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10 HOLISTIC/COMPLIMENTARY THERAPIES FOR CHRONIC PAIN…

With so many different types of holistic therapies it has to be worth trying at least one natural therapy to see if it can help with your pain. I have written about over 50 of them on this blog and start with the top ten…

  1. Reflexology – The main benefits of reflexology are that it unblocks energy channels and has a relaxing effect. It can also stimulate the body’s own healing mechanisms and help with pain relief.
  2. Kinesiology – Kinesiology is a treatment which concentrates on getting your muscles to function correctly. It is believed that each muscles is connected to a specific part of your body.
  3. Yoga – It is seen as a viable treatment for all sorts of aches, pains and physical ailments. Alongside its mental health benefits, doctors are choosing to prescribe yoga rather than painkillers to help people recover from injuries and manage pain.
  4. Homeopathy – Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine founded by a German physician Samuel Hahnemann himself an orthodox Doctor (M.D) in 1796. Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine that uses small, highly diluted doses of natural substances to trigger the bodies own healing abilitie
  5. Acupuncture – 2.3 million acupuncture treatments are carried out each year, traditional acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practiced in the UK today. Acupuncture works by stimulating your own body’s healing mechanisms to help with pain and recovery.
  6. Ayurveda – Ayurveda focuses on the power of the mind to heal the body using herbal treatment, diet and yogic breathing. Practitioners focus on understanding the unique physiological processes, the environmental inputs, and the genetic predisposition that influence every person’s experience of health and disease.
  7. Aromatherapy Massage – It is a method of healing using very concentrated essential oils that are often highly aromatic and are extracted from plants.
  8. Alexander Technique – The process aims to change movement habits in everyday activities, helping people with chronic back pain, excessive stress and injury, by using simple and practical methods of balance in the body to release unnecessary tension.
  9. Trigger Point TherapyTrigger points are nodules that are contractions in bands of muscles that have tightened. The trigger points themselves cause local pain while simultaneously referring pain to other body parts. The referred pain is often located far from the trigger poin
  10. Cupping Therapy – Cupping is the best deep tissue massage available and is a very safe therapy to have. It activates the lymphatic systems, clearing colon blockages, arteries and capillaries.
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6 WAYS TO HEAL YOURSELF WITH COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES YOU CAN DO AT HOME…

With a massive choice of complementary therapies available for the pain it’s difficult to find out which one suits you best but some therapies you can try yourself. Here are some ideas on some simple DIY therapy techniques to give a try.

  1. Start your day with positive visualisation. Use creative visualisation and guidance techniques to make dreams and goals come true. Visualization and guided imagery is a proven technique useful for both short and long-term pain relief. Pathways mission is to empower pain sufferers with safe and effective techniques that result in lasting pain relief. Pathways is built around a mind-body aka biopsychosocial approach to pain relief. Addressing all factors that contribute to the pain experience. The biopsychosocial approach to understanding and treating pain is widely recognised by world leading pain specialists as the most successful pain model to date.
  2. Have you ever tried thalassotherapy? Thalassotherapy is an alternative therapy that harnesses the soothing properties of the sea. The term comes from the Greek word “thalassa,” which means ocean. Thalassotherapy dates back to the 19th century, although people have bathed in the sea for its health benefits for much longer than this. There is not much research on the benefits of thalassotherapy, but a few studies indicate it may help with some conditions, such as fibromyalgia and musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is not a substitute for medical treatment. You can try this at home by using a body brush in the morning before your shower to stimulate your lymph system and flush out toxins. It can help boost your circulation and restore radiance. If this helps at all then you could get the treatment from a health spa or something similar.
  3. Mindfulness is being aware of internal thoughts, feelings, and emotions, as well as external surroundings and situations, without automatic responses such as judgment or stress. Mindfulness therapy is a type of talk therapy that focuses on learning how to be more aware and to reduce automatic responses. To try it yourself pay attention to the present moment, clear your mind of any thoughts and focus entirely on the act of resting. If your thoughts wander, gently bring them back to your rest and breath gently. Mindfulness therapy does this by incorporating awareness of thoughts, emotions, feelings, surroundings, and situations. It involves conversations with professionals that help a person develop greater awareness of their thoughts and the world around them. This increased awareness helps them avoid destructive or automatic responses or habits.
  4. It is said that yogic breathing is best learned under the guidance of a teacher, although some of the simpler techniques, such as lengthening the exhalation, can be practiced easily by one’s self. Yogic breathing has the potential to transform one’s state of mind. It is said to reduce anxiety and stress, cure insomnia, ease pain and increase concentration. On a spiritual level, it can help people to connect with their inner calm and peace, helping to still the mind, and allowing them to access greater wisdom and clarity. Taking deep breaths activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces your heart rate and relaxes your muscles. Mission Meditation explains easily how to give Yogic Breathing a go on their website here.
  5. Find harmony with colour therapy. Colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is a form of therapy that uses colour and light to treat certain mental and physical health conditions. We can trace this form of therapy back to the ancient Egyptians. They made use of sun-filled rooms with coloured glasses for therapeutic purposes. The basis of colour therapy is that different colours evoke different responses from every individual. People find specific colours therapeutic or stimulating. Experts who believe in this theory believe that colour can positively impact us in several ways and help with a host of conditions. For instance green can be deeply soothing and relaxing while splashes of orange, yellow and red cushion add a buzzy feel and silver will lift your spirits. Find out what colours pick you up in what you are wearing or the colour of your room. A great site for advice on this therapy is Very Well Mind. The practice of colour therapy can also be traced to Indian origin. According to Indian philosophy, the seven main colours on the colour wheel enhance our body’s chakras. Colours can have a profound effect on your health and wellbeing on many levels so it makes sense to surround yourself with the right ones.
  6. Relax with crystal healing. Crystal healers believe that these powerful stones work on an energetic level to bring about healing deep within our cells. Encourage peace and relaxation by placing calming crystals around your home. Talking about crystals and healing might sound mystical, but in the world of alternative therapies, healing crystals probably top the list. The concept has been around for centuries, but only recently it has gained a mainstream resurgence. If you’re new to the concept, here’s everything you need to know about the art of crystal healing. Crystal healing channels our body’s energy levels interact with our body’s chakras and promote overall physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. They say you will experience increased feelings of tranquillity, positivity, and focus, as well as enhanced immunity and pain relief. A great website with lots on Cyrstal Healing is Think Right Me.

Source: Pathways Very Well Health Medical News Today Mission Meditation Think Right Me

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WHY WE SHOULD ALL MAKE TIME FOR A MASSAGE…

Research has revealed that massage has various health benefits. Massage treatments can be utilized to assist with dealing with things like nervousness and sorrow, sleep deprivation, and bad posture.

Aromatherapy massage in particular is very popular for pain release. Aromatherapy is a combination of two words “aroma” which means smell or fragrance, and ‘therapy” which means treatment for the body, mind, or social condition of a person, to assist a process where healing and change can take place. People who are suffering from problems such as arthritis, or fibromyalgia can benefit from the service of therapist to improve their quality of life.

Massage is one of the most important activities that help people to recuperate from injuries. Wounds are converted into scar tissues hampering the movement of the body. Over a period of time, the muscles acquire strength and the healing occurs at a faster rate.

It is a method of healing using very concentrated essential oils that are often highly aromatic and are extracted from plants. On a personal note, I do find that aromatherapy massage helps with pain relief be it only for a short period of time. Some say that it’s a placebo effect but I do genuinely feel in less pain and more calm. Let’s put it this way, if I could afford a massage on a weekly basis I would have it booked in a second but once a month is a help to me for the time being.

The massage generally refers to the use of hands or other tools to rub and knead muscles and joints of the body, often to relieve tension or pain. Other types of massage include Swedish, Sports, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Hot Stone or Tai massage.

According to Rest Less Research shows that 20-minute massages are enough to see positive results. This means that the majority of professional massages – most of which tend to be around 50 minutes long – provide more than enough pressure to the body to experience optimal benefits.

Massage has so many benefits from relieving stress, anxiety, depression and helping you sleep better. It can help with chronic fatigue, give pain relief, and can boost your immune system. It can also improve your posture and relieve headaches and can be done on yourself or by using a massage gun or having treatment. I find massaging acupressure points of great benefit to me although I can obviously not reach certain areas.

A great home massage tip is to use a tennis ball, which can help with back and other muscle pains.

For self-massage, they suggest that you lie on a mat with two tennis balls under your back, and roll up and down. The balls then massage the muscles and ligaments around your spine. This then stretches the muscles and surrounding tissue, increasing blood flow and nutrients to the area to help ease the pain.

For specific acupressure using your tennis ball lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor or sofa if you cannot get onto the floor. Your knees should be separated by about the width of your hips. Then raise your hips slightly and slide the tennis ball under one of them. Come back down and rest on the ball. You can treat both sides of your body and the sides of your hips.

There is a great book on how to use self-massage with a tennis ball by Angie Sage ‘Tennis Ball Self Massage : Effective Trigger Point Therapy to Relieve Your Muscle and Joint Pain, available on Amazon

This book offers you lots to learn from what is Tennis Ball Self-Massage, Trigger Point Therapy for Head and Neck, Massage to Relieve a Headache, and Massaging the Neck., and Tigger Point Therapy for your Back, Shoulder, Arm, Forearm, Hand, Hip, Thigh and Knee and much more.

Massage guns are very popular at the moment but for someone treating themselves and already in pain then the best type to buy is the lightest you can find otherwise it will just aggravate your pain.

A brilliant app that can help you find a therapist is

Source: Rest Less