Therapeutic Massage

Swedish Massage is the most common form of therapeutic massage. It is full of flowing strokes and can be used for rehabilitation, relaxation or stimulation.

Massage has an immense impact on the circulatory system, increasing blood flow to all of the organs, muscles, joints, etc. It has a long-term affect of decreasing blood pressure and normalizing blood sugar levels. It also affects the lymphatic system. It increases lymph flow helping to rid the body of unwanted toxins. Eliminating toxins also helps to decrease pain in muscles. The Musculoskeletal system is affected in many ways through massage. Range of motion is increased and resting tone is decreased or increased depending on what is needed.

Massage also helps to decrease stress by inducing relaxation and decreasing corticosteroids within the body. This is especially helpful for those with insomnia. The digestive system is affected by massage with an increase in motility and a decrease in stomach acidity. Massage is also quite beneficial to those with headaches. Many non-Swedish techniques can be added to a massage to increase its effectiveness.

The benefits of massage are too numerous to list here. Feel free to speak to your therapist about any specific questions or concerns that you may have. If you don't have a therapist and have questions don't hesitate to phone or email us.

Pregnancy Massage

Pregnancy is not an illness. At Natural Path we view pregnancy as a condition of wellness. We are here to ease your transition into the physical changes that take place within your body during this time. We aid you in maintaining health and prevent any problems from occurring concerning posture and biomechanics that may lead to pain. Some of the conditions that are related to pregnancy that we treat are edema (swelling), breast congestion, sinus congestion, piriformis syndrome, carpal tunnel treatments, and low back pain. As you know there are too many symptoms for me to list them all here so you should speak with your therapist concerning anything else that you are experiencing.

During your treatments, if you so choose, your therapist will aid you in visualization to help you prepare for your labour. These techniques will help you throughout the labour itself.

Breast Massage

A woman's breasts are a symbol of femininity, sexuality and motherhood. This symbolism sometimes makes us forget that breasts are made of our body's tissues. At sometime in each woman's live she may experience congestion or tenderness.

This could be related to a woman's life cycle (pregnancy, lactation, or menopause), trauma, or a medical procedure.

Massage is an effective and gentle way to relieve these symptoms and promote health within the breast tissue.

In North America breasts are usually compressed in tight fitted clothing or bras that decrease blood and lymph flow. Blood and lymph are both needed to maintain the health of body tissues.

Why would you have a breast massage?

A breast massage would be indicated for you under any of the following circumstances:

• Congestion and swelling
• Discomfort with pregnancy, breastfeeding or weaning
• Breast pain
• Breast injuries
• Post-surgical symptoms and/or Scars
• Premenstrual or menopausal soreness
• General breast health
• Discomfort of breast cancer treatments

Breast massage uses gentle techniques and hydrotherapy to enhance drainage and circulation. As with any massage your comfort is a primary factor in any treatment. Your Therapist will explain to you before the massage everything that she will be doing and will only continue with your full consent. If at any time during the massage you would like to change or stop the treatment your Therapist will do so immediately.

If you are interested in breast massage but are not ready to try it you may want to discuss with your Therapist having a breast massage through the sheets or using hydrotherapy without massage. Your Therapist can also give you instructions on how to do this at home.

Breast massage is not done to help clients who are working on overcoming sexual trauma. Massage therapists are not councellors, in that situation you should consult a mental health practitioner. Not all therapists perform breast massage, ask your therapist for information.

What to expect at your treatment:

1. You will be asked to fill out a health history form.

This is to ensure that:

• The treatment you receive will be safe and effective for you.
• The treatment will be geared towards addressing your current issues without your therapist having to guess at the best place to start in order to reach your goals for that day/week/year.
• Your treatment will be modified for your safety and with your goals and personal requests in mind.
• In order to be truely therapeutic it is helpful to trace your current symptoms back to the original cause, this is helpful in working towards more permanently fixing the problem. Your health history is used as a guide in this case.

2. You will have a private discussion with your therapist regarding your health history and your reason for seeking massage. Your therapist will ask questions to determine the best course of action for you. Your assessment is considered part of the hour treatment.

3. Your therapist may want to perform some orthopedic tests on you to determine the possible cause of your complaint. We are taught the same tests that your physiotherapist, chiropractor and medical doctor are taught in their training. This allows us to discuss your case with your other caregivers if you deem necessary. Your therapist will explain the test to you, explain what they are testing for, and explain any risks that there may be with the tests. Tests are only performed with your consent.

4. Your therapist will suggest a treatment plan once they have formed a clinical impression based on your assesment. The entire plan will be explained to you including what areas will be treated, how they will be treated, alternatives, risks, benefits, and side effects of the treatment. You will have the chance to ask questions about the treatment plan and will be asked to give consent.

5. Getting on the table: Your therapist will instruct you to remove whatever clothing you feel comfortable removing. Everyone is different. Although we prefer to have access to the tissues directly, we will happily massage through the clothes if that is what you are most comfortable with. Only the parts of your body that are being worked on will be uncovered, the rest of your body will be covered by sheets and/or blankets You will be shown how to get on the table, be given a chance to ask questions, and then the therapist will leave the room while you disrobe and get on the table.