Therapeutic Massage & Acupressure At Home Learn to use therapeutic massage and acupressure for your family's well being. Brought to You By: Craig Hitchens – Natural Health Practitioner 2 www.craighitchenstherapies.com Table of Contents Introduction What Really Is A Massage The Logic of Massage Benefits of Massage Before You Start Massage Methods Giving the Massage Massaging the Feet Infant Massage Pregnancy Massage Massage Oils Making Your Own Massage Oils Massage Oil Recipes Self-Massage Sensual Massage Handheld Massagers Acupressure How Acupressure Works Locating a Pressure Point Acupressure Techniques How to Apply Pressure Breathing Things to Be Careful Of Acupressure for Specific Problems Colds and Flu Headaches and Migraines Chronic Back Pain Weight Control If You Feel it’s Not Working Conclusion http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 3 INTRODUCTION Who doesn’t love a good massage? The power of touch is absolutely amazing. It can heal aches, cure ailments, and just make a person feel wonderful! Many people will dole out big money to have a professional massage. And why wouldn’t they? Getting a massage is an amazing walk into total relaxation and feeling good. Nothing can be more profound than the feeling you have after a great massage. Massage therapy can heal sore tired muscles and relive tension and stress at a simple single touch. My first experience with massage therapy was receiving one from my then fiancee who later became my wife of now 18 years! She gave me a massage after a day of surfing and it relieved so many aches and pains, I was astounded! I had always wanted to work in a service to others and I liked the idea of healing people's pain so I embarked on the learning journey that has made me now one of the most sought after remedial massage/myotherapy practitioners in my local area. But massage therapy doesn't have to be this in depth for you to gain benefit from it. Simple massage therapy and acupressure techniques used at home can bring relief and aid healing quite effectively, especially if you can't get to a professional for a session. Massage is also a really handy skill to have with kids and partners as often it will come in handy for those times where life deals out some bumps and scrapes. Nothing like a gentle massage from Mum to ease unsettled infants off to a peaceful slumber. This ebook is designed to give you some basic background knowledge and skills so you too can make use of this ancient skill for the benefit of your family and friends. Enjoy! http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 4 WHAT REALLY IS A MASSAGE? Of course, you know what massage is. It’s when a hulking woman named Helga kneads your body causing immense pleasure and horrific pain. Not exactly! Massage or massage therapy as it has come to be known in our time, began with the ancient Egyptians, then the Greeks and finally the Romans. Yes these ancient cultures used massage therapy for both healing and pleasure. The science of massage therapy had also spread to other early cultures such as India, China and Japan. The last three went further by integrating it to form an integral part of their systems of medicine and healing. Massage is the organized form of touch. It is performed by the hands, elbows and forearms gliding over the skin and applying pressure to the underlying muscles by a system of movements. These movements involve stroking, rubbing, pressing and kneading. Massage is not a cure for what ails you, but it can greatly aid in the normal functions of the body and restore balance as well. Massage works by the body responding to the various touch techniques given to it. These touch techniques causes the body to engage in there normal functions. It acts like a natural stimulus for the body to respond with positive effects in many different ways. Massage also works by reducing stress, managing the body's waste products, fostering normal bodily functions, providing a sense of well being and boosting mental health. THE LOGIC OF MASSAGE The gradual development of massage therapy into a full blown art and science can be determined as only logical. When we fall, bruise or sustain any sort of physical injury, we usually tend to touch it. Even if that act produces no form of healing solution, or does it? Touch in itself is very comforting to us. It reassures us, make us feel loved and accepted. Whenever someone is in pain, we tend to want to hug, hold or touch that person in someway. When a child gets hurt, they want someone to kiss it and make it better. Somehow we start to feel that the very act of physical contact will contribute to the overall health of a person. Guess what? You are correct in that assumption. http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 5 Studies have shown that, touching among other comforting and intimate contact, does assist in the overall recovery and health of a person - whether that person is in need of physical, mental, emotional or spiritual healing or comfort. Massage has played an important role in history for many, many years, and it’s going to continue that way for many, many more! BENEFITS OF MASSAGE We all know a massage feels good and can make us more relaxed, but there are also many, many health benefits that come with a massage. Therapeutic effects include:  Stimulating blood and lymph circulation  Loosening muscular tension  Toning and firming muscles When fibers stop sliding over each other easily, it's most likely the cause of people not getting enough exercise, too much exercise, or physical or mental tension. These factors cause the drop of any increase in muscle tone The waste products from muscular activity, like carbon dioxide, lactic acid and urea, build up in the muscles. Massage therapy fosters drainage of those wastes, therefore restoring there normal functions  Stress reduction The effect in reducing stress is seen as one the most valuable aspects, since stress is blamed for causing up to 90% of human diseases  Increased muscle flexibility and range of motion For both of these, this results in increased power and performance, which helps you work efficiently and with proper intensity to facilitate the body's muscle-building response http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 6  Shortens recovery time between workouts Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles after exercise. Increased circulation to these muscles help to eliminate toxic debris and shorten recovery time  Prevent over-training. Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles, as well as a sedative effect on the nervous system. This can prevent over-training syndrome which has limiting effect on muscle building.  Aids in fat loss According to some research, massage may burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. In this way, combined with proper nutrition, massage may help in weight loss.  Prevents and even heals injuries By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) necessary for tissue repair Massage therapy also fosters the drainage of lymph, causing better circulation of the blood. Because of this, the skin looks much better than if drainage was difficult. Why bother with the how the skin looks? Often, the appearance of the skin is usually a good indicator of a person’s inner condition. In reference to muscles, massage therapy has a good effect on the fibrous tissue surrounding the joints. The effect of massage upon the autonomic nervous system gives birth to the feeling of relaxation. How? By stimulating the sensory nerve endings located within the skin. Signals are sent to the brain by the central nervous system. This in turn produces the experience of feeling good. Once again because of this action, a new reaction takes place by causing a significant reduction in the body's stress level. http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 7 When a person is relaxed, abdominal breathing becomes more natural. I can assure you, your abdominal organs appreciate this. It's quite clear that the nervous system plays a crucial role in massage therapy. It's also responsible for the vascular system, since it controls it. A decrease in efficient drainage and supply of blood, is caused by a reduction of vascular. Massage therapy can improve blood and lymph circulation, loosen stiffened muscles and joints, and create a sense of well-being as the rhythmic movements induce relaxation in the patient. Its benefits extend from infants to seniors, and are equally as effective for the homemaker as for the professional athlete. Massage improves circulation and general nutrition of muscles. This appears to be the most valuable fitness-related benefit. Massage is accompanied or followed by an increase interchange of substances between the blood and the tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After a muscle is exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied in order for it to increase in size. Massage maximizes the supply of nutrients and oxygen though increased blood flow, which helps the body rebuild itself. While a massage won't build muscle directly, it helps to facilitate the body's rebuilding phase following a workout and influences muscular growth. Getting a massage is just as important as regular workouts and supportive nutrition for a comprehensive fitness program. Great news for those of us who thought building a great body was all hard work! Massage has also proven beneficial in treating conditions/disorders with psychological components, including sleep disorders, eating disorders, smoking, and depression. Successful relaxation of tensed and tired muscles can help achieve a state of emotional relaxation as well. If you get a professional massage, a trained and licensed massage therapist will employ a number of techniques including effleurage, petrissage, friction and percussion, as they stroke, knead and touch their way to improving how your body reacts to the challenges it is facing. Oils and lotions are used to reduce actual surface friction on the skin, and to enhance the aromatherapy benefits. You will only be required to undress to your level of comfort, and your body http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 8 will be draped at all times, except for the area being worked on. The privacy and security provided by these measures, can add to the benefits of your massage, allowing increased relaxation. After a massage, most people feel a state of calm and well-being that should not be cancelled out by rushing off to work Enjoy this period of physical and emotional rest, and then reap the benefits of increased energy and productivity which can follow a massage session, and last for several days. While the benefits of massage are many, it may not be safe if you have any of the following conditions: pregnancy, swelling of one specific area, a full stomach, infectious skin disorder, unhealed wounds, some cardiac conditions, phlebitis, varicose veins, or certain forms of cancer. But the focus of this book is giving great massages yourself, so let’s look at ways to begin giving massages. BEFORE YOU START Even if you’re giving a regular massage – not a sensual one, you must begin by preparing the area where the massage will be given. Take the phone off the hook and lock the doors. Play some soothing music or nature sounds – water sounds are especially great. For parents, you might want to make sure that you’re not going to be interrupted by kids, neighbors, or family. The key to a good massage is achieving relaxation and you can’t fully relax until all distractions are taken out of your mind completely. Turn out the lights and light a few candles so the walls flicker with a soft glow. Get a couple of sheets for him or her to cover with and to cover the work area, and you’ll be ready to start! If you are preparing to give a sensual massage – one that contains sexual contact – you’ll want to be sure the area where you are giving the massage will convey the message that you want him or her to receive. http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 9 While we love nature sounds for regular massages, soft, romantic music is better for sensual massage. There are some great songs out there that can “stimulate” action where this is concerned, so look for music that fits your intentions. Now that you have a place to give a massage and it’s all set up the way you want it to be, let’s look at some methods you can use to give the massage. MASSAGE METHODS You've probably heard of all types of massage techniques - Shiatsu, Swedish, Rolfing, etc., are all different types of massage with different goals. Don't worry about all of this. You don't need to focus on the type of massage - only the goal. Your goal should be to soothe and relax the person on the receiving end! As far as techniques go, there are a few methods you should practice so you can give a great massage! Use A Lubricant First, you’re going to need some type of lubricant so your hands slide easily on the body. You should never try anything but the most minor of massages without lubricating the skin. For example, if you want to rub her shoulders that's one thing. If you're going to give a skin-to-skin massage, always use a lubricant. Lubes help to both prepare the skin and to protect it. Don't use Vaseline or Wesson oil to massage her - you want the lubricant to be absorbed by the skin. You should also stay away from lubes that are absorbed too quickly like hand lotions. What you really want to use is massage oil. We have a separate section dedicated to massage oils and have even given you some recipes so you can make your own! Massage Muscle, Not Skin or Bone Try this: rub your fingers gently over the skin of your arm. Now, press harder and move the skin without dragging your fingers across it. This is the difference between caressing and a massage. Remember that massages are for muscles below the skin - not for the skin itself. http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com 10 You want a deep, penetrating effect - not something superficial. This is because the nerves in the skin tire very quickly. Further, many people are ticklish - not just on their feet, but all over their bodies! You want a massage to be relaxing and focused - not an irritant! As well, you want to stay away from bones. By pressing hard on the skin just over a bone, you're going to cause pain - not pleasure. Unless you know your human anatomy you're probably not going to know where the bones exactly are; so, before you begin rubbing an area, make sure that the tissue below the skin is soft. In fact, use the relatively softness test to determine how hard to press. For example, press your fingers into your relaxed stomach. This softness tells you that there are no bones below your fingers - only organs. You don't want to press into an area like this very hard. On the other hand, when you press your fingers into your thigh, you can feel how firm the tissue feels here. This is because of the underlying bone. When you're massaging a person’s back, shoulders, legs or arms, look for this firmness as a good place to work. Work Large Muscle Groups There are only a few of them in the body - mostly in the neck, back, shoulders and legs. By concentrating on the large muscle groups, not only is your massage more efficient - you are getting the largest source of body tension - but you're also preventing damage. On either side of the spine are large muscle groups (called "Latissimus Dorsi"). These are the long, strong muscles that keep you standing up - and are great places to work. Again, you have to be careful here, because just underneath these muscles are the ribs - and you know how ticklish some people are here! Use Firm, Even Pressure Pressure that is too light or inconsistent (light, heavy and light again), can be as uncomfortable as too much pressure. Be sure to use an even amount - not too hard, and not too light when giving a massage. In fact, it is better to start out somewhat lightly and ask if he or she wants more. Gently increase your strength until he or she indicates that it is enough. http://www.craighitchenstherapies.com