For those that live with Fibromyalgia there is hope!  When integrating a variety of complimentary alternative medicine (CAM) approaches there is considerable improvement for those living with this condition.  When a combination of CAM approaches are integrated on a weekly basis there is significant improvement in ease of function, reduction of pain and a greater sense of self.  One of my colleagues, Eveline Wu, GCFP worked with clients who alternated Feldenkrais (R) Functional Integration (R) sessions with massage, Reiki, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and Chiropractic specifically of the C1-C2 area and many had marked improvements in their symptoms.  I would gather that CranioSacral Therapy would also be another wonderful approach to integrate.  The one thing that impressed me the most was that it was essential that each of these sessions happen in a close time frame so that the benefits could integrate into the next modality for optimum learning and improvement of symptoms.  Diet is another focus to be addressed.

For more information to find a Feldenkrais practitioner in your area contact the Guild at www.Feldenkraisguild.com.  There are hundreds of practitioners throughout the world too!  To learn more, click here.

Research shows that “More than 10 million people in the U.S. suffer from TMJ problems, and 80% of them are women.” The symptoms range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain, including migraines and too often develop into chronic pain issues and destruction of tissue.

Current treatment options usually consist of splint therapy, attempting to mechanically correct the alignment of the jaw but in truth do not change your pattern of grinding and bruxism but only guard your teeth from further grinding, clenching and more deterioration. Then there’s sedatives, massage therapy, as well as various exercises to reduce the mental and physical stress levels of patients. And then, surgery, a last resort, irreversible and often unsuccessful due to never addressing the habitual musculo-skeletal tension and neurological patterns.

Dr. Frank Wildman, founder and creator of The Intelligent Body TMJ Program has developed a simple, effective and non-intrusive self-care alternative that complements traditional treatment options. What if it were possible to move beyond this troubling and painful dilemma! Would you be interested?

The Intelligent Body TMJ program contains 5 lessons based on the Feldenkrais Method® and uses a unique understanding of human neurology to reduce chronic tension in the jaw, face, neck and upper back. Each lesson is 10 minutes long. They are gentle, specific and ingenious movements that enable you to learn how to “recruit” and develop new and more efficient ways of employing your muscles. You can alter longstanding inefficient habits that use too much tension and stress and learn how to develop more functional and healthy patterns of movement.

To learn more about Dr. Frank Wildman and his approaches click here.

One of the standard protocols of massage is Deep Tissue and all too often a client will come in saying you can go deeper, really press in, harder!  As a therapist I cringe every time I hear this.  What are we doing that we are so tense, tight, locked up that it takes a vis to crack us open perpetually asking for deeper?  My question is why is this a chronic condition and what are we not leaning here?  In order to effectively apply Deep Tissue the tissues welcome the therapist in.  If not, both client and therapist pay for it in trauma to tissues and structure.  All too often a therapist wanting to please their client destroy their own body by not listening to what and how they do massage.  Think about quicksand, and how it pulls you in.  Well, appropriate Deep Tissue massage is the same, as the nervous system begins to settle and the client relax, their muscles will begin to soften and allow the therapist to sink in deeper, and it shouldn’t hurt!  I’ve had clients say, “you can go deeper” only for me to respond, “can you feel this?  It’s your bones, I can’t go any deeper.”  They are stunned and surprised that it doesn’t hurt and how supple and relaxed they feel.  This is something they can learn.  How to settle down, breath and allow, instead of being pummeled against.  Resistance begets resistance!  If I push you, you’ll push back against me.  Better to allow the resistance to subside and all of you becomes more welcoming, relaxed and the massage has a much better change of integrating into your nervous system.

When massage is applied on a regular basis then a client doesn’t find themselves feeling overwhelmed, tight, constricted and needing to be tenderized as you would like a piece of tough meat!  Rather their tissues remain more pliable, hydrated and resilient.  Make massage a regular part of your life!  If you want to get better at something would you do it only once in a while as a special treat or would you attend to the learning and listening so that you can enjoy and get to do what you want!