by SharonHartnett | Mar 4, 2016 | concussion, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
Post-Concussion Symptoms
If you have persistent symptoms after a head injury lasting over three months, your physician may diagnose you as having Post-Concussion Syndrome. Some the indications that might lead you to your doctor’s office are: dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, irritability- or just not feeling normal. If you have hit your head, make sure that you get checked out because the effects can last a very long time if left untreated.
If a concussion is your diagnosis, you may want to research and interview Craniosacral Therapists to help you recover. Personally, in my Cranosacral Therapy practice, I have worked with clients who have experienced headaches, memory issues, nausea, cognitive impairments and a sense of disorientation, along with other day to day challenges. In a matter of just a few sessions, clients begin to see improvements. The quality of their lives gradually change for the best.
Craniosacral Therapy
When clients come in with a concussion diagnosis, a Craniosacral Therapist (CST) will interview the client and evaluate the whole body. They will ask that their clients come at least 10 days after the injury before treating with hands on. This gives the client’s body time to rest which is very important. Once in the office and on the table, the CST will listen at different stations to determine how the work should move to support more optimal functioning. Often a client may think that the session should be spent on the head for most of the time, but that has not been my finding. Because the client has usually experienced a fall or been hit with some type of traumatic influence, the rest of the body can be pulling some of the tension throughout the whole craniosacral system. So it is necessary to address the symptoms as a whole body issue. It’s important to help the cerebral spinal fluid to flow and work properly along the spine and within the brain. An example might be if someone is knocked off their feet, it may be important to balance the feet, the pelvis, especially the sacrum first, to ready the body for the work to the cranium. When everything is functioning better below the head, it enhances the work around the brain. Structural restrictions release more easily and fall back into order.
What is so great about Craniosacral Therapy is that the touch is so light, yet because of its ability to work to release fascial adhesions, and to engage the Craniosacral System to support the Central Nervous System, it can boost and restore with minimal discomfort if any at all. Most clients get off the table deeply relaxed and feeling integrated in a whole new way.
There has been a recent growing attention to Concussions lately, especially with children in sports. If you or someone you know has received a blow to the head, make sure that he/she gets into see their physician. It’s best to catch and treat concussions early on. An integrative approach, including Craniosacral Therapy, may help you to feel healthier, clearer, energized and more on target.
For further information: Craniosacral Therapy Research for Concussions
Sharon Hartnett CST, SI, LMT
703 509-1792
www.massgeincolumbusohio.com
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com
by SharonHartnett | Feb 20, 2016 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
How Can Craniosacral Therapy Help You…
Simple and Easy: this is an easy way to release stress. When the mind and body can calm down and balance, the internal healing potential can do wonders.
Craniosacral Therapy
Just to name a few benefits:
- Relieves Neck and Back Pain
- Improves Range of Motion
- Reduces Anxiety and May Help with Depression
- Helps Resolve post-surgery adhesions
- Boosts the immune system
- Alleviates Fibromyalgia discomfort
- Balances the spinal alignment with Scoliosis
Bonus: It can help with post-concussion symptoms!
Experiences vary from session to session. This light touch can bring about profound changes as it works directly with the Central Nervous System to balance. Clients may fall asleep, become very talkative, feel deep emotions that come to surface as the stress leaves the body.
CST can unleash your healing potential.
If you want to find a therapy that is gentle and effective to help you let go of tension, check out the Upledger Institute for a local practitioner near you.
Sharon Hartnett LMT
Serving the East Columbus, Ohio Area
740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Jan 27, 2016 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Do you wake up in the morning feeling stiffness or pain in your feet as you stand up? If so, you may be experiencing plantar fasciitis.
The thick ligament that connects your heel to toes (along the arch) is called the plantar fascia. When this tissue is weak, it can cause pain either when you get up or are walking uphill. The pain may come on gradually or it may feel sharp and immediate. There are a few reasons that can contribute to this condition: overweight, high arches or flat feet, running, tight achilles tendons, or walking in shoes that don’t support your feet well.
plantar fasciitis
One of the modalities of hands on work that can be very helpful with this condition is myofascial therapy. In conjunction with rest when necessary, wearing good shoes with arch support, stretching and exercising joints, it is possible to get some relief. One of the things that needs to happen from a massage perspective is that the fascia all the way from surrounding foot bones and muscles need to find good tone and relaxation balance. Often from improper posture, the fascia can get rotated, twisted or adhere to the bones causing lack of healthy mobility. I find that by working with the fascia and with the Craniosacral system, that clients have seen wonderful changes as the tissues begin to soften, unwind as the foot gets more properly aligned. This work can be done either with patience and a soft gentle touch, or more strongly as long as the therapist is listening and responding to the information they are receiving from the fascia.
It does take time for plantar fasciitis to clear up with many clients. It’s important to remember though that the stress patterns that created the pain were built over time, and long-term resolution takes time too in some cases.
If your pain continues to get worst, do consult a physician. They can test and diagnose your condition properly.
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI
703 509-1792
Serving the Columbus Ohio area
by SharonHartnett | Jan 23, 2016 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
Have you been suffering from Neck Pain?
Whether you are experiencing neck pain from degenerative disk disease, an injury, osteoarthritis or bad posture, there is usually something you can do to help your condition.
Today, we are going to look at massage and bodywork as a way to treat neck pain. I think this is a relevant topic because millions of people in the US are faced with daily discomfort with their neck. Often the pain will go away by itself, but other times it may become severe enough that people will go seek a doctor’s help, often receiving a steroid injection. This may or may not help overall, but in conjunction with other modalities, there may be a more effective integrative approach.
Neck Pain?
Let’s start by talking about different types of pain. Acute pain is usually the result of the body saying to itself that it is injured. If you have been in an accident or hurt yourself in some way-time to go get this issue checked out with a physician right away. Even if it hurts a little, it can end up becoming a bigger problem later. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is long lasting. Pain signals are constantly firing in the nervous system with no relief. This can go on for a day, or continue into years. The most common types of longing last pain are in the back, next with headaches, and following that with the neck. Neck pain can be serious, and it is important to get it checked out-especially when one starts to feel tingling, numbness or pain down the arm into the hand. What these all have in common though, are that they are connected to the structure of the spine, the cranium and the surrounding soft tissues.
Fortunately, physicians like Dr. John Upledger understood the advantages of using a hands on therapy to help alleviate both acute and chronic pain. His modality of choice, Craniosacral Therapy, came from his background as a doctor of osteopathic medicine. He developed a protocol with different techniques to help therapists worldwide be able to address pain issues with a very gentle touch. We now call this Craniosacral Therapy. While the foundation of the work is based on working lightly with the Cranium and Spine, the work can improve overall functioning of the whole body. In regards to the neck in particular though, Dr. Upledger established a routine so to speak regarding the thoracic inlet, neck and cranium to release tension in that area. It’s called the Avenue of Expression because this of course is the area that connects the body to the head and allows us to fully express ourselves in relationship to others.
The Avenue of Expression when opened up can be life changing for a person. It helps one to find pain relief, open up the throat, the breath and the voice. First, we always begin by spending some time releasing any adhesions or restrictions along the dural tube. Once this is completed, we can take a look at the thoracic inlet which connects the root of the neck with the thorax. Many vital anatomical structures lie within this area. Just to name a few, there is the phrenic and vagus nerve entering the chest, subclavian and thoracic arteries, the T1 nerve room, supra pleural membranes, scalene, lamp channels and brachiocephalic artery and vein on the left side. We do a gentle pressing and releasing there that opens up the area so there is an increased flow between the head and the chest. Next we move on to the infra hyoid musculature, the hard palate and the supra hyoid area. There is more detail to this, but basically the work is designed to approach the avenue of expression in a way to promote flow, dialogue and interconnection. Often, after this is accomplished clients will find themselves also being able to verbally communicate better. When the tension in the throat and chest is released, it’s easier to have a brighter more integrated outlook in life.
If you have more questions about how Craniosacral Therapy can help you to find more balance, wellness and feeling good, please contact Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI at 740 966-5153
Sharon Hartnett LMT
Serving the Columbus Ohio area.
by SharonHartnett | Jan 10, 2016 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration, thought for the day
Not able to sleep Well? Looking for some help for Insomnia?
Today I was reading an article that discussed how women often have more challenges with sleep insomnia than men. In my experience, due to hormonal fluctuations, many women that I have seen in my practice would confirm this. They feel restless and can’t stop thinking or worrying either before going to sleep or in the middle of the night. Especially around 3AM. For me, this makes perfect sense as the body system’s are fluctuating due to the menstrual cycle, perimenopause or the like, that for some women, they would not sleep as well due to hormonal falls and rises. They could probably benefit from some type of hormonal support. But the number one reason for insomnia is stress. For women in particular, my guess is that stressful thinking and emotional swings, along with hormonal shifts can make it even more difficult to get the needed rest to have a productive day. That can be tough for a woman.
Can’t sleep well?
What surprised me the most though, was that the article mentioned taking drugs as a remedy to this challenge. On second thought, I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised because as I am writing this, the Universe in its full wisdom has sent a television commercial to come on for a sleeping drug that works with neurotransmitters with a list of negative side effects being marketed to help women sleep better. This has become our social norm. At the end, the watcher is told to ask his/her physician about this drug. I am sure that there are some good benefits to some of these pharmaceuticals. Sometimes we could use an easy way to help us through the night. But is it possible that there are some more natural ways long-term modalities of self-correcting care that are just as good or even better to alleviate stress and sleep disruption? My hope would be that physicians would more often say, “here is a prescription for massage once a week for three months”. Work on getting more exercise and eating well. Why not go take a yoga class?”
I don’t know why I am still constantly baffled that medical insurance covers drugs so easily (which are quite expensive), and that when we watch TV-we are bombarded with drug ads, yet massage and bodywork are still considered more of a luxury than a therapeutic modality that can help with things like sleep, stress, and tension. It does take time to support the body to change longterm and I know that this work doesn’t remedy insomnia for all people, but I have heard lots of positive feedback indicating how much better my clients sleep with their sessions. Research has shown that massage and bodywork are key in helping many people to feel better in so many ways. In my view- one of the keys to this is that we are focusing on the human body with massage which is quite sensory and mindful. During a massage, the thinking brain can relax and feel pleasure again instead of focusing on troubles. The more we receive, the easier it is to re-educate our nervous systems to wind down when done in a professional and healthy way. The integration between the mind, body and spirit is integral to wellness.
Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Therapy and Structural Integration have especially been helpful from my view in helping people to relax and let go of stress too. By working with the fascia, which is a 3 dimensional web of connective tissues that holds the body together (including being richly innervated), and helping it to let goof tension, the whole body can relax. Have you ever come out of a good massage and everything feels and looks more positive? The reason I specialize in these modalities, is that I LOVE hearing how relaxed and good people feel afterwards. As human beings, we have the capacity to love, feel pleasure, and to be happy. But sometimes we need a little help. And I am not sure that it always has to come in the form of a pill.
I am not suggesting that medicine be replaced. And by all means, I am not a physician. But my hope is that Massage Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release bodywork and perhaps work by psychotherapists that focus on the mind-body start to become more widespread to the public as a possible alternative to taking drugs for sleep and wellbeing. My hope is that this will eventually be covered by insurance so that all of us can sleep well.
Sharon Hartnett LMT
740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Jan 3, 2016 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
Is back pain stopping you from getting things done in your life?
Approximately 80 % of adults aged 30-60 in the US have reported back pain according to MTJ magazine. The pain can start out as mild, but if left untreated, can end up being severe, keeping you from work or doing the things that make you happy. Why not be proactive and take good care of yourself now before things escalate?
Life takes us each on our own unique journey’s. What causes one person to develop back pain symptoms may be totally different than other. What can be said from my perspective after working about 18 years in massage and bodywork is that typically what primarily causes back pain is a misalignment around the structure of the spine. Something is out of balance. If the structure can be addressed at first signs of trouble, the easier it is to bring back healthy posture.
As a myofascial therapist, it is easy to discern between healthy and unhealthy tissues through palpation. The healthy fascial tissues bounce back and feel hydrated, soft, flexible and differentiated. The unhealthy tissues often feel stiff, lumpy, dehydrated, and stuck. So until the client gets into the massage room, it is difficult to guess how to treat. We need to allow the body to give us the necessary information to support the healing process. That is because we need to see and feel where there are restrictions, rotations and other points of stress in the body. Planes of tension can be coming from anywhere based on how each person moves in relationship to gravity and their center. Thousands of spinal nerves exit the spinal cord that can become impinged reaching out into other parts of the body, and the root of the pain must be discovered. Who knows the story of how the fascia, spine and other body systems have evolved into a pain pattern? It can be complicated. But while the therapist may not know the total picture, the intelligence of the body does.
Relieving Back Pain
With Craniosacral Therapy, the therapists work with clients by trusting the “Inner Physician” within. Now to some people, this idea may cause some doubt. They may have never considered that the cellular tissue holds onto traumas and stress patterns as well as the possible resolution which can be communicated to the Craniosacral Therapist through dialogue. Yet-basically we are human beings of habits. Habits that can stay if they keep us healthy or habits that can be let go if they have become a hindrance. Our bodies are wise and do in fact have a lot to say about us and how to feel better. It is the job of a Craniosacral Therapist to help the client journey and self-discover and self-correct patterns that no longer serve overall health.
The first thing a Craniosacral Therapist will do during a session is “listen” to the tissues, the fluids and evaluate what is going on. What this means, is there is no routine, but in fact a formulated plan based on what the body is saying. We follow this plan from one moment to the other, while melding and helping the body to release adhesions, restrictions, and disorder. The plan will change constantly as the body starts to shift and open. Sometimes this means that we will be working directly with the Craniosacral System, and other times, we will focusing on fascia, or monitoring bone movements. Ultimately, we dance with the releases of the body until pain diminishes, and hopefully dissolves. Craniosacral Therapy can be very helpful in release back pain. And it is also very gentle, yet profound.
Craniosacral Therapy has been around for many years, but many people have yet to hear of it. It does fall under the license of massage therapy, but it was founded on the work of a doctor of osteopathic medicine. So I am taking this opportunity to share the work of Dr. John Upledger, of the Upledger Institute to see how it may help you. As a licensed Massage Therapist, I have found the Craniosacral Therapy along with Structural Integration to be very beneficial in helping many of my clients to release back pain and so much more.
If you are living in the Columbus Area (located near New Albany), and would like to talk more about how to release your back pain symptoms, please feel free to call with a free 15 minute phone consult.
Sharon Hartnett LMT
740 966-5153
Certified Advanced Craniosacral Therapist through the Upledger Institute
Structural Integration Therapist
Brennan Healing Science Practitioner/Teacher through the Barbara Brennan School
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
