Can Remedial Massage Make You Sick?

Remedial massage, sports massage, and deep tissue massage can sometimes make you feel like you have cold or flu-like symptoms afterwards. Feelings such as body aches, fatigue, dizziness and feeling “out of it” can be common. There could be a few reasons for this:

1.     You are already sick.

Massage, no matter what kind, increases lymphatic drainage throughout your body. Our lymphatic system is where we store germ fighting cells and where any germs and swelling exit our body. So, increasing the movement through this system can increase the rate at which germs are flushed out. If you are feeling somewhat sick before your massage and get sicker the next day, this is because we have stimulated your body’s germ fighting system. This is why we always recommend you stay home from a massage when you are sick. Not only can it make you feel worse, but you don’t really want to be passing any germs onto your massage therapist if at all possible!

2.     You have had an injury.

If you have pain from a muscle injury that “didn’t quite heal right,” you may have some scar tissue in your muscles. This happens when our muscle tissue is regrowing but doesn’t lay down in the direction of already existing muscle fibers. Think of it like a pile of toothpicks lying every which way on top of a larger pile of toothpicks that are perfectly lined up. During a deep tissue massage, this scar tissue can get broken up, causing inflammation. Our body’s response to this inflammation is to release inflammation fighting cells. When these are released in our body, we can feel fatigued, have sore muscles, or experience headache.

3.     You’re dehydrated.

When we are dehydrated, our blood vessels have a hard time eliminating metabolic waste from our cells. When getting a massage, the pressure of the massage therapists’ hands physically pushes cell and tissue waste back into the bloodstream. When this waste is suddenly back in your blood stream it can make you feel sick because your body must work overtime to eliminate this waste through your kidneys – this is another reason why drinking water is so important after massage.

4.     The pressure of the massage is too much for your body.

Massage therapists will communicate with you on what pressure feels good for your body. Some pain and discomfort are normal, but if you are struggling to breathe normally or are clenching your fists the whole time, the massage pressure is probably too much. If your body is tensing and resisting the massage therapists pressure the entire time, it can lead to microscopic damage in your muscle tissue, thus creating tissue waste that your body must remove.

So to conclude - stay at home if you’re sick and reschedule your massage as needed. Communicate effectively with your massage therapist about pressure so that it’s not causing unnecessary damage. Some minor soreness, fatigue and dizziness can be side effects for some people but luckily these are generally short lived and a normal response. You can assist with some aftercare after your massage such as rest, warm Epsom salt bath, heat therapy and ensuring you stay hydrated before and after your treatment!

Can Remedial Massage Help Sciatica?

Sciatic nerve pain trolling you?

Sciatica, or sciatic nerve pain, is very common. It is estimated that up to half of the adult world population will experience sciatic nerve pain at some point in their life.

This pain is caused by the sciatic nerve being pinched or restricted either it where it comes out of the spinal cord at the low back, or being pinched or restricted by any of the muscles that it moves through – low back muscles, glute muscles, hamstrings, calves, and even feet! You may feel pain down the whole length of the nerve, or just a part of it. It will most likely feel like a sharp or “zinging” pain, especially when the back of the leg is being stretched or you’re bending over.

Tight muscles are the number one culprit for sciatic nerve pain, which means massage is a great way to get that pain under control. Whether your muscles are tight because you took a spill on the mountain, over did it at the gym, or have been working at your desk too long, massage will help to relax these tight muscles surrounding the nerve, so that the nerve can move and glide through the muscles without restriction – and without pain!

Here at Remedial Massage Queenstown, our knowledgeable massage therapists will also recommend exercises and stretches that will keep your muscles feeling relaxed and to help prevent this pain from coming back in the future!

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BOOK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR SESSION WITH US.

Vegetarian Nutrition

Photo by Farhad Ibrahimzade on Unsplash

Vegetarian diets are GREAT for health! They lower body fat percentage, decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, reduced inflammation in the body, and can even enhance recovery after physical activity. There are many driving forces behind why people choose a vegetarian diet, may it be due to religious, environmental, ethical, or health-based reasons. One thing in common though, is that folks following a vegetarian diet might be lacking important nutrients if they have not had exposure to a registered dietician or nutrition coach. Lacking in certain nutrients, specifically nutrients that come from animal products, can make one feel sluggish, weak, and tired.

So, what are the key nutrients that may be missing? Below are some of the most common nutrients that are lacking in vegetarian diets, but remember: It is always best to check with your primary care provider or another medical doctor as they can run blood tests to determine with accuracy which nutrients you may be deficient in.

Vitamin D

found in salmon and dairy milk. Vitamin D is responsible for directing all cells with a nucleus what to do (all cells other than fat cells). Deficiency can cause deficits in strength and fatty degeneration of type II muscle fibers. Vitamin D found in plants is less efficient at being absorbed and used in our body than Vitamin D found in animal products, so you may need more vitamin D from plants. You can find plant-based sources of vitamin D in tofu, soybeans, oranges, spinach, and lentils.

Iron

found in red meat. Some plants have compounds that inhibit the intake of iron, so people on a vegetarian diet may need more than non-vegetarians. Low iron can result in us needing to use iron in our blood, which can cause fatigue and anemia. Cooking in a black iron skillet can give us traces of iron, however, iron supplements are likely to be the best option to get the iron we need.

Omega-3’s

found in cold water fish, and somewhat in chia and flax seeds and walnuts. Lacking in Omega-3’s can cause brain fogginess and inflammation in our bodies. There are multiple kinds of Omega-3’s that our body needs. The Omega-3’s that our brain needs are best supplied from cold water fish instead of nuts and seeds. Therefore, supplementation is the best way to efficiently get Omega-3’s for our body.

 

Calcium

found in dairy products. We need calcium for our bone growth and strength as well as for our muscles to function efficiently. We may feel weak if we don’t have enough calcium. Plant-based sources of calcium include kale, broccoli, tofu, and fortified plant milks.

Vitamin B-12

found in animal protein. Without B vitamins, specifically B-12, we may feel very fatigued throughout the day. Because vitamin B-12 is only found in animal protein, the best way to get this nutrient will come from supplements or fortified plant milk.

Remember, these are just the most common nutrient deficiencies and not all are listed here. If you are on a vegetarian diet, it may be worth going to a registered dietician to ensure you are eating well-rounded and are getting essential nutrients for your body!

Blog post written by Kat Cantlebary for Remedial Massage Queenstown

Why We Tell You to Hydrate!

Photo by Anderson Rian on Unsplash

Why is hydration so important? We all know we need to drink water, but what are some of the exact physical benefits? And why does my massage therapist always tell me I need to drink water? Well, there are two answers to that question. One, is fascia, and the other is our circulatory system.

1.     Fascia is a special connective tissue in our bodies. At the basic level, it holds our muscles, organs, and skin in place (for more information, see our other blog post on fascia). More importantly, however, fascia gives us the ability to move as it is made up of 70% water, thus assists in creating flexibility and more pliability our bodies.  

Because of the high water content in fascia, you can think of it like a sponge. When a sponge is dried up, it becomes rough and unpliable. When we are dehydrated, our fascia can become stuck or ”glued” to itself and to the muscles it surrounds. This manifests in our body as decreased mobility, general soreness, chronic pain, and trigger points – hyperirritable spots in our fascia.

When a sponge is hydrated, it becomes flexible and soft. By hydrating our bodies, we keep our fascia flexible and pain free. We also allow the fascia to absorb or “sponge up” the nutrients it needs to stay flexible and healthy.

2.     Our muscles store toxins like lactic acid when we are emotionally or physically stressed. Massage helps to increase the circulation to our muscles and in turn, helps to flush out those toxins. However, if we are dehydrated, we have less blood volume available to flow to these muscles to flush out these toxins.

As a generally rule, we are made up of about 70% water so for the optimal functioning of all our bodies systems, it’s a good idea to keep hydrated so these systems are “well oiled.” Your body is your vehicle to experience the world - if you didn’t put oil or fuel in your car it wouldn’t run smoothy or is likely to break down. The same goes with your body, your water intake and the quality of food you consume.

Blog post written by Kat Cantlebary for Remedial Massage Queenstown

Top Tips to Keep your Fascial System Healthy

You may have heard your massage therapist or even your yoga instructor mention fascia, whilst enthusiastically explaining to you why it is so important in treating body aches, pain and dysfunction. In fact, with fascia becoming more widely talked about and understood, myofascial or fascia-release treatments are becoming more and more common in massage therapy, chiropractic and physiotherapy clinics.

Myofascial release treatment

Myofascial release treatment can be beneficial to clients wishing to create more space and balance within their body and for practitioners seeking to help restore structural integrity. Fascia is often the missing element in the movement/stability equation. 

Aside seeking treatment for pain associated to postural dysfunction from a fascial-work practitioner, it is possible to help keep your fascia as healthy as possible to prevent it from becoming problematic. See our three tips below from Dr. Jess Reynolds [massagebook.com] along with explanation, on how to keep your fascial system in tip-top condition:

1. Stay Hydrated

The fascial system is comprised of fibres, cells, and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM makes up the vast majority of fascial tissue and is composed almost entirely of water. While there are many physiological reasons why we should stay hydrated, keeping the fascial system in tip-top shape is near the top of the list. When we are dehydrated, the ECM (which should be a mucus-like substance) becomes thick, sticky, and viscous. This thick stickiness in the ECM leads to fascial adhesions (layers of fascia stuck together). Maintaining proper hydration helps prevent myofascial adhesions.

2. Move Your Body

While it is essential to stay hydrated, drinking enough fluids is only part of the equation. The other part is to make sure that fluid can get to all of the tissues. The best way to do that is to move your body. As you move your body through various novel positions, such as those performed in a yoga class, fluid begins to move through the myofascial system.

Imagine squeezing some dirty water out of a used sponge. Once the pressure is released from the sponge, it can absorb fresh, clean fluid. Our bodies work in a similar way. Stretching works the same way as squeezing the sponge does. Releasing the stretch is like releasing the sponge; it allows new fluid to enter.

One other very effective way to maintain a healthy fascia is through doing “mobility” work. Mobility work involves deeper and more focused work on problem areas, often with the assistance of a tool, ball, or roller to apply pressure directly to the fascia in order to affect positive change.

3. Eat an Anti-inflammatory Diet

Diet and nutrition are loaded subjects these days, but one thing that pretty much everybody agrees on is that the “Standard American Diet” is pro-inflammatory. There are many ill effects of systemic inflammation caused by a highly inflammatory diet. When inflammation affects the fascial system, the body produces a pathological or excessive amount of collagen, a glue-like substance that binds tissues together. Excess amounts of collagen bring excess stickiness, increasing the likelihood of fascial adhesions. Similar to how dehydration can cause adhesions, system inflammation caused by a pro-inflammatory diet can also cause adhesions.

Keeping these three things in mind will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing myofascial adhesions and keep your facial system healthy.

Fascial-release treatments such as orthopaedic cupping can be added onto your massage session.

Book here to schedule your session with us. 

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Blog post written by Sarah Pryke for Remedial Massage Queenstown. Reference and resources published by Dr.Jess Reynolds from www.massagebook.com and Fascial Release for Structural Balance by James Earls & Thomas Myers