What Makes for a Really Good Massage?

When you want to get a massage, you want a really good massage that leaves you feeling relaxed and better off for having gone. The last thing you want is to go for a massage and come home in pain. So how are you supposed to know if you are going to get an excellent massage, especially if you are going somewhere for the first time? The best way to know if you are going to get a massage you are going to want to go back for seconds on is to check off this simple checklist.

When You Called to Schedule the Appointment, Did You Like the Person You Spoke With?

When you call to schedule an appointment, you need to be impressed. It doesn’t make sense to think that if you have a poor experience over the phone that your massage is going to be so amazing it will balance out any poor customer service. Take the time to find a place that talks with you and makes you feel impressed before you even show up.

Did They Speak With You About Injuries and What Hurts Before Starting?

You need to find someplace that is not only going to ask you what is wrong now but also ask about things that happened to your body in the past. Having a goal that resolves specific problems in a massage session is ideal for the person giving, and the person receiving the massage.

Does Your Massage Therapist Have the Experience to Know the Right Pressure Points and How Much to Use?

This is a big thing. Obviously, they need to know how to help you feel better by using the right pressure points. However, they also need to know where to push to release the tension being held on to by the muscles in question. They need to apply the right pressure to the right areas in order to help you. This takes the perfect combination of skill, practice, and experience.

Were You Instructed on How to Continue Feeling Better After Your Massage Was Over?

Helping to keep your body feeling great after a massage is part of a really good massage experience. You need to know what to do, and what to avoid, to help your body feel good for as long as possible. If these instructions were missing, then the potential of a really good massage is going to get knocked down a notch. You shouldn’t be worried about being told that an ice pack may feel good or prolong your relief after a massage. That is a standard part of the aftercare.

To find out more about how to get a massage experience that is going to last, then call Academy Massage. They will communicate with you from the very first encounter, and help work with you to find a deep level of relief. Come in and be impressed with everything that Academy Massage has to offer.

Keep Arthritis from Ruining Your Day By Doing This

When arthritis starts before you even roll out of bed in the morning, it can make your entire day bad. Your pain can limit what you are able to get accomplished, and how much you can even enjoy your day. Instead of facing limitations, consider these helpful hints to reduce your pain and get on with your day.

Get a Massage

Massages help decrease inflammation and boost your endorphins. That allows you to feel less pain and get more done throughout the day. You can ask a loved one to massage whatever joint hurts, or for more effective relief, you can get regular massages 2-3 times each week.

Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is when your body heals. If you have inflammation from arthritis around your body, sleep will help it go down naturally. Do your best to cater to your sleep at night, so it can help you have good days. Get a comfortable mattress, sleep in a position that doesn’t hurt, and make sure you are in bed long enough each night to get a solid eight hours of actual sleep.

Take Time Each Day to Stretch

Staying active may be the last thing you want to do when arthritis is rearing its ugly head, but it should be the first thing you turn to most days. The more active you stay, the better your body is able to handle pain and keep joints loosened up. Stretching and low-impact exercises can keep your body feeling better.

If you want more tips on keeping arthritis at bay, call on Academy Massage today!

6 Questions About Acupuncture You're Afraid to Ask

Knowing what to expect prior to getting your first acupuncture session can make it easier to go into without worry or fear. Sometimes people have questions that they want to ask, but feel silly asking. In an attempt to help you feel less worried about going in for acupuncture, here are some questions and answers that may have been floating around in your mind that you did not feel comfortable asking.

1. What Exactly Is Acupuncture?
   
   Acupuncture is an ancient science of medicine, first known to be used in China. It is a series of incredibly thin needles placed into certain pressure points around the body to help improve the overall flow of chi, or a person’s life force. When people experience pain, illness, or other health issues, it can be due to this life force being blocked, so these needles are placed in the body to open those pathways up and give a person better health opportunities.


2. Is Acupuncture Going to Hurt?
   
   The needles used in acupuncture are about as wide as a thin human hair. They are much thinner than anything used for an injection, and most people experience very little or no discomfort at all when the needles are placed. Even people with a strong phobia of needles are typically fine once they see that the first needle did not hurt.


3. What Can Acupuncture Help With?
   
   Acupuncture can help with a very wide variety of medical ailments. You can turn to acupuncture for issues like whiplash and migraines, pain in any area of the body, dental issues to asthma, women’s and men’s health issues, and more. There is virtually no ailment that cannot be benefitted by some sessions of acupuncture.


4. Will You Need Many Sessions of Acupuncture? 
   
   The number of sessions you will require will depend on what you are coming in to get fixed, but you should expect at least five sessions of acupuncture. You may need more like ten or fifteen sessions to get past whatever it is that ails you, but each session will provide you with an increased measure of relief until you get to the final session.


5. What Risks Are Associated with Acupuncture? 
   
   Every single medical procedure out there carries with it some inherent risk, but acupuncture is considered to be one of the safest medical procedures done anywhere in the world. The two main things you are likely to feel when you are done with acupuncture are some tiredness and possible grumpiness. These are both because your body is working to heal whatever was wrong. Anything beyond these responses is incredibly rare.


6. Will Acupuncture Really Help You?
   
   Every person’s response to acupuncture is different, but most people find incredible amounts of relief when they turn to acupuncture. If it did not bring people the relief they were looking for, chances are this ancient medical treatment would have died out over 1,000 years ago. If you really need help with something that is upsetting your life, consider the benefits of acupuncture. Millions of people around the world swear by it.

What is DOMS and How Is It Affecting Your Recovery?

Have you ever woken up a day or two after a workout and realized your muscles went from being fine to cramped up and painfully sore? This is DOMS, also known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It happens because when you work out, there are microscopic tears within each muscle group that you use. Then, anywhere from 6-48 hours after your workout has stopped, those tears get inflamed as your body is trying to heal them.

When DOMS is Present, Your Recovery May Change

So, what does this mean in terms of your recovery? First, it means that you have done a bit of damage to those muscles and you need to take some time to try and correct the damage you have done by allowing it to heal. If you try and push through, you could struggle with being able to keep up with your normal intensity during the healing process, and potentially do more damage.

Second, it can mean that for some, it may be a little harder to stay motivated to continue your workouts because you may worry about continuing the damage or increasing it by other exercise in the same area.

Finally, it can also mean that you need a bit of help with the recovery process. In order to boost your recovery, you should consider options like massage therapy, as this increases blood flow and oxygen to the area, speeding up your muscle recovery anywhere that DOMS is present.

Pressure Points for Helping Yourself Feel Better

Did you know that your body is full of pressure points that can elicit responses from your body from a simple touch or bit of pressure? It’s true, and they are all over your body. Here are a few of them that could help you feel better today!

Headaches

The v shape between your pointer finger and thumb base is a pressure point. Apply gentle pressure until slightly sore for about two minutes per side and notice your headache improve. This is the same pressure point you should use if you have an earache or a minor toothache!

Nausea

If you are going through morning sickness or chemo, then you want to apply gentle pressure to your inner arm by your wrist. They even sell wristbands that can do this for you. Apply gentle pressure for 1-2 minutes to start, and increase time as necessary for best results.

Abdominal Pain

If you notice your stomach hurting, you have a few options. You can do the same as you did for a headache, or you can go to your leg and press there. Just below the kneecap and to the outside of the prominent bone, press gently to help reduce your stomach pain. You can also alleviate stomach pain by pressing one thumb’s width above the bellybutton very gently.

If you are in pain and these are not doing the trick, or you want a few more tips, give us a call and schedule an appointment at Academy Massage. We can work with you to help figure out the problem!