Archive for March 2018

As complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) becomes more popular, there is increasing recognition that many of these methods of healing have been around for centuries – massage has been around for thousands of years. People often turn CAM when they find western medicine does not work for them. By integrating CAM and western medicine, good…

I have heard many views on complementary and alternative therapies (CAM). Despite all our advances in knowledge, nobody knows how the human body really works – as such, it is difficult to embrace or dismiss any notion without extensive test and research. The funding for this is hard to come by for CAM. It is…

Due to the nature of how we live, much of our attention is focused on our neck and shoulders. Endless hours in front of the computer and lots of driving often leads to tension in these areas. However, an often neglected area of the body when it comes to massage are the legs. The calf…

I often have clients come to my massage therapy practice in York with a bad back, saying they believe they have a bad back because they have a bad posture. At this point I often gently point out that it could be the other way around – they could have a bad posture because they…

Pain is very subjective – a stimulus which is not painful for one person can be extremely painful for another person. It is difficult to assess just how much pain someone is in. Apart from the person telling you how much pain they are in, it is important to watch their body language, facial expressions,…

It can cost tens of millions of pounds to develop a new drug. This is a major investment which needs to be paid for by sales. Sales are stimulated by advertising. Advertising can be highly persuasive, pulling the consumer in directions which may not be the correct one for them. Even common medications like paracetamol…

I was walking on the cycle track near my massage therapy practice in York a few days ago and saw some beautiful crocuses (see picture below). Further along in my walk I started speaking to someone. As our conversation progressed she asked me what I did. I said I was a massage therapist with a…

As more and more studies into alternative therapies take place, it is being shown that many of these therapies (including massage) are highly effective. Often alternative therapies are used alongside conventional medicine (hence, many of these therapies are referred to as complementary therapies). As well as tackling other conditions, many alternative therapies (including massage) help…

It is harder to know which is the oldest form of stress relief – massage or meditation. I use massage with many of my clients in my therapy practice in York for stress relief. I believe the oldest form of stress relief may well be massage – I can well imagine our ancestors instinctively massaging…

Probably the best known use of massage is for relaxation (I have many clients who come to my massage therapy practice in York for a relaxing massage) , but it has so many other benefits as well. Many people have experienced relief from stress after having a massage. Muscular soreness and muscular tension can be…