<![CDATA[Jolaine Scott Massage Therapy - Blog]]>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:27:12 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Massage Therapy, a treatment for Cancer Pain]]>Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:46:12 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/massage-therapy-a-treatment-for-cancer-painMassage Therapy is a commonly prescribed or sought out treatment for many types of pain conditions from arthritis to head aches. However, Massage Therapy is not yet considered a standard treatment option for people suffering from Cancer pain. Just recently a new study found that "Massage therapy shows promise for reducing pain intensity and severity, as well as fatigue and anxiety in cancer populations."  Read more about it here at Massage Therapy Canada.
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]]><![CDATA[Epsom Salt Baths]]>Mon, 08 Aug 2016 20:18:14 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/epsom-salt-baths
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Most people have heard that Epsom salt baths are good for relaxing sore muscles and detoxifying the body, but how does it really work?

Did you know that Epsom salts aren’t actually salt, but a naturally occurring mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate? These minerals play many important roles in our bodies.

Magnesium allows enzymes to function properly (over 300 of them!).  It is crucial in all energy production functions because it converts nutrients into usable energy, therefore facilitating muscle fiber contraction, protein synthesis and cellular reproduction. It stabilizes and repairs our DNA and plays a key role in regulating our electrolyte balance.

Sulfates play an important role in eliminating toxins.  For example, the liver needs it to be able to produce waste.  Sulfate also helps with absorption of nutrients and is an important protein building block, specifically in the make up of hair, skin, nails, joints and nervous tissue.

Magnesium is not produced by the body, therefore, it must be taken in by diet or topically, such as Epsom salt baths. Our skin is quite porous and allows for easy absorption of these minerals.  When soaking in an Epsom salt bath, a process called reverse osmosis occurs where salt and toxins are pulled from the body, and the magnesium and sulfates are absorbed in.  

​These benefits are all helpful in relaxing, rebuilding and restoring optimum function in your body and muscles and is why your Massage Therapist will often suggest an Epsom salt bath after your treatment.


Sources:
https://www.seasalt.com/salt-101/epsom-salt-uses-benefits
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
http://www.naturalnews.com/042753_Epsom_salt_baths_remarkable_health_benefits_detoxificatin_technique.html
http://www.dcnutrition.com/minerals/Detail.CFM?RecordNumber=41


]]><![CDATA[Pain Tension Cycle]]>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:06:54 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/pain-tension-cycleThe pain tension cycle is a chain of events that support and build on each other, perpetuating a state of stress, pain, or discomfort.  The cycle usually begins with some sort of injury, illness, or even emotional stress.

Here is what the cycle looks like:
Pain can cause muscle tension which leads to decreased circulation and decreased range of motion.  This increases pain which, in turn, brings on more tension continuing the cycle.
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Steps to help you break the Cycle:

1.  Stretching and Exercise: Both of these activities help to reduce pain by restoring muscle function, develop better posture, and increase your strength and endurance.

2. Breathing Techniques: Breathing can have a significant impact on your body functions.  Start slow with 3-5 deep abdominal breaths.  Abdominal breathing involves a downward and upward movement of the diaphragm also engaging the abdominal muscles, ribcage and lower back.  These movements help to massage and detoxify our inner organs, promote blood flow and peristalsis, and pump the lymph more efficiently through our lymphatic system.  Eventually this exercise should be gradually increased to several minutes.  

3. Ergonomics:  Adjust your home or workplace conditions to relieve unnecessary postural stress.   This can include proper positioning of a desk, chair, computer or phone.  See my previous post on ergonomics for more information.

4. Frequent Breaks: Taking breaks throughout the day helps to alleviate the issues caused by the habitual positions and postures that are supporting muscle tightness. If you are driving long distances or working long hours in one position this becomes increasingly important.  These breaks are a great chance to practice the other tips listed in this article.

5. Hydrotherapy: This is an effective tool in reducing inflammation and relaxing sore muscles.  This can be accomplished by using either cold or hot water. If using cold water, try applying a cold pack to the affected area for 10 minutes when swelling is present. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary.  Hot water can be used by either applying heat with a hot shower or hot pack for up to 20 minutes. ** Use caution with heat as it can aggravate inflammation. If the area is red, warm and swollen, use cold instead.  

Massage Therapy can also have great effect on breaking the “Pain Tension Cycle".  Massage addresses directly the contributing factors of your pain with specific techniques used to increase circulation and range of motion, and decrease
muscle tension. 




]]><![CDATA[Workplace Ergonomics]]>Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:33:30 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/workplace-ergonomicsFor a lot of people, work involves sitting for long hours in front of a computer. If you are one of those people, making sure your work environment is comfortable as well as ergonomically correct will help to prevent many physical problems that could potentially lead to permanent injury.

Here are some key points to remember when setting up your ergonomic workstation:

Your desk:
Your arms should be able to rest comfortably on the surface of your desk, so that you can easily write and type. Your computer keyboard is best placed at an angle parallel to your elbow, and remember, you should not have to reach to get to the keyboard.  

Your Monitor:
For most workstations, the best position for your monitor is directly in front of you. Putting the monitor off-center can cause neck and shoulder pain due to twisting and awkward posture.  For optimal viewing and to decrease the occurrence of eye strain, you should have your eyes level with an imaginary line across the screen, about 2"-3" below the top of the monitor.  

Your chair:  
Your chair should be adjustable and now a days, most computer chairs come with adjustable backs and heights. It has been found that 100-110° (slightly tilted back) is is the most optimal and comfortable position for your back rest to be in.  This position decreases the activity of postural muscle groups as well as pressure of the intervertebral discs of the lower back.  It is also important for your feet to be supported.  An angle of 90 degrees at the knees is optimal to minimize back strain. 

Remember to get up and take breaks every so often.  A short walk around the office, or even a few stretches can greatly improve your posture, and overall well-being.
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]]><![CDATA[Massage and Muscle Healing]]>Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:17:26 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/massage-and-muscle-healingAn interesting article on the benefits of Massage Therapy on muscle healing:

From CBC.ca
Click on the link below to continue reading..and there is a video too!
"Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, Canadian researchers have found."




]]><![CDATA[The benefits of water..and lots of it!]]>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:48:29 GMThttps://www.jolainescottrmt.com/blog/the-benefits-of-waterand-lots-of-it
I’m always telling my patients to drink lots of water after their massage treatment and during their day-to-day lives.

Here’s why:

Your body tends to build up metabolic wastes and toxins.  These are the bi-products of each metabolic reaction that takes place every moment in your body, such as the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs or the production of lactic acid in your muscles during exercise. These waste products get trapped and deposited in-between areas of soft tissue.  Massage helps to manually push these wastes and toxins into the blood stream and lymphatic system where they will be eliminated by the body, or converted into usable elements.  Drinking water in turn, aids in the flushing of most of these wastes out of your body by transporting them to the liver and kidneys for disposal.  If you don’t drink enough water, there is a possibility that you could have a negative reaction from all the toxins now in your blood stream from your massage, such as a headache.

10 More Reasons to Drink Water:

  1. Water can prevent and alleviate headaches
  2. Water leads to overall greater health by flushing out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease.
  3. For a majority of sufferers, drinking water can significantly reduce joint and/or back pain because water is the main lubricant in joint spaces.
  4. Water leads to increased energy levels.  The most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration.
  5. Water helps to maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolic regulation and appetite.
  6. Water naturally moisturizes the skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance.
  7. Water aids in the the digestion process and prevents constipation.
  8. Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.
  9. Water helps to combat depression because it is directly needed for efficient manufacture of all neurotransmitters, including serotonin (regulator of mood).
  10. Water helps improve sleep because it is needed in the production of all hormones made by the brain, including melatonin (a critical factor in sleep regulation).


Water is critical in every function in the body, so make sure you drink enough!  Follow this link to find out how much water your body needs:

http://www.calculatorslive.com/Daily-Water-Intake-Calculator.aspx


References:
www.allaboutwater.com
F.Batmanghelidj, M.D. “Your Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!” 
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