Even if [in your mind] you like winter, the likelihood is that your body disagrees. On the other side of the coin, if you’re like me, this information will only fuel the fire of becoming a “snow bird”. Perhaps it will even give you a reason 😉
“Hungry Tissues” – How Do We Know Where To Apply Pressure?
Normally my writing is very scientific and supported with research. This particular post is backed by smaller a degree of science, and a larger degree of experience and “feeling”. Part of the reason why is because the science hasn’t yet been able to describe these things through study. So I will do my best to share with you, how we know the “just right” spots in massage, with less defined language.
The Power of Touch for Mothers of Premature Babies: A Personal Account
Through my work as a mental health clinician, I have grown to appreciate the idea that just like our physical health, mental health is a spectrum. As we all vary in our levels of physical wellness, we vary in our levels of mental wellness as well. Over the past few years there has been more of a focus on mothers’ mental health through discussions about post-partum depression and other formal diagnoses. However, there’s more to maternal mental health than these various labels. I learned this on a very personal level.
Trigger Points: Those “Money Spots” in Massage.
When you hear [or say] “I have knots in my back”, you’re really being told about a range of different physiological phenomena. One of these, and possibly the most common, is myofascial trigger points (TrPs). They can show up almost anywhere in your body, and they can seemingly have no known cause. TrPs can also cause a surprising amount of pain and discomfort, and their patterns of pain aren’t generally localized to the area of insult, but often referred to other regions of the body. Trigger Points are tricky beasts that can create surprisingly intense and odd sensations given that the physiology behind them is relatively subtle.
Ticklish? If Yes, It Could Mean You’re Really Tense.
The quest to understand the mechanisms behind ticklishness has been occupying some researchers for decades. To this date, we still do not have a clear map of why our bodies can be ticklish, with some being more than others. There are however, some things that we have been able to find out through studying the tickle-phenomenon.
Tendinosis Is Far More Common Than Tendinitis
Building on a previous post where I mentioned that Plantar Fasciitis should more accurately be referred to as “Plantar Fasciosis“, we’re revisiting that discussion in more depth. It’s important to understand the physiological differences in these conditions, because it helps us to provide more effective treatment. More appropriate treatment means faster recovery with less chance of re-injury.
Haptic Tech: Clothes That Touch You
You might be thinking that all garments touch you. But we’re not talking about regular contact here. There are actually garments that are linked with phone and Internet technologies that when activated, feel like someone is touching you. Creepy or cool? You decide.
NextGen Touch Technology: The Future of Human-Computer Interfaces
5 of the latest developments and what they could mean for our future touch-devices.
The future of touch technology is mind-blowing! We’re on the verge of some incredibly powerful tools that could change the world. We found 5 really exciting innovations that we wanted to share:
Technology Hijacking Biology – Why We All Want Touch Screens.
The biology of touch is something that we’ve been exploring for a significant amount of time. We’ve seen and repeatedly demonstrated that not only is physical touch incredibly important for health, happiness and overall wellbeing, we’ve also been able to analyze and understand why that happens. It turns out that we are very deeply hardwired for touch. Here’s where touch technology comes in.
Massage Chairs Will Never Replace Humans
Advancements in technology has created some great conveniences for all of us. When electronic massage chairs came out, they appeared commonly in many retail settings; especially in malls. More recently we might see them scattered throughout airports or even available for home-purchase. Even though they’re convenient, they’ll never replace massage by a human.
Thai Massage & Scoliosis
About 3 percent of people around the world have scoliosis, the majority of whom are girls and women (reference). Scoliosis is characterized by a lateral/sideways “S” or “C” curve in the spine. Depending on the severity of an individual’s curvature, it can have a significant impact on breathing and the functioning of certain organs. Different strategies and interventions exist to try and prevent scoliosis from getting worse or reverse it altogether. Before we delve into the role that Thai Massage can play, here are some essentials.
What’s Better Than “No Touch Rules” For Kids? Education. That’s What.
It’s so typical of our culture to say “In case something bad could happen, or because someone complained we’ve decided to BAN __[insert normal, natural human thing here]__ altogether”. You know, I’m surprised they haven’t banned walking. I mean, the potential of falling over and hurting yourself whilst locomoting is really scary. It’s such a high-risk activity. I would even say a higher risk than touching other people.
Yes. This is a rant. But a well-informed rant. There are also actionable items. So listen up.
Just Because It Hurts Doesn’t Make It A “Deep Tissue Massage”.
When you think of a “deep tissue massage” you’re typically led to believe that this is going to be an inherently painful experience. This misconception is a widely believed notion. Not only should deep tissue massage NOT be painful, I’m going to tell you that if it’s painful it’s not actually as deep tissue as you want it to be.
Thai Massage, A Purely Selfish Exchange.
“The world is invisible to me – with my touch it comes alive.” The quote is from a movie titled, At First Sight. Although the character is literally without sight, the power of the metaphor rings true in a world full of people walking around in an invisible world. We see only what we choose to see if we see at all. We are lost in the momentum of life set into action based on desires and dreams, but the magic of the pursuit gets lost in the pace. Once we feel trapped, and often it happens without us realizing it, our vision is blurred and the darkness begins to suffocate us. We feel we have no choice but to keep going further down the rabbit hole. But we do have a choice. We could stop, take a moment to refocus, and then “Slow it Down.”
Frozen Shoulder – Signs, Symptoms & Treatment
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a reasonably common condition that we really should know more about. The more we know, the greater chance we have of avoiding it altogether. It also may help us help others a little more.
PMSM: Post-Massage Soreness & Malaise And How Thai Massage Avoids It
There are many reports of feeling post-massage soreness a day or two after a regular Swedish Massage session. This is more pronounced when deeper tissues are accessed with stronger/heavier pressure. The interesting thing is that Thai Massage rarely induces this feeling. Why is this the case?
My Thai Massage Story – Things That Everyone Can Do.
It’s always a good practice to occasionally reflect on how we’ve made it to the place we’re at. Personally, I still find the whole last 5/6 years to be quite unbelievable. I’m sharing this because I hope you find some value in the steps outlined, and if you’re seeking your passions and are struggling to take action on them, these might help.
The Biochemistry of Touch and Massage in Cancer Patients
“Massage is the oldest form of medicine known to humans” ~ Unknown.
Massage can help us in so many ways when it comes to the process of cancer treatment and recovery. There are numerous psychological and emotional benefits to being touched and cared for physically, when you’re going through such a grueling and isolating condition.