Most of you already know that I’m a big advocate of massage therapy. I think it’s a great noninvasive way to treat many chronic pain conditions. Read more »

As a freelance writer, I spend a lot of time sitting down. When I sit down for too long too many days in a row, I get a terrible nervy pain in my hip that radiates down my leg. When I have this pain it’s difficult for me to do much of anything. I can’t walk and I can’t sit down. I’m only comfortable standing still or lying down. Luckily, I’m a massage therapist. When I’m stupid enough to allow myself to get to this painful state, I know what to do to stop it. Read more »

Trigger points are areas of hyper irritation in a muscle. Trigger points occur because the muscle has been injured in some way and an area of the muscle is contracted. This contracted area restricts blood flow. The restriction of blood flow causes the muscle to become nutrient starved and have a build-up of waste products. This can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the muscle. Read more »

“I hope you brought a change of clothes,” my therapist said.

I glanced down at my restrictive blue jeans and apologetically told her that I didn’t. I’d been running late all day. In my rush to get to my appointment on time, I forgot to change. Read more »

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and pain in the wrists and hands. It is caused by swelling of the tissue that surrounds the median nerve in the wrist.  The median nerve shares a small space with many tendons and can easily become compressed when the tendons swell. Read more »

“This is really good for me,” my husband said as he sat on the bed kneading his thigh. This had become a nightly ritual for a few months. He’d start up high and work his way toward the knee methodically. Once he’d finished both legs he’d jump up and do a chicken like strut around the room. “My legs feel so light,” he’d say. “It’s so easy to walk around!” Read more »