Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Nicolas Nelson LMT
April 1, 2024
The Therapeutic Benefits of Massage Therapy for Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) is a common condition that affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding muscles, leading to pain, stiffness, and dysfunction in the jaw area. While various treatment modalities exist for managing TMD, massage therapy has emerged as a promising complementary approach to alleviate symptoms and improve overall jaw function. In this article, we explore how massage therapy can be beneficial for individuals with TMD.
Understanding TMD
Before delving into the benefits of massage therapy, it's essential to understand the nature of TMD. TMD encompasses a range of conditions that affect the TMJ, including muscle tension, joint inflammation, and structural abnormalities. Common symptoms of TMD include jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, limited jaw movement, headaches, and facial discomfort. The causes of TMD can be multifactorial, including stress, teeth grinding, jaw misalignment, and trauma.
How Massage Therapy Helps TMD
Massage therapy involves the manual manipulation of soft tissues to promote relaxation, reduce muscle tension, and improve circulation. When applied to the muscles of the jaw, face, and neck, massage therapy can offer several benefits for individuals with TMD:
Muscle Relaxation: Massage techniques such as effleurage, kneading, and trigger point therapy can help release tension in the muscles surrounding the TMJ. By targeting specific muscle knots and trigger points, massage therapy promotes relaxation and reduces muscular tightness, which can alleviate jaw pain and stiffness.
Improved Circulation: Massage therapy stimulates blood flow to the affected area, promoting the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and facilitating the removal of metabolic waste products. Enhanced circulation can help reduce inflammation and promote healing in the TMJ and surrounding tissues.
Stress Reduction: Chronic stress and tension can exacerbate TMD symptoms by increasing muscle tightness and triggering pain responses. Massage therapy induces a relaxation response in the body, reducing stress hormones such as cortisol and promoting a sense of well-being. By alleviating stress, massage therapy can help mitigate TMD symptoms and improve overall jaw function.
Increased Jaw Mobility: Tightness in the muscles of the jaw and neck can restrict jaw movement and contribute to TMD symptoms such as limited mouth opening and difficulty chewing. Massage therapy techniques that target these muscles can help improve flexibility and range of motion in the jaw, allowing for smoother and more comfortable jaw movement.
Pain Management: Massage therapy can act as a natural pain reliever for individuals with TMD, helping to alleviate discomfort and improve quality of life. By stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, massage therapy can provide temporary relief from jaw pain, headaches, and facial discomfort associated with TMD.
Conclusion
Massage therapy offers a holistic approach to managing TMD by addressing the underlying muscular tension and promoting relaxation in the jaw and surrounding areas. As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, massage therapy can complement other modalities such as dental appliances, physical therapy, and stress management techniques. If you're experiencing symptoms of TMD, consider consulting with a qualified massage therapist who can tailor a treatment plan to address your specific needs and improve your overall jaw health and well-being.
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Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
August 7, 2023
5 Ways Massage Can Transform Your Performance
Regardless of the sport, activity, or level
Let's skip over the generic benefits of massage like increased blood flow to muscles and lower cortisol levels. You can get those results from any massage and any location. What we want to focus on is the performance-based results massage can give to the active and engaged individual.
1. Sports massage for muscle adhesion separation and reduction. To sum up a great deal of information you can do some research on; as muscles a.) Grow and b.) Dehydrate, c.) Are injured, the fascia that encases every muscle (and bone) can become sticky and create adhesions. Bringing hydration and movement to an area that is in this state through myofascial release allows the muscle area, as a group, to move more freely. If you have not felt the same power or range in a muscle group and it correlated to a challenging workout, competition, or injury, this type of fascial adhesion may be identified and resolved through Myofascial Release in a sports massage.
2. Sports massage for joint mobilization. Proper movement of the hips, the shoulders, the ankles, etc. are critical for full range of motion in an activity. Using muscle activation, eccentric engagement and traditional muscle release combined with positional stretching; the therapist can bring your range of motion in line with the goals of increased mobility, decreased muscle restrictions, and improved muscle range for better overall body performance.
3. Sports massage for aggressive and competitive training. Are you training for a marathon, triathlon, competition? Do you engage in tennis, golf, basketball, cycling, etc. more than once or twice a week? Chances are you are feeling the effects of repetitive use muscle aggravation setting yourself up for potential injury. Massage with a trained therapist in your sports or exercise field is your first line of defense to keep your muscle from dysfunctional patterns incurred from single use engagements and prepared for your next workout or match.
4. Sports massage for injury recovery. You’re injured, now what? You are cleared for limited use from the doctor but you’re not ready for full strength engagement of your injured area? Sports massage can help. Massage can be applied to the area without causing irritation and inflammation. In fact, massage is known for bringing nutrient rich blood to the area thereby speeding recovery time. By addressing the body above, below and across the injured area, it can keep protective patterns like guarding and limping from causing domino pain patterns in other areas.
5. Sports massage for maintained stability. You work your body hard. You train, you compete. You dedicate time and energy to master your skills. To maximize the time you spend improving and conditioning, your body will thank you for the time you spend on the recovery side of your training. Sports massage will focus on your overworked areas, your patterns of repetition and dysfunction to maintain balance, mobility, and strength through your muscle engagements. Each sports massage session is tailored to the needs you have in the moment, but also directed to the challenges you face in the future.
I include a success story from a loyal client to close this article on the benefits of sports massage (which you can see expands beyond just sports!).
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“About three years ago I was confirmed to have an anatomically shorter leg. I was most likely born with it. By my 40s this leg length discrepancy resulted in structural changes of my body that rotated my pelvis, twisted my torso and misaligned the head.
I was a fitness trainer back then and was very physically active. Exercises of various modalities, foam rolling and stretching routines were parts of my daily life. But despite all my knowledge in musculoskeletal anatomy and corrective exercise, my best efforts to combat the results of my condition could not fully address the changes in my posture and joints misalignment. I decided to try adding a manual fascia release and went to different massage therapists hoping that I would find someone able to understand my needs. Well, to find such a specialist did not seem very likely. All massage therapists I went to nodded their heads when I mentioned fascia and what is going on with mine, but in reality they did not have the actual knowledge nor the skill to work with my requests.
This is when I started looking for a massage therapist who would extend their professional advancement beyond massage school basics and go into the latest findings and methods. Having very little hope to find one, I came across Frisco Massage Therapy and Aqua Webb. Her education, work philosophy and approach seemed to be what I was looking for, and I was right!
It has been over 2 years since I started trusting my muscles, joints and fascia to Aqua's skilled and caring hands. Nothing but professionalism, attention to my needs and the highest quality of service is what I get at Frisco Massage Therapy every single time.
Regular sessions with Aqua allow me to participate in my favorite classical ballet classes, week after week trust my body and handle the physical demands, as well as properly recover after.
My endless gratitude to Aqua for creating and leading the most innovative massage therapy place in the area. If you haven't tried it yet - I highly recommend it. You will feel the difference.”
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- Renata D., Loyal Customer
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
July 23, 2023
Facial Expressions and the Brains Connection to Emotions
Medical and physiological studies going back decades, have been investigating the link between using injectable toxins to neutralize movement in facial muscle and its connection to both the recognition and response to emotional responses. Knowing how connected the brain is to muscle reactions both decisive and reactive, autonomic and controlled, I myself have wondered at the long term effects from muscle freezing facial expressions. It turns out the brain needs this muscle stimuli to help respond to something that is happy, sad or angry. It also helps us read micro expressions in others and react with empathy. Freezing the muscles that help the face emote sadness has been successfully used to treat depression, because it lessens the severity that the patients "felt" their sadness. Now translate that to the treatment of laugh lines, and it can translate that it is possible you would feel less happiness with those muscles frozen because they are producing less stimuli to the brain. Of course you are still feeling happiness, sadness and anger when using injectable cosmetic neurotoxins. What is interesting is that you are feeling them LESS than before and having a harder time reading those emotions in OTHERS. The brain to muscle connection is fascinating. I hope you are encouraged to do a deep dive into this intriguing subject.
www.nypost.com/2023/03/27/botox-alters-brain-activity-connected-to-emotions-study-says/amp/
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dissecting-plastic-surgery/201912/botox-and-emotional-expressivity%3famp
https://www.noldus.com/blog/how-botulinum-toxin-affects-facial-expression
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
May 1, 2021
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When you can't get a therapeutic massage
It's happened to almost everyone. You are involved in a car collision and you're hurting. Your neck, shoulder, maybe even your hip or an arm or leg. Violent force against a seat belt keeps you safe, but the body will take a beating regardless. Your first thought might be; I need a massage and my body will feel better! As tempting a thought as that might be, know that if you come in for a massage after a trauma like a car collision, you will be turned away at Frisco Massage Therapy. Here are some examples of when a therapeutic massage is NOT a choice for treatment.
Contraindications for therapeutic massage:
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Within 72 hours up to a week + of an acute injury including - car accident, fall, broken bone, concussion, sprain, etc. Therapeutic massage is very effective in helping after the initial injury has been evaluated by medical staff and cleared for massage treatment.
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Post-surgery - manual lymphatic drainage is the appropriate massage modality after surgery. Any therapeutic work must be done after the doctor has cleared you for "back to normal" activities.​
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In the first trimester of pregnancy - Frisco Massage Therapy policy prevents therapeutic work in the first three months of pregnancy but can be started after that point, keeping the doctor informed of your activities. In a high risk pregnancy, a doctors release is required before the massage can be scheduled. Forms can be found on our website.​
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Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - All massage is contraindicated with DVT.
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Advanced diabetes and neuropathy - In advanced stages of neuropathy and unchecked diabetes, the extremities no longer signal the brain of unhealthy pressure and pain. Deep therapeutic massage is not advised for these conditions, but can be helped with manual lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling or a lighter Swedish massage to manage stress and discomfort.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
March 31, 2021
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What to do when the body feels stuck?
Want greater flexibility and range of motion? There are three truths about movement you need to know:
1. The best way to move muscles passively is when they are totally relaxed.
2. Controlled breathing turns off the stretch reflex (an involuntary contraction in the muscle in response to a stretch).
3. Time is needed for muscles to respond to the movement so a position change will effective and long lasting.
What massage modality can provide all three of these in a single session? Thai Massage! In this ancient form of massage we find modern applications for those who sit 4 or more hours a day in the car, at work, on the couch, etc. Also for those whose active lifestyles create restrictive movement from contracted muscle patterns. Even for those who feel like they just need good hands-on movement and engagement with their muscles.
We are pleased to offer Thai massage on our service menu for regular booking with our therapist Adriana. Add this to your regular massage routine or a specialty when your body is feeling really stuck. Nothing opens up the body like a Thai Massage!
*Please note that Thai massage is performed on a floor mat while fully clothed. The therapist uses their whole body to move you while guiding your breathing. Wear athletic leisure or loose fitting clothes for full range of motion ability.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
March 11, 2021
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Why does a foot massage feel so good?
Your central nervous system has a lot to do with why a foot massage is so enjoyable. The nerves in your body follow pathways that end in your hands and feet. The study of reflexology is directly connected to addressing the nerve endings that relay back to specific areas in the body, both muscular and internal systems. Massaging the feet can have a small impact on the entire body in its relation to the nervous system.
The feet are also in constant connection to the ground. They provide information to the body like balance, pain and comfort. A technique called grounding allows the body to experience the connective energy of the planet that is primarily shielded to us by concrete, houses and shoes. If you've ever felt calmed by bare feet in a patch of grass, this what you are experiencing.
Caring for this important sensory area is what the Foot Care Treatment at Frisco Massage Therapy was designed for. Positional release stretching in the legs, hot stones on the larger muscle groups, followed by reflexology work in the feet after a foot and heel mask gives you one full hour of dedicated time to these important body structures. As the saying goes, "If your feet feel good, you feel good." Give it a try and see for yourself.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
February 22, 2021
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Healing Scar Tissue with Massage
Surgery. Accidents. Childbirth. Scar tissue allows your body to repair a superficial or deep wound. Sometimes that tissue binds the area so tightly, especially in the abdominal area, that it can change the way we move and even how we breathe.
Myofascial Release is a friction based massage modality that works to soften scar tissue, not just on the surface, but all the way to the inner part if the scar. As the tissue softens and thins, the surrounding area is released and the pulling sensation from the scar will relax.
The scarred area can sometimes be resolved in only a few sessions. Talk to your therapist about any discomfort you are experiencing from scar tissue and how Myofascial Release Therapy can help!
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Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
February 18, 2021
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Sports Massage Therapy
Did you know that more and more athletes are seeking advanced massage therapy to help them remain at peak performance? In fact, more than any other group, athletes use massage therapy to recover quickly from injuries.
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Athletes are particularly prone to injuries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, two out of every ten athletes will sustain injuries which require professional treatment. Current studies indicate that not only can massage therapy help prevent injuries, but it can significantly reduce recovery time. When injuries occur, massage therapy is one of the key methods used to get back in the game sooner.
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Frisco Massage Therapy utilizes customized treatment plans that are specifically designed for each individual athlete. Stretching, Neuromuscular Therapy, Myoskeletal Alignment Therapy, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage are just some of the modalities we use to keep our athlete clients competitive and healthy.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
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Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
February 9, 2021
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How do you keep a massage clinic clean?
1. Therapists wear a mask before entering the building, which remains on at all times while inside the office.
2. Each therapist's temperature is checked upon entering the office. If a temperature registers above 100°, it is rechecked in 10 minutes. If still above 100°, the day's appointments are rescheduled.
3. Treatment room is inspected; air filtration is on, sanitation supplies full, room is disinfected.
4. When greeting the client, a temperature check is done. If registered above 100°, we recheck within 10 minutes. If still above 100°, the client is rescheduled and not seen that day.
5. If an acceptable temperature is recorded, the client is instructed to wash their hands following the CDC protocols with soap and water for 20 seconds before rinsing well.
6. After the session, contactless payment is offered. If using the checkout machine all parts are disinfected with sanitation wipes at the end of the transaction.
7. Turning over the room for a new client requires: disinfection spray on all surfaces including doorknobs, a hand wipe application for treatment table and headrest, cleaning and disinfection of all oil/cream containers and tools used for the session, surfaces are air dried as guided by protocol for full virus disinfection, new sheets and headrest cover are added to the table and a final check is done.
8. At intervals throughout the day, multiple surfaces in the sink washing area and in the bathroom are sprayed and wiped with disinfectant, including: switches, doorknobs, sink handles, toilet, trash cans and counters.
9. At the end of the day, a thorough application of disinfectant spray is used for all rooms and is left to dry overnight.
10. The commercial application of disinfectant provided by a medical cleaning agency is used throughout the office on a regular basis.
11. A Photo Electro-Chemical Oxidation (PECO) air filtration system runs 24/7 in treatment rooms.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
February 1, 2021
What is a Therapeutic Massage?
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Here at Frisco Massage Therapy, Therapeutic Massage is a broad term that covers a multitude of modalities, mainly because they blend so well together when the massage focuses on alleviating pain and correcting problems. This type of massage may include the following:
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Deep Tissue Massage
Myofascial Release
Neuromuscular Massage
Myoskeletal Alignment Massage
Orthopedic/Medical Massage
Cupping
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As you can see, Therapeutic Massage is an umbrella term for a host of targeted and focused pain relief massage techniques. The type of service your therapist will provide and which modalities they use will depend on their personal training, and what they see as necessary for the problems and conditions you are presenting when you come in for your appointment.
A consultation with your therapist happens before the service begins, and will help guide your therapeutic massage session. If you are interested in learning more about a therapy session at Frisco Massage Therapy or would like to book an appointment call or email and book online today!
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A new year brings new hope! 2020 was full of challenges for many of us, and these challenges can cause tremendous stress on the body. At Frisco Massage Therapy, advanced certifications in Neuromuscular Massage Therapy and Myoskeletal Alignment are used for their cohesive applications for acute pain, sports therapy, injuries, myoskeletal dysfunction and repetitive pattern problems.
These therapies are not like a traditional Swedish massage; every action and motion in the massage has very specific goals relating to the compensations your body has made to function while under duress.
A therapeutic massage will bring the body back into harmony (or homeostasis) with all the other systems in the body. The objective is to reset the pain receptors, release muscles to their full form and abilities, and restore postural structure, thereby assisting the body in pain recovery and healing.
Frisco Massage Therapy Blog
Aqua Webb LMT, NMT
January 2021
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