HEALING QUESTIONS

- How long after the accident should I wait?

Even though massage therapy may be performed immediately after an accident, you should always check with a medical doctor (MD) or a Chiropractor (DC) to see the extent of structural damage, nerve damage and internal or external injuries before getting a massage treatment. There may be damage that would not allow massage therapy to be done right away.

- What will massage therapy do for my accident injuries?

Right after your car accident, massage therapy can help you recover by helping to restore balance to your autonomic nervous system. Relaxing techniques, like Swedish massage can help reverse the effects that the shock and trauma of a car wreck can have on your nervous system. Massage also promotes circulation of both blood and lymph, which can help manage the swelling that usually comes with car accident injuries.

- Can I get relief right away?

Yes. Massage therapy can bring immediate relief although permanent pain-free healing is usually a series of treatments away because injured muscles return to normal slowly. With injured muscles it is kind of two steps forward, one step back.

- How does trauma effect muscles and why is massage necessary?

When the body is exposed to trauma, the muscles contract to protect themselves from injury and to hold joints and other fragile body parts in stable positions to prevent injury. When the threat is no longer present, the body is often unable to release those muscles and they stay tight. Massage therapy is often needed to remind the body that it is safe now to let those muscles loose.

- How does massage release muscles and relieve pain?

The body is an electrical machine. Consequently muscles have electrical properties. When the ohms of resistance in a muscle are too high it becomes unhealthy and cannot function properly. If the resistance goes high enough it reaches the pain threshold and the muscle begins hurting. By the charged touch and pressure of a trained LMT the resistance is lowered, often to below the pain threshold... taking the muscle out of pain.

- How long will recovery take?

With severe muscle injury recovery can take up to 30 treatments or more with milder injuries taking maybe half that many. Every body is different. Some are an "accident waiting to happen" before they get injured and others are less tense and able to speed treatment by better cooperation with it. The acute injury in an accident responds much more slowly than the chronic injury of stress or repetitive movement which can often be resolved in a handful of treatments.

- What can I do to speed recovery?

Water, Rest, and Reduce Stress. Water : Water is at the top of the list of things you can do. It is important to drink lots of water but also very important to soak the injured muscles in water. Both help to wash and draw out toxins that have been stirred up. When you soak, water is absorbed through the skin to some degree and helps flush out areas of congestion. Soaking in water will decrease soreness and hasten recovery after a massage. Rest : Getting adequate rest can also help you recover faster. Stress : A lower stress load and peace of mind help to relax the system overall and helps with recovery.

- Is it good or bad to use ice on back injuries?

When injured, the large muscles in the low back can become inflamed and spasm which causes pain and stiffness. Ice massages can help provide relief for back pain in a number of ways, including: Use of ice slows the inflammation and swelling that occurs after injury. Inflammation is involved in most back pain and getting rid of it helps reduce the pain . Ice massage therapy numbs sore tissues like a local anesthetic. Ice massage therapy slows the nerve impulses in the area, which breaks up the pain-spasm reaction between the nerves Ice therapy reduces tissue damage Ice therapy is most effective if it is applied soon after the injury occurs.

INSURANCE QUESTIONS

- Does car insurance cover massage?

Yes. Car insurance comes with Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP). Minnesota law requires that all insurers provide personal injury protection benefits (PIP) when issuing your insurance policy. Minnesota PIP pays for your medical bills and things such as ongoing lost wages, medication, and care in your home while you are recovering, regardless of who is at fault. It protects you from becoming in debt while you are treating and gathering evidence for your insurance claim. At a minimum, Minnesota requires coverage enough so that your medical bills are covered for up to one year (12 months) or $20,000. However, it is a good idea to purchase a policy that provides PIP coverage above $20,000 and for more than one year. With a prescription/referral from your doctor, usually a primary physician (MD) or chiropractor (DC), PIP covers licensed massage therapy. So massage therapy is not only a critical part of your recovery, but also a viable option from a legal/financial standpoint. It is your legal right to choose the Massage Therapist you would like to work with. I have experience in Minnesota insurance billing and can bill your personal injury protection (PIP) benefit for massage therapy so that it is more convenient for you.

- Will my healthcare insurance cover massage therapy?

Most healthcare plans do not cover massage therapy unless the buyer puts it in their policy as an added benefit. There is a much higher chance that your policy covers massage if you are an employee with a group policy. It never hurts to call and check your coverage.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

- Can massage be done with clothes on?

Yes. Craniosacral therapy and reflexology are easily done without removing your clothes (except socks and shoes for reflexology), but most massage can work around clothing. If you are receiving a Swedish relaxation massage, you will get the best results with undressing because your therapist will want to work with lotion or oil to provide gliding massage strokes. Obviously, that wouldn’t work over clothing. What is most important is that you are comfortable. Some people take off everything, but you should only take off what you are comfortable with. You will undress and dress in complete privacy, you will be given a sheet to cover up with, and your modesty will be respected at all times. If you are coming in for neuromuscular therapy, it is not necessary to undress, but you should wear clothing that can move, like a sports bra, or any stretchable material.

- Why do I feel pain in some areas during my massage?

Let your therapist know. Massage should not be painful. Massage is generally safe. However, it can sometimes exacerbate pain temporarily, even when properly performed. In addition, if massage is performed too forcefully on fragile people, bone fractures and other internal injuries are possible. However, certified massage therapists have been trained in ways to avoid causing these problems. (Machines designed to perform elements of massage are less safe.) Sometimes, your therapist may be working on an area that is tender but was not sore before the massage. When you are in a sustained position for a long period of time like sitting at your computer, your muscles are under a constant, low level of stress. At the time, your brain has more important things to worry about, like that computer project, so it shuts off the pain signal to your neck muscles. Later when you have finished the task, you might assume that the pain signal would return. What actually happens is a process called habituation. The pain signal does not return, and your body actually compensates for what it considers to be your new “normal”. When your massage therapist touches this area, the muscle which is still under stress is reconnected with your brain at which time positive change can be made and your body can establish a new, healthier “normal”.

- How often should I receive massage?

Most people who are in reasonable good health receive massage once every 1-4 weeks. However, the frequency of massage should be determined by your goals and needs. Massage for a specific condition or injury is often preformed in shorter sessions, and more frequently for a shorter span of time. For relaxation, we have clients that come weekly, and others we see once a year. Keep in mind that the cumulative effect of massage is greater than the benefit of any one treatment session. You and your therapist should discuss your long term goals to establish a clear direction and protocol. Massage Therapy should not be perceived as a luxury but as a fundamental element to maintaining pain free unrestricted movement and achieving balance between mind and body.

- What improvements can I expect to see after my massage?

Remember that your therapist is working with you to meet your goals. If you come in for a relaxation massage, we may not fix your shoulder pain. And if you come in to fix your shoulder pain, you may not leave in the same state of euphoric bliss that can accompany a full body Swedish massage. With chronic muscle spasm, soft tissue inflammation, or any other soft tissue injury, improvement is dependent upon the therapist using the right technique on the right muscles. He will be doing regular assessments, and your feedback is valuable and necessary as it validates that we are on the right path. If your condition has not improved after four sessions, massage may not be the answer, or your therapist needs to reassess your treatment plan. Often clients don’t completely recover from a condition or the condition returns in two months simply because they did not return after the pain went away. Just because there are not noticeable symptoms does not mean the condition is resolved. In the long term, it is better for your body and your finances to resolve a condition by continuing to see your therapist on a more frequent basis for a shorter period of time, than to see them once a month indefinitely. If your therapist does not think he can help your condition, We will give you a qualified referral for someone who can better address your concerns.

- Why should I drink water after a massage?

You should always drink plenty of water. Massage will increase the circulation of blood and lymph while hastening the removal of cellular debris. Water will give your body the hydration it needs to sustain this cleansing process. Moreover, H2O is the vital super-substance from which all life is sustained, so drink your water. Consuming ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day is ideal. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you would want to consume 80 ounces or 10, 8 ounce glasses of water daily.

- Can I tip my massage therapist after the massage?

Monetary tipping is optional and ranges from 10-20%. The best "tip" you can give me is referrals to my clinic and making massage therapy part of your healthy lifestyle.

- How is it even possible that massage is useful for so many different medical conditions?

In as few words as possible... no matter what disease or symptom you are suffering from, be it pain, muscle aches, gastric problems, immune disorders, heart disease, or cancer, there is most certainly an accumulation of toxicity, cellular oxygen depletion, cellular malnutrition, lymphatic congestion and often a general systemic hormonal, chemical, and even an emotional imbalance that causes suppression of the "normal" healthy dynamic state of your body. Current research shows that stress is a contributing factor in most unhealthy conditions and illnesses. Massage reduces stress, cleanses tissue at the cellular level, circulates nutrition to healthy cells, and provides relaxation. It is that simple.