your medical history, emotional state, and current symptoms of arthritis and other problems. You will then lie down on a table or the floor (fully clothed or in your underclothes) while the Rolfer works through your body, kneading your joints and muscles with his or her fingers, knuckles, or elbows. In this way, the Rolfer intends to reorganize the fascial tissue back into its proper alignment, thereby lifting, lengthening, and balancing the body.

Rolfers receive training at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The course involves two nine-week training sessions, followed by a series of continuing education classes after certification.

Zero Balancing

Zero balancing is a simple, yet powerful hands-on bodywork system, developed by Fritz Frederick Smith, M.D., designed to balance body energy and body structure. Although using a Western scientific base, zero balancing introduces Eastern viewpoints of energy and healing. It works to bring clearer, stronger fields of energy through the body, helping to release tension from both body and mind. This significantly improves physical and mental function, as well as promotes feelings of well-being and optimism in the patient.

A typical zero balancing session takes about 30 minutes. You'll lie on a table, fully clothed, while a practitioner massages and manipulates the joints and soft tissue of the body. The work focuses on the deepest, strongest currents in the body, located in the bones and joints. On one level, a session is designed to improve body function by relieving physical pain and mental tension. On a broader level, because of the clarity of energy flow it induces in the body, zero balancing is especially valuable as a tool to help people through periods of life stress, such as a divorce or death in the family.

Some General Precautions

Although these methods of bodywork and massage are safe for most people, it is important that you follow a few general suggestions before you visit a massage therapist of any kind:

Receive a thorough medical evaluation of your arthritis. As discussed at the beginning of this chapter, there are some cases in which massage or bodywork can do more harm than good, especially if deep massage is performed. Certain types of bone degeneration and inflammation—and the pain they cause—for instance, may worsen with massage. Talk to your doctor or practitioner about your particular problem before making a massage appointment.

Do not receive a massage when you are suffering from a high fever or an infectious or malignant condition. Because massage stimulates blood flow, bacteria, viruses, and even cancer cells may—in certain cases—spread more quickly throughout the body if you undergo massage therapy. Again, talk to your doctor or practitioner if you have any questions.