Madison Wisconsin Massage School

A Mayo Clinic study conducted over a period of five months, showed so much of a reduction in post-surgical pain, they hired a full-time massage therapist to be available for patients after heart surgery. Approximately half of the 58 patients who participated in this original pilot study received massage. On a 10-point scale of pain, those who received massage had a mean pain score of less than one, while those who did not receive massage had an average score of three. In addition to the massage therapy, the Mayo Clinic has been looking into the advantages of other complementary therapies, including ambient music and guided imagery, both of which have shown to have a positive effect of patients recovering from surgery.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Ann Arbor and Indianapolis Healthcare Systems conducted an even larger study involving 605 veterans, male and female, over a period of two years who had undergone major surgery (thoracic or abdominal). They were assigned to one of three groups. Approximately one third received routine care, as well as a daily 20-minute effleurage back massage each evening for up to five days. A second group got individualized attention, but no massage; and the remaining group got only standard routine care.

The purpose of the study was to see how massage and/or individualized support affected recovery after major surgery. Compared to the groups who received no massage, those who did receive massage experienced a faster rate of decreased pain intensity, pain unpleasantness and a reduction in anxiety in the first four days after surgery.

SOURCE: Intergrative Healthcare

This information is brought to you by Dr. XiPing Zhou, M.D.O.M., L.Ac. Dr. Zhou is founder & president of East West Healing Arts Institute Massage School, Dr. Zhou’s Acupuncture & Pain Management Clinic, Madison Family Wellness Community Clinic,  The Herbal Palace, & China Delight Tours. Visit anyone of these websites to learn about Chinese medicine and culture.

Also, spinal manipulation and Rolfing, apart from the Alexander technique and the Feldenkrais method can have great effect. The January issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource discusses these methods in detail.

Massage
It involves applying pressure to the body’s soft tissues by rubbing, kneading or rolling. In deep tissue massage, the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue are manipulated. Another approach focuses on trigger points, where in muscle ‘knots’ that are painful are pressed.

Spinal manipulation
This therapy is a treatment for restricted spinal mobility. It ensures that the spinal movement is restored. A controlled force or thrust is applied to a joint of the spine. Also, known as spinal adjustment it can provide long-term or short-term relief.

Rolfing
Rolfing manipulates the fascia, the protective tissue surrounding the muscles. The practitioner uses hands, knuckles, thumbs, elbows and knees to manipulate the patient’s tissues aiming to improve posture and realign the body.

Alexander technique and Feldenkrais method
These therapies use touch and direction to help the patient become more aware of movement. An Alexander session might begin with the patient seated in a chair. The practitioner helps the patient adjust head, neck and spine positions. With Feldenkrais, the patient may be lying down, sitting on a chair or standing. Researchers feel the Alexander technique can provide long-term relief for back pain.

SOURCE: The Times of India

This information is brought to you by Dr. XiPing Zhou, M.D.O.M., L.Ac. Dr. Zhou is founder & president of East West Healing Arts Institute Massage School, Dr. Zhou’s Acupuncture & Pain Management Clinic, Madison Family Wellness Community Clinic,  The Herbal Palace, & China Delight Tours. Visit anyone of these websites to learn about Chinese medicine and culture.

New research shows massage therapy reduced depression in pregnant women, and also reduced the incidence of massaged women’s babies being born prematurely.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Touch Research Institutes, where pioneering research about massage has been conducted since 1992.

Pregnant women diagnosed with major depression were given 12 weeks of massage, twice per week, by their significant other. A control group did not receive massage, according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.

The massage-therapy group versus the control group not only had reduced depression by the end of the massage-therapy period, they also had reduced depression and cortisol levels during the postpartum period.

The massaged women’s newborns were also less likely to be born prematurely and low birthweight, pubmed noted, and they had lower cortisol levels and performed better on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment habituation, orientation and motor scales.

SOURCE: Massage Mag

This information is brought to you by Dr. XiPing Zhou, M.D.O.M., L.Ac. Dr. Zhou is founder & president of East West Healing Arts Institute Massage School, Dr. Zhou’s Acupuncture & Pain Management Clinic, Madison Family Wellness Community Clinic,  The Herbal Palace, & China Delight Tours. Visit anyone of these websites to learn about Chinese medicine and culture.

Cultures all over the world have used massage as part of baby care for hundreds of years, and research shows it to be very beneficial.

Massaging your little one enables you to learn about and respond to the infant’s body language, and is also a wonderful way to create a sense of safety and security by showing that he or she is loved and cared for.

But the relaxing activity does more than foster a close and confident mother-infant relationship. It can provide relief from colic, wind, and constipation, too.

You may wonder if babies really need massage to relax. The answer is yes, because not all infants know how to rest. Just like us, they can get stressed, in addition to being fussy, disorganised, crying a great deal and having poor sleeping habits. Massage can alleviate all these behaviours.

There is no set way to massage your baby. Provided you know how to do it safely, you and your youngster will discover what’s best for you both.

You should keep in mind, however, that massage is something to do with, rather than to, your baby.

Benefits for the child:

- Smooth the transition from the womb to the world
- Introduce baby to his or her first language: touch
- Create a feeling of being loved, respected and secure
- Teach positive, loving touch
- Develop body, mind, awareness and coordination
- Help regulate and strengthen baby’s digestive and respiratory systems and stimulate circulatory and nervous systems
- Reduce ‘fussiness’ and improve quality of sleep
- Enhance skin condition

Advantages for parents:

- Better understand baby’s non-verbal communication
- Enhance parental confidence and competence
- Help with postnatal depression
- Promote lactation in breastfeeding mums (through stimulation of hormones)
- Boost the nurturing instinct (through stimulation of hormone oxytocin)

Certified Infant Massage Instructors (CIMI), trained with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM), teach courses taught over a number of weeks to give both the parent and baby time to learn and become accustomed to massage.

Each week, the class focuses on a new part of the body but also repeats previous demonstrations for reinforcement.

The strokes and styles of infant massage are easier to grasp when demonstrated by experienced instructors. Some skills and topics covered are pressure, rate, rhythm, length of massage, respect and bonding.

SOURCE: hellomagazine.com

This information is brought to you by Dr. XiPing Zhou, M.D.O.M., L.Ac. Dr. Zhou is founder & president of East West Healing Arts Institute Massage School, Dr. Zhou’s Acupuncture & Pain Management Clinic, Madison Family Wellness Community Clinic,  The Herbal Palace, & China Delight Tours. Visit anyone of these websites to learn about Chinese medicine and culture.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

This information is brought to you by Dr. XiPing Zhou, M.D.O.M., L.Ac. Dr. Zhou is founder & president of East West Healing Arts Institute Massage School, Dr. Zhou’s Acupuncture & Pain Management Clinic, Madison Family Wellness Community Clinic,  The Herbal Palace, & China Delight Tours. Visit anyone of these websites to learn about Chinese medicine and culture.