Chest Pain can be caused by many different circumstances…
If you feel any mechanical restrictions or ongoing pain, make sure that you see a doctor and get your questions answered. However, if everything checks out there, you might find great benefit in finding a Structural Integration or Myofascial Massage Therapist to help you relieve the pain and discomfort.
The first question I would ask as a Massage Therapist regarding thoracic pain is whether you have been in any car accidents. Automobile accidents have become one of the leading reasons why clients come in for help due to thoracic restrictions. When a person crashes, upon the impact, the human body encounters extraordinary pressure. The energy force that moves through is absorbed mainly into the soft tissues around the sternum, clavicles and ribs. The seatbelt area in particular is a place that may feel painful since it holds the body back while the rest of the body jets forward. For clients who have been in an accident, this information allows us to have an idea of how the body was impacted during the crash and give us a direction on how to treat. Other probable causes for structural thoracic pain to be considered might be falling, birth traumas, being physically hit, or any type of trauma that has exerted force through this part of the body. When you come in for intake, it is important for you to relate your history so that we have a thorough understanding of any traumas to the body.
During a session, once you get on the table, we move to a more sensory type of experience. Over the years, a Fascial Massage Therapist learns to feel the subtle layers of connective tissue and how it is organized. We palpate for adhesions, disturbances, lack of motion, and all imbalances. We observe the breathing and notice where it is stuck and where it moves freely.The body gives us all the clues we need to help create more space and flexibility. In particular with the upper thoracic pain, I like to ask my clients to bring mindfulness to their breathing during this type of work. It is amazing how much information people will learn about themselves when they quiet down and be curious about their own basic functioning. What clients with upper chest pain often notice is that there is little moving there at all. Most of the breathing is in the belly and stops before it moves superiorly. It’s important to explore this to help open up the upper chest. Mindful breathing and releasing the breath and any sound is a constructive way to bring ease and flow back into the thoracic area.
Once these patterns of restriction can been observed, it’s time to free up the affected structures. Personally, I begin by using general superficial movements to allow the fascia to get a basic stretch.My intention is pay attention to the diaphragm and thoracic inlet to release them for better breathing and to improve general overall efficient functioning in the area.As I do this, generally smaller and tighter restrictions will also reveal themselves. When I find the smaller spaces that are fixed, we spend more time exploring breathing and my movements into the tissue until we get the tissues to spread and/or unwind. When the layers begin to differentiate and flow over each other more freely, we have achieved success. This ongoing process goes on around the whole thoracic area (including the ribcage) until the breath starts to expand more equally from the front of the upper body to the back.
With the general work said and done, it is next important to check out the joint restrictions. I usually begin by exploring the clavicle and how it relates to the sternum. Some work around the shoulders with gentle manipulations will help allow confined articulations to clear through deep seated patterns.Touching into the sternomanubrial joint with compression and decompression with help repair tension imbalances. Using opposing movements facially from the back to front to engage the tissues will bring about more vitality and rehydration. The idea is to begin to get the body moving on these different layers of fascia to that everything within begins to re-engage with itself and the other. This is what creates health and wellness.
When our bodies face trauma, often the body self-corrects as much as it knows how. However, when a heavy energy force enters the body, often there are residual imbalances that may ended up keeping you stuck out of alignment. Soft tissues, mostly the fascia, are key to work if you want to release habitual distorted structural patterns in the body. You don’t have to live in pain. It is possible to begin to feel better.
Relieve the Pain
If you have more questions about feeling healthier in your body, call Sharon Hartnett for a free 15 minute phone consultation.
Years Ago, Dr. Ida Rolf discovered that as we grow older, our fascia thickens and our body loses its natural flexibility. She was a great innovative pioneer in understanding the physiology of manipulative medicine way before her time. She knew that if we could touch into the fascia and re-hydrate, reorganize and lengthen that tissue, that the body would heal itself. Today our knowledge of fascia has increased multi-fold, and the door is still wide open for so much more learning on how to live more fully in wellness and vitality through touching into the Fascial System.
Touch
Mere mindful touch in itself can be very healing. Massage is well known to increase the endorphin and serotonin chemicals which in turn help reduce pain and regulate mood. Clients have a body experience of this when they finish a session and get up feeling more stress free and relaxed.
Focused work on the fascial system takes this work to an even deeper level. Because the facial system is an all encompassing network of connective tissue that contains the organs, muscles, and bones and holds this all together, it makes the perfect conduction system to transmit healing throughout the whole body at a quick speed. When a Structural Integration Therapist or a Craniosacral Therapist touch into the fascial system, it sends new information rapidly across this vast network of this interconnected web, allowing a new dialogue to release adhesions and their impacts, as well as opening the body to self-correcting measures.
So What Does this Mean to You?
It means that because you are a whole person, that a massage therapist that is experienced with fascial work is going to be able to help create global change within your body. Imagine if you would that underneath your skin is a wetsuit of connective tissue. But it doesn’t stop there, it delves into the deeper wrapping around everything, shaping your form and allowing for communication. When one place gets distorted or out of alignment, it pulls on the very fabric of your physicality out of balance and proper functioning. The good news is that by addressing this fascia from a superficial perspective down into the deeper levels through a series call the “Recipe”, that your alignment could be re-established and with a some good Craniosacral work, your nervous system can balance and help you to feel healthy and optimal again.
Pain Go Away!
When You Think about Massage Again, ask if your therapist knows about Fascial Work.
This type of bodywork has the same benefits as a Swedish Massage and more… the benefits are actually longer lasting.
Just a quick note on the deep feeling and sensing of the work: While the work may be more uncomfortable at times than light effleurage strokes, pain often will resolve itself much quicker and often disappears completely. For more information, check out the Upledger Institute for a therapist near you.
At some point in our lives, most of us have faced some type of medical challenges.
Who hasn’t at one point or another faced an illness or an injury of some sort?
In my practice, I have had clients walk in with a variety of ailments, diseases and physical pain.
I am not a doctor who diagnoses or prescribes, but with the art and science of touch, I have seen some wonderful results for my clients with massage and bodywork that have addressed their issues so that they can relax and breath easier. It’s clear to see that people facing medical challenges are looking for healing and pain relief and my job is to listen and use the many years of experience I have behind me as a licensed massage therapist to help them feel better in their body. My intention is support re-education of the body to help it remember its own healing abilities to self-correct. This can have wondrous benefits! When pain dissolves and the body is functioning with more ease and vitality, in most cases… mental and emotional health also reappears again. It’s difficult to live in joy when one is focused on physical pain. When the body feels better, it’s amazing how different life feels.
Some of the best areas of health that massage therapists can treat are neurological, muscular and respiratory. Especially with Craniosacral Therapy, clients see great improvement with neck and back pain, migraines, headaches, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, frozen shoulder, and pain associated with arthritis. What’s so great about Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is that it is so gentle that even clients who are facing cancer and treatments can enjoy this relaxing touch, as long as their doctors approve. On a deep level of contact, being held and connected with others is very healing in itself. CST as it worked wight the fluid around the brain and spine can promote profound change and balance. With massage and bodywork, you also get restored motion by release of restrictions that have been stopping the flow of your optimal functioning.
Massage may feel like a luxury, but really it is much more than that.
A note about insurance:
In most states, massage therapy is not covered by medical insurance like a doctor’s visit. However, some insurances that are more flexible, may offer certain allowances. Make sure you call your insurance company to see what type of benefits they provide. Massage Therapists can give you a receipt and any information that is required regarding your sessions.
If you live in Central Ohio, and have been looking to develop a healing relationship with a Licensed Massage Therapist and/or Certified Craniosacral Therapist,call:
Sharon Hartnett LMT
(614) 372-6598
*15 minute free phone consultation with any questions you may have.
It takes years to find yourself in chronic back pain.
Many people think back pain comes from pulling a certain muscle or moving wrong. Most likely your structural alignment has been out for a while and your muscle groups are not balanced. Back pain is born through the way that we habitually move our bodies and the consequences of our physical action then take on certain rotations, contractions and dysfunctional patterns. When the back begins to spasm, that is usually the tip of the iceberg that lets you know that you need help in healing prolonged unhealthy postural patterns.
Build a Holistic Plan to relieve back pain for overall health and wellbeing.
I know…I know… that most people want to find a “fix” and feel better immediately when their backs hurt. Who wants to live with back pain?
It is possible to go in for a massage session, a few physical therapy appointments, see a chiropractor or to get a prescription from your medical doctor to ease the pain. These can all be helpful. However, is this what is going to help you live pain free in the future?
When any illness or pain calls you to bed, it is helpful to take the time to inquire into your self-care. Ask yourself, “How am I eating?”, “Am I sleeping well?l”, “Do I get enough exercise?”, and “Am I dong whatever I need to do to feel healthy and vital?” Do you realize the importance of putting your health first?
With our busy lifestyles, there are not many people who can answer yes to all of these. So if you want to feel better, it is important to begin to prioritize your health. And realize- that it took you some time to get into illness and/or pain and it may take a commitment to long-term exploration to re-connect to your wellness.
As a Craniosacral Therapy bodywork and healer, I do get a lot of people who come in for one or two sessions and they do get relief for sure. It’s easy to move into the back fascial tissues and relieve the tension there. The clients are happy for a while. But whatever relief you get there is most likely temporary, even with fascial work when it is only applied locally. From my perspective after 15 years in the business of relieving pain, in order to feel health success, the people who dedicate themselves to a comprehensive health plan are the ones who walk away pain free longterm and able to do the things that excite them. Clients who are proactive and even those who come in after an injury benefit best when they value their own health enough to do whatever it takes to find alignment on all the levels of their wellness. When we change our thoughts and bodies,we change the way we experience life.
So if you are facing chronic back pain, allow that be a signal to you that it would be a smart idea to holistically set your intention to creating a “health plan” to get better overall. Clean up your diet, decrease your stress, find an experience bodywork and commit to some long term goals to improve your sense of wellbeing. If you don’t care about your health, who will?
Life styles are based on the choices we make day in and day out. We are creatures of habit, so start slow and make small decisions that are easy to change. This is not an all or nothing situation unless you are very ill. You’ll be surprised if you pace yourself and find the right support team how much better you will feel!
For a local Upledger Certified Craniosacral Therapist and Structural Integration Practitioner in Columbus, Ohio, contact Sharon Hartnett
Call: (614) 372-6598
Locations in Victorian Village and Johnstown, Ohio
I know that most people don’t even know what fascia is…
That’s why I have been talking about fascia on my blog here and also in Florida www.integrativesoulandbodywork.com. There is so much new information coming out about the importance of fascia and how much the quality of its health determines how we are feeling and living.
If you haven’t ever had a visual of this living tissue, I have found a great youtube clip that I would like to share here:
Fascia may not look like much to you, but this material is what enables you to support your bodies in everything that you do. This continuous fabric of life envelops all the organs, bones, muscles and allows communication and nourishment so that we can exist. This is very exciting that we are now looking closer at and understanding the importance of fascia in our everyday living.
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST
(740) 966-5153 in Columbus Ohio
Certified Advanced Craniosacral Therapist integrating Structural Integration and CST to help you feel aligned on every level!
