Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Craniosacral Bodywork for Pregnancy and Postpartum

Craniosacral bodywork can help a pregnant woman relax and find balance and peace with her changing body through the changes that pregnancy forces on the body.

Pregnancy can be an uncomfortable part of life and craniosacral therapy can help. This is because pregnant women cope better with their changes when they have had some care and it has also been shown that this kind of care leads to better care of the infant and a better pregnancy experience.

The emotional relief from being relaxed alone is a good reason for many women to try it, however, craniosacral therapy is also geared towards helping with the birth by relaxing and strengthening the pelvic muscles to make the birth a little easier on both the parent and the child. This also promotes the proper positioning of the baby for a more timely birth. Most importantly, at least for the mother to be, it is a chance for her to be pampered and taken care of.

Craniosacral bodywork can also help in the postpartum. It alleviates much of the stress of parenting and a distinct lack of sleep. It can help elevate a new mothers mood out of the baby blues and even help with post partum depression. It also gives a new mother a chance to be pampered after the birth of the baby as the attention usually shifts from the mother to the baby for a long period of time and this can be very wearing.

Craniosacral bodywork can also help the body repair itself after the trial of birth. It can aid in the healing of cesarean births and help the pelvic area return to normal after a vaginal birth. It is also just a good way to take a break from the daily pressures of parenting and giving everything to someone else.

For any pregnant woman or one who has recently given birth, craniosacral therapy should be a consideration to help a woman relax and work on bringing her body back to a normal state. Even just a couple sessions can do wonders for a woman under the strain of pregnancy and taking care of an infant at all hours of the day and night.

When you have a chance, search out your local craniosacral therapist. Ask them whether you or your loved one could benefit from craniosacral therapy. It might be just what you and your body need today!

Drew Mers is an advertising consultant to Craniosacral Therapy Spotlight http://www.Craniosacral-Therapy-Spotlight.com



Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Endometriosis Signs and Symptoms What The Doctor Didn't Tell You

Endometriosis effects over 13 million women every single year and many more women have it and don't even know it because they don't experience any signs or symptoms.

In many cases, Endometriosis is only diagnosed during another procedure that leads to discovering Endometriosis is present.

Endometriosis is when tissue that looks and acts like the lining of the uterus begins growing in areas outside of the uterus on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder, and even the lining of the pelvic cavity.

They are more commonly known as Endometrial Implants. However, there are a few signs and symptoms that you should watch for if you believe for any reason you are at risk for or may have Endometriosis.

Painful periods are the biggest symptom. This pain might begin several days before your actual period and prolong itself until days after it has ended. It may either be light or extremely intense and frequently is located in the abdominal region along with the lower back.

Pelvic pain during other times unrelated to your menstrual cycle is another thing to keep a close watch on. Many women experience pain when ovulating, sharp pains during sexual intercourse, or pain during bowel movements and urination.

This is usually an indicator that the Endometriosis has spread to the respective regions and is beginning to cause problems. The body is using pain as a way to inform you that something needs to be fixed. However, the severity of the pain does not directly relate to how severe your case of Endometriosis is. You may have minimal pain with a severe case or vice versa. The only way to know is to be checked out by your doctor.

Excessive or unusual bleeding is yet another thing to watch for. Extremely heavy periods or bleeding in between periods may signify that there is a problem within your reproductive system.

Digestive symptoms are quite common in some cases due to the tissue manifesting itself on the bowels or in the intestines. These may include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, rectal pain, abdominal bloating, or pain along with flatulence.

In more severe cases of Endometriosis, pain may develop in the bowels and kidneys as well. Pain may be constant or it could occur in cycles. It may be a dull pain that occurs all the time or it could be random bouts of sharp shooting pain. Each case has to be treated on an individual basis but the pain cycle is generally related to the menstrual cycle that the women is experiencing.

Many women are diagnosed with Endometriosis when they see their Doctor about the possibility of being infertile. Often many of the Endometriosis signs and symptoms were thought to be separate concerns on their own.

These symptoms don't mean that you have Endometriosis but have been known to be present along with the condition. They could be related to a completely different diagnosis altogether.

At times Endometriosis may be mistaken for other conditions such as cysts on the ovaries or pelvic inflammatory disease. It isn't uncommon for it to be confused with irritable bowel syndrome either if the endometrial tissue has spread onto the bowels a well.

Many other conditions may also be present with Endometriosis which can make it a big challenge to diagnose and treat as well. If you think you may have Endometriosis, book in to see your doctor and be sure to ask him or her whether they think you could have Endometriosis.

If in doubt, you can also see an Endometriosis specialist. Endometriosis Specialists are becoming more and more common and you may find one close to you.

If you want to quit wasting time with Endometriosis Treatments that don't work and start healing from Endometriosis today then visit my site right now to claim your FREE HealMe Endometriosis report http://www.endometriosistreatmentsite.com



Sunday, May 24, 2009

What is Maternity Acupressure?

By Linda Deen

Maternity acupressure (or labor acupressure) is an all natural technique to help pregnant woman induce labor in a safe and natural way. It's also very effective in giving pain relief and can drastically improve your birthing experience.

But what is acupressure? Many people mistake acupressure for acupuncture. It's true they have a similar name and work in a similar way, but there is one major difference. Acupressure uses fingers instead of needles. It's a very gentle and safe technique, even for the pregnant mother to be.

In a way acupressure is acupuncture without needles. Actually it is the other way around, because acupressure came before acupuncture. The theory is that by using deep but gentle pressure on specific acu-points that are located on energy pathways called meridians, the blocked energy starts to release, stimulating the body's natural self-healing abilities.

Is there some research evidence that acupressure really works? Yes, many studies have been conducted and they all confirm positive effects of acupressure to some degree. I'm not familiar with any negative conclusions about acupressure. After all, it has been practiced by millions of people for thousands of years.

Acupressure is used for treating various ailments. In western world it's predominantly used to relieve pain, reduce stress and tension, and improve overall well being. In China people use it everyday for things like colds, headaches, sore muscles and even hangovers.

It can also be very useful during pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy it can be used to combat morning sickness, and increase energy levels and overall well-being. When the time comes it can help induce labor naturally, relive labor pains, strengthen contractions and keeping you calm and relaxed.

Maternity acupressure is a great way to naturally encourage your labor without having to resort to medications that could harm both you and your baby. It can be safely used at home with basic instructions.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Four Common Massage Techniques in the United States

Many people hear great things about getting a massage from friends and family but rarely know what type of massage is right for them. Below I have given descriptions of four very common forms of massage in the United States.

Deep tissue massage focuses on the deeper layers of your muscles and the tissue that connects the muscles. This type of massage is great for people who suffer from stiff necks, low back pain and sore shoulders that are often caused by chronic tension.

When there is constant muscle tension bands of rigid muscle tissue form in the ligaments, muscles and tendons. These rigid bands will block blood circulation which will then lead to pain and inflammation.

By the use of direct pressure by the massage therapist deep tissue massage actually breaks down this rigid muscle tissue. By doing so pain and inflammation is relieved.

Hot stone massage is a variation of what a lot of people would consider classic massage. Heated flat stones are positioned at certain points of the body. The skilled massage practitioner may also hold the heated stones to massage parts of the body.

Hot stone massage is good for people that would be good candidates for deep tissue massage but prefer a lighter softer touch to their massages. It is also a good massage technique for people that often complain of having cold feet.

The heat of the hot stones relaxes and warms the muscles and nervous system. By doing so the massage therapist can perform a deep tissue massage but not have to apply as much pressure.

Swedish massage is the most well known massage technique practiced. Swedish massage is also the foundation for many other massage practices such as sports massage, deep tissue massage and aromatherapy massage.

The goal of Swedish massage is to increase oxygen flow in the blood, release toxins from the muscles which relieves aches and tension and also improve a persons flexibility. The Swedish massage practitioner does this by using 5 different movements as part of the massage; long gliding strokes (Effleurage), tapping (Tapotement), kneading on specific muscles (Petrissage), rubbing (Friction) and shaking (Vibration).

Swedish massage is great for people who suffer with back pain, stress and stress related conditions, headaches, muscle strains and sprains, circulatory issues and post injury rehabilitation.

Aromatherapy massage is a massage technique in which a skilled massage therapist performs classic massage and incorporates the use of concentrated plant oils that are called essential oils within the massage lotion or oil.

The principle behind aromatherapy is that the nostrils are connected to the limbic system. The limbic system controls your emotions and also influences your hormones and nervous system. Various aromas produced from the essential oils will send messages to the limbic system that will influence a persons blood pressure, digestion, immune system, stress level, heart rate and breathing.

Aromatherapy is a good solution for people that suffer from issues that are related to stress. Some common conditions that are addressed with aromatherapy will include headaches, digestive issues, beck pain and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

You can learn more about different massage techniques and practitioners in your area by visiting Best Massage Network.

Griffin Zane is a contributing author to http://Bestmassagenetwork.com a resource to help people find qualified massage therapists in their area.



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Sciatica Tips That Actually Work

Sciatica is a common form of lower back pain. It can be a 'real pain in the butt' for you and those around you. It can limit your activities so that you miss out and so do your family and friends. Sciatica can be helped and help is here...

Simple effective sciatica home treatment, sounds too good to be true doesn't it. Like I said before, you can ease your pain, especially if you don't wait too long. The tips below will help to relieve back pain if you start now.

Tip 1 - in the first 48 hours use ice. Ice will decrease the inflammation present and can stop sciatica before it starts. So put ice on the area for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes and then repeat the process two more times. Ice is only effective for the first 48 hours, so don't delay using it. Ice can be a simple and quick pain reliever in those initial stages.

Tip 2 - Stretch your Piriformis muscle. The Piriformis muscle has the sciatic nerve either running through it or next to it. If the muscle tightens then sciatica is common. To ease your sciatica, you must stretch effectively.

Tip 3 - Balance your Pelvis. The pelvis is like a foundation to a house. If the foundations are in balance, the rest of the house won't creak. The same for back pain. If the pelvis is balanced tension eases off other areas quickly.

(Your pelvis is the most common cause of lower back pain and sciatica It is also commonly left untreated)

Tip 4 - Keep moving. You do not need to move fast but you need to move. If you rest and do not move at all, muscles will tighten quicker. This is why you may pain is worse in the morning after a nights sleep. Once you move your pain can ease considerably.

Tip 5 - As the saying goes, if pain persists seek help. This doesn't necessarily mean consulting a practitioner. But if you have had a fall or injury, you should. Seek help from those who are experts in treating sciatica. Gain their knowledge and expertise to learn simple ways you can eliminate your sciatica with.

Sciatica home treatment is easy if you know what to target, how to target the areas and how to effectively eliminate your pain. Sciatica is a common condition, but you have the tools to make it disappear quickly. All you need to do is follow some simple tips for sciatica home treatment.

Dr Graeme Teague is a back pain expert of almost 20 years experience. With his free eBook, he has helped thousands of sufferers relieve back pain quickly. Head over to his site http://www.back-pain-advisor.com/sciatica.html to read more.