Lymph Massage Salt Lake City

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Why Does My Back Hurt?

In my experience I would say that the biggest factor in back pain is that your shoulders can rotate almost 360 degrees. There are a lot of moving parts in that motion. If anything gets caught or pulled tight it will start to pull on the back and rib cage. Add to that tightening of the jaw, front of the neck and pectorals and things get pretty locked down. If your hips pull on your back in the opposite direction of the shoulder, it can cause a tightening that can lead to major distress.

What happens if you have any or all of the above scenarios and you fall down...or reach for something...or sleep wrong? All of your muscles are attached to bones. In the upper body many of these are attached to the rib cage. When you are tight and your body is pulling in opposite directions even a simple sneeze can pull a rib out of its proper alignment.

This rib misalignment can cause sharp pain by itself but as long as the rib stays out of whack it will cause that part of the lymphatic system to back up and get stuck. This commonly results in a stiffening and pain in the neck that can't be resolved until the rib goes back into place.

If you have ever reached for something and felt a sharp pain followed by your back or neck "not feeling quite right" or all of a sudden just noticed a weird tightness in your arms or neck that wasn't there before, you may have pulled a rib out.

If you are loose enough, sometimes a rib will go back in on it's own in time or you may be able to get it to go back in with some stretching or yoga. On the other hand, I have had clients that I suspect have had a rib out for several years.

When you hear that you may have a rib out, you might naturally think a trip to the chiropractor is in order. If you go to the traditional bone cracker, odds are this issue won't resolve. What needs to happen first is a loosening up of all the major tethering points or muscle attachments pulling opposite directions.

Draining the lymph is useful in the loosening process because what is sure to accompany the tightness is a build up of lymph fluid which can make the area more sore and deep work quite painful.

It took me years to know to look for a misaligned rib. If you have back pain and suspect you may have a rib out it would be worth your time to find a massage therapist in your area with the experience to release the areas binding the rib. Once you find somebody, often simple stretching after the work is enough for the rib to move back into place. If not, setting a chiropractic appointment for after the massage session will greatly increase the success of realignment.

Although many chiropractors now employ massage therapists, in many cases either the therapist doesn't have the experience or the sessions are just too short to do more than get the fluid moving and to warm up the muscles.

If you are in the Salt Lake area feel free to contact me for more information. If I can't see you, I can make a reliable referral.

If you are not local and would like more information on how to find someone who has the experience to help, you are welcome to leave a comment or send me a private email and I will try to offer some useful suggestions.

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Sunday, July 1, 2012

What's the Difference Between Lymphatic Massage and Lymph Drainage Therapy(LDT)?

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On a first session with a new client I typically give them what I refer to as the Lymph lecture. It is a simplistic description of how the lymph system works, why it is important and how it directly relates to pain, malaise and other illnesses.

When I first started doing this years ago, less than 1% had any working knowledge of the lymphatic system. I am happy to report that those numbers have been increasing. People who are educated on the lymph system are still a dismally small number but it is promising that, at least in my practice, t

his number is on a steady rise.

So what is the difference between Lymphatic Massage and Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT)? My primary massage practice is in Salt Lake City, Utah and in this state most of the people trained in lymphatic work have been trained in a technique that calls itself Lymph Drainage Therapy (a therapy developed by French doctor Bruno Chikley.) This is an uber light technique that helps to move fluid with the slightest pressure (5 grams or the weight of a nickel.)

LDT is based on a premise that the lymph cells will rupture with more than 5 grams of pressure and regenerate within 24 hours. I don't believe this is true. In my experience, when someone has severe lymphedema it is possible to rupture the lymph cells with too much pressure but the amount of pressure it takes to burst these cells is variable based on multiple factors. It may be 5 grams but not necessarily.

Severe Lymphedema (Light Pressure)

There is always an optimum pressure and finding that requires the therapist to have a finally developed sense of touch and sensitivity to their client's body.

For healthy people 5 grams will not rupture the lymph cell. When someone is extremely ill or has the most severe form of lymphedema...the almost imperceptible touch of LDT can be quite healing and do wonders for an overtaxed parasympathetic system.

For anyone who is healthy, moderately ill or has the kind of lymphedema caused by a mastectomy or adolescent onset...Lymphatic Massage is often the more effective and satisfying choice.

Moderate Lymphedema (Variable Pressure)

In Lymphatic massage...the lymph fluid is still being drained and depending on the expertise of the therapist there is potential for a much bigger release of toxins than in LDT. For a very ill person...too many toxins released at the same time can send them into a downward spin that can be challenging to overcome.
However, in the moderately ill to healthy person, releasing as many toxins as possible is desirable.

I do occasionally use LDT when the circumstance is warranted...but in my experience Lymph Massage is typically by far more effective and satisfying.

For those of you that have had both the uber light LDT and Lymph Massage (usually not by the same therapist), how do you notice the difference?

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

Friday, June 8, 2012

HCG Diet and Massage Part 1 of 2

The HCG diet has become the diet of choice for many people in the last few years. After taking both the time to research this and monitor my client's progress while using this protocol, I am impressed.

Although this program is famous for its astonishing success in weight loss, it also appears to balance and bring into harmony the glands that regulate metabolism. Medical clinics that specialize in HCG will often take a patient completely off thyroid medication during the protocol and in many cases have been able to completely eliminate thyroid medication after the treatment has ended.

According to Dr. Albert T. W. Simeons, author of the manuscript "Pounds and Inches" and founder of the HCG diet, the bonus benefits of this program include restoring steroid hormone balance, slowing or reversing the downhill slide of hypoglycemia and diabetes, re-energizing thyroid and adrenal glands, breading up arterial plaque, reducing rheumatic pain, and lowering blood pressure.

Sounds great! So what's the catch? Unfortunately one of the controversial instructions in this manuscript is, that during phase 2 of the diet (23-43 day period of actively taking HCG) no massages are allowed.

So why is there a no massage mandate for the HCG diet phase 2? As far as I can tell, Dr. Simeons appears to have two basic objections to massage.

The use of oil and lotions on the body
Kneading and breaking up of fat that leads to bruising and scar tissue

In part one of this blog I will look at the oil objection and in part 2 (the next blog) will address the type of massage that leads to bruising and scar tissue and how that applies to this century (the manuscript was written in 1954.)

The Oil Issue

Massage oil can be problematic during HCG phase 2 which calls for a very low calorie diet, one that is extremely low in carbs and has absolutely no fat.

Your body is designed to seek resources that are fairly easy to break down and convert into fuel. Your body's first preference of material to convert to fuel is glucose, which is provided through consuming carbohydrates. The second resource that your body prefers is fat and the third is protein.

Because of this, your body will not burn fat as a primary fuel source until the glucose is used up and it won't burn significant amounts of protein until the fat is used up.

The HCG diet is ketogenic. That means it will shift your body from burning glucose to burning fat for fuel. Your body will not move into ketosis until the glycogen stores have been completely used up. Even in the fat burning state, again your body prefers fat that it does not have to break down. If you introduce fat through diet or through the skin transdermally, the body will use that for fuel before it breaks down fat resulting in slower weight loss.

I recommend during phase 2 that you check with your massage therapist as to what kind of oil or lotion they use or are willing to use. Many of the professional massage lotions, such as Biotone, have been reported to have no impact on weight loss in phase 2.

In my massage practice, my clients have substantiated this and reported to me that the Biotone (which does have some oil in it) has not inhibited their weight loss. I also use an oil mixture in my practice which would not be recommended for phase 2. If you are phase 2 and are booking an appointment with me please let me know you are doing HCG so that I can switch to using the Biotone.

Again if you are wanting to have massage in phase 2, another option is to check with your massage therapist to see if they would be willing to use baby oil that you would bring with you to the session. It is a non-soluble mineral oil and the body will not absorb it.

With a little planning, you can have your massage and your HCG too!

Read Part 2

This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

HCG Diet and Massage Part 2 of 2

This is the second part of a two part series on the HCG diet and massage. The first part reviewed the claim that fat in many massage oils interfere with HCG induced weight loss and this segment aims to answer the argument that massage may cause bruising and scar tissue that can slow down the weight loss.

In his manuscript "Pounds and Inches", Dr. Simeons objects to massage for the time the hormone is being administered and is emphatic about not disturbing the body in that phase. Here is what he has to say about it:

"I never allow any kind of massage during treatment. It is entirely unnecessary and merely disturbs a very delicate process which is going on in the tissues. Few indeed are the masseurs and masseuses who can resist the temptation to knead and hammer abnormal fat deposits."

"I have seen such patients who were as black and blue as if they had received a sound thrashing."

"How anyone in his right mind is able to believe that fatty tissue can be shifted mechanically or be made to vanish by squeezing is beyond my comprehension. The only effect obtained is severe bruising. The torn tissue forms scars, and these slowly contract making the fatty tissue even harder and more unyielding."

This was written in 1954 and made me laugh. It brings to mind an amusing image I use humorusly on my gift cards. The image is black and white set in the 1950's with a big boned European woman in a sterile white dress.

Clearly massage has changed in the past 58 years. I do not know of any massage therapist that squeezes or hammers a fat deposit. My massages stimulate the lymphatic system and works with structural blockages to lymphatic flow. Both of which are key in weight loss.

My clients in phase 2 of the HCG diet report that the day after massage, on average, they have lost double the normal weight loss for the day and have more energy.

I have noticed in clients who have been on HCG for more than 2 weeks that their muscles get very soft and deep work is not a good idea. You will know if the work is too deep for you because these areas are very tender. For sure, during the part of the diet where the hormone is being administered there is more susceptibility to bruising.

Lighter work aimed at lymphatic drainage and flow is really the best type of massage for Phase 2 and works very well with the goals of the diet (plus will make you feel wonderful releasing the toxins that were stored in the fat you are shedding.)

So for those of you HCGrs...get your massages but make sure to ask your therapist to provide an alternative to oil (before you show up for your session) and let them know you are in Phase 2 and may need very light work.

It is best if you find a therapist who specializes in lymph massage and has some understanding of the unique needs of the HCG protocol.

If you have any questions...feel free to leave me a comment or send me a private email!

This article should not be a substitution for professional medical care

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Why and How: Castor Oil Packing

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

By Jan Olds, Licensed Massage Therapist

I intend for this to be one in a series of several pieces on the use of Castor oil. My purpose for writing this blog is to give clients a working knowledge of the physical body that is easy to understand. With that in mind...this article may not be the most comprehensive but it will give you a place to start.

The mention of Castor oil often conjures up images of torture and punishment for many people. My mom was often forced to drink it as a little girl and had nothing good to say about it. Mussolini used it to torture political prisoners. Yet for all of its bad press...Castor oil is a unique substance with deep healing properties and has been used by healers for many years.

It has a very peculiar chemical composition. Almost 90 percent of the fatty acid in the Castor oil is made up of something unique called ricinoleic acid. This acid is not found in any other known substance on the planet. Ricinoleic acid is highly poisonous and this may be why it is so effective in correcting the lymphostasis I talked about in previous postings.

What is so exciting about Castor oil is that it can be used externally in a variety of areas and has been shown to gently detox that area and stimulate deep lymphatic flow. This is done by using something called a Castor oil pack on various body locations. The following is a list of the way Castor oil packs have most commonly been used:

Gently detox and stimulate the liver
Reduce liver and gallstones
Reduce inflammation
Improve lymphatic circulation
Improve intestinal disorders
Increase eliminations
Improve nutritional assimilation
Reduce arthritis
Relieve Pain
Reduce Headaches
Reduce Bursitis
Optimize nerve networking
Treat bunions and calluses
Treat Warts
Hatch Parasite Eggs (Aids in eliminating them)

Some have claimed that Castor oil can be used to treat cancerous tumors as well...but this is controversial and I have not done enough research to stand behind an opinion. Please remember that I am not a doctor and that it is not legal for me to make any medical claim. My advice should not be a substitute for professional medical care.

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack

Materials:

Wool Flannel (Wool Flannel works best but 4x4 gauze can be used)
Castor Oil
Plastic covering (to keep from staining anything...can use a grocery sack or plastic wrap)
Heat source such as a heating pad or hot water bottle

Tip: If you use the wool flannel sold for Castor oil packing the instructions are on the package

Steps:

1. Prepare your material and fold it to desired thickness

(When determining how thick to fold your material first assess the location as

different locations require different thicknesses. For example if you are packing

a joint or a place on the arm/hand/foot/head it will not require much thickness

because the area is shallow. For the core of the body several layers are required

for maximum absorption.)

2. Put Castor oil in a warm water bath (crock pot works nicely)

3. Soak the material with the oil until it is saturated but not dripping

4. Place the pack on the desired area

5. Cover with plastic to keep staining to a minimum

6. Put heat source on top of pack for about an hour

Using a pack from 5-7 days in a row is recommended to treat a particular condition or for detoxing. To increase blood circulation use the pack three times a week for three months and repeat if/as needed.

Where to place your Castor oil pack:

Right side of the abdomen under the ribcage to stimulate and detox the liver.
Just under the liver (right side of abdomen approximately 3-6 finger widths below the ribcage to increase small intestine's ability to capture nutrients from food.
Left side of abdomen just under rib cage to stimulate and detox the spleen and boost your immune system
Left side of abdomen 5-8 finger widths below the ribcage to detox and stimulate transverse colon. This is an optimal placement for hatching parasite eggs.
Inflamed and swollen joints, bursitis, and muscle strains.
Anywhere in mid/lower abdomen to relieve constipation and other digestive disorders.
Lower abdomen in cases of menstrual irregularities and uterine and ovarian cysts.
Lower back, shoulder or any body location where you are experiencing pain.

Helping you to select a location based on what I can palpate is something I routinely offer during the course of a massage.

Warning:

Castor oil is brilliant for increasing flow. If you are bleeding...it will increase the bleeding. It is generally not recommended for use during menstruation. Do not use if your are pregnant or nursing. Use on cancer tumors is controversial...until I know better I would caution against it. I do not recommend drinking it...it is very gentle when used externally but used internally it can be quite violent. It will probably make you tired the first few times that you use it so I recommend scheduling your packing when you have some down time.

If you have questions feel free to give me a call at 801-856-1474

Happy Packing!

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

How the Deep Lymphatic System Causes Pain

By Jan Olds, LMT

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This article is from my latest printed newsletter

All body organs have deep lymphatic drainage. Both the deep and superficial channels are integral in the functioning of a healthy lymphatic system. The superficial channels that run in chains along the muscles converge to form bigger vessels that feed into deep lymphatic trunks and then drain into the thoracic duct or the right lymphatic duct. Often the deep drainage pathways around the different organs flow in different directions. They can drain to different parts of a lymph node...to different lymph nodes in the same chain or even to completely different chains.

The deep lymphatic complex is extensive and powerful. In the deeper lymphatic there is a condition known as lymphostasis, which can occur anywhere in the deep system and leads to serious problems. Lymphostasis is a fancy word that means the stopping of lymph flow. When this takes place...the superficial vessels become overloaded and the normal drainage pathways become congested, causing the system to back up. Because the issue is originating in the deep part of the body...stimulating the surface lymph chains would be fruitless. Almost all techniques that are currently used to work with lymph predominantly access the superficial system.

The deeper areas that are affected need to be opened up to restore the vacuum like effect throughout the lymph system. some of the areas that in my experience have the most need for this type of intervention are the liver...gallbladder...spleen...small and large intestines.

These area can be stimulated manually by someone who has a developed sense of touch. They can also be impacted with the use of external castor oil packs and heat.

How does all of this impact painful areas in the body? Almost everyone experiences some pain in their neck and shoulders. Often the pain in the neck and shoulders is caused by a distortion that keeps the lymph from draining down the normal lymphatic chain. For example...if your neck is twisted toward your dominant arm this will often be painful because of the inflammation pressing on the nerve complex. That pain is increased depending on the amount of toxins in the fluid. The amount of toxins will vary depending on what environmental and food borne chemicals, bacteria and viruses you have ingested. The pain is often tolerable until times of increased toxic exposure. This is why when you are getting sick you often have muscle soreness. Most of the time...manually draining this and doing structural work to change the twisting of the neck is enough to eliminate the pain.

In the case where there is also lymphostasis the lymph chains in the neck are not drain-able until the deeper congestion has been addressed. This can often be accomplished by manually stimulating the deeper area and then revisiting the lymph chains in the neck.

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Monday, June 21, 2010

The Deep Lymphatic System

By Jan Olds, Licensed Massage Therapist
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The lymphatic system is often segregated into two parts: the surface lymphatic and the deep lymphatic. Most therapists who specialize in lymphatic drainage work with the surface system...but if the deep system is compromised it can severely impact lymph drainage at the surface of the body and cause varying degrees of muscle pain.

What is lymph? This is a question that I get asked everyday. The lymph system has three main functions: First is the returning of tissue fluid to the blood. Of the fluid that leaves the capillaries about 90% is returned. The 10% that doesn't return becomes part of the fluid that surrounds the tissue cells. Protein molecules will sometimes leak through the capillary wall increasing the pressure of the tissue fluid which further inhibits fluid returning to the capillaries. This non returned fluid tends to accumulate around the tissues. If this continues it causes blood pressure and volume to decrease and the volume of tissue fluid to increase which results in edema, also known as swelling. Lymph cells pick up the excess tissue fluid and proteins and return them to the veins. Once the fluid enters the lymph cells it is called lymph.

The second function of the lymphatic system is the absorption of fats and vitamins from the digestive system and the transport of these substances to the veins.

The third function is the immune system response. Lymph nodes and lymph organs filter the lymph to break down foreign particles as they are pushed through the lymph for removal from the body. Lymphatic organs contain lymphocytes that destroy invading organisms. In the process of a lymphatic massage mostly the surface lymphatic is drained and employed, but occasionally the deeper lymphatic access is compromised and needs to have manual help to make room for the surface drainage...giving it somewhere to go. The thoracic duct flows from the base of the neck down the mid-line of the body branching out in many directions throughout the abdominal region.

When the deep lymphatic system is not moving well...often the surface lymphatic will get "stuck" in the thoracic outlet. Sometimes I can get this moving by stimulating the area on either side of the xyphoid process and sometimes more manual draining of the liver or spleen are required to return the flow to a healing level.

While technically the organs of the lymph system include the tonsils, thymus gland and spleen, the liver has an enormous impact on lymph flow. In the liver are many lymph nodes and if the liver is congested it will often back up the entire system.