Massage after a Car Accident?

Massage after a Car Accident?

Have you been suffering from pain after a Car Accident?

Is your neck bothering you?  Your back?  Noticing discomfort years later?

Even when you think you have not been hurt right after a car accident impact, the smartest thing you can do is see a physician. That’s because you can be thrown out of proper alignment without being aware of it. The impact of all that energy coming at and through you is bound to create some type of imbalance in your system. Any incurred stress patterns can potentially turn into pain.  So get checked out thoroughly.

Car Accident

Car Accident

 

The best thing you can do if having been examined is first to make sure that everything is alright.  If you are feeling any stress at all, you might ask your physician to offer some suggestions of practitioners who can help you either proactively or to help relieve pain.  Some ideas might be that you see a:

  1. Specialist
  2. Chiropractor
  3. Physical Therapist
  4. Massage Therapist
  5. Movement Facilitator

Being a Licensed Massage Therapist, what I can speak about is bodywork and hands on healing.  I’d like to speak to the benefits of this type of work because many people see massage therapy as a luxury.  Rather- I’d like to offer that therapeutic massage can reach you in places that restore health and wellbeing uniquely and that are tailored to your individual needs more than any type of therapy I can think of.  I have seen clients who have tried just about everything without good results.  But with Myofascia Therapy and Craniosacral Therapy, the therapist listens to your inner body intelligence and addresses soft tissue and the Craniosacral System to bring you back to health .

Myofascia Therapy:  The fascia is a tissue that can be re-educated to help you to find a more efficient line in which you can move more easily.  The less you have to work against gravity, the more optimal your movement can be.  By looking at the structure of each individual body, one can see and also feel into rotations, adhesions and any dysfunctional pattern that contributes to pain.   By observing and listening with sight and palpation, an experienced massage therapist or bodyworker can help you iron out those issues out of your life!

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a light touch modality which emphasizes balancing of the Central Nervous System in relationship to the rest of the body, as well as gently allowing the fascia to release and come into balance.  With about 5 grams of touch the therapist works with the flexion and extension phases of the cerebrospinal fluid motion to revitalize and strengthen.  Clients are often amazed by the end of the session at how much lighter and freer they feel.

 

In combination, these two modalities can do wonders.

You don’t have to live in pain.  Commit to your health and wellbeing.

If you have questions and are located in the Columbus, Ohio area, call Sharon Hartnett at 740 966-5153.

For google reviews,  touch:  Lighten Up Therapies

Sharon Hartnett LMT  740 966-5153

www.upledger.com

ADHD Help

The percentage of drugs that children take for ADHD has gone up dramatically.

I have no judgement about this.  Physicians are doing what they can to help children who feel inattentive, high energy and are having a difficult time integrating into mainstream daily life. Medications can help.  Maybe there are some more integrative treatments as well.

ADHD can be challenging. On top of the child’s own inherent challenges, they often can face rejection by other children, teachers and their community as well.

So what else can be done to help our children?

How about trying a more natural approach that will support the best qualities of your child to shine ?

Craniosacral Therapy has been able to help lots of kids with ADHD to calm down and feel more centered.  Personally,  there is nothing better than having a child get up off the table and give me a big hug because they finally have a sense of peace and balance.  If we can encourage the child to lay down and receive the work, the Central Nervous System often will feel some huge shifts.  By working with the brain, spine, and surrounding tissues, we can assist the cerebrospinal fluid to function optionally, allowing the CNS to do its work more efficiently.

When one’s mind is busy, one of the best experiences can be to relax and feel quiet.

Here are some benefits CST can provide:

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on technique that focuses on the craniosacral system—comprising the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It’s used to release tension and improve the functioning of the central nervous system. CST is often considered a complementary therapy and is sometimes suggested for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to help manage symptoms. While the evidence supporting its effectiveness for ADHD is limited and more research is needed, proponents believe that CST may help in the following ways:

1. Reducing Stress and Tension

Children with ADHD often experience heightened stress levels and may have difficulty relaxing. CST is thought to promote relaxation by gently releasing physical tension in the body, which could help improve emotional regulation and reduce hyperactivity.

2. Improving Focus and Attention

Some children with ADHD struggle with concentration and maintaining focus. CST may help improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord, which in theory could support cognitive function, leading to better focus, clarity, and overall mental performance.

3. Enhancing Emotional Regulation

Children with ADHD often have difficulties with emotional control, including impulsivity and difficulty managing frustration. CST may help by promoting a sense of calm and balance, possibly improving emotional regulation over time.

4. Promoting Better Sleep

Sleep disturbances are common in children with ADHD, and poor sleep can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. By supporting relaxation and reducing physical tension, CST may improve sleep quality, which in turn could help with mood, attention, and behavior during the day.

5. Supporting Sensory Integration

Children with ADHD sometimes have sensory processing issues, such as being oversensitive to certain stimuli or having difficulty filtering out irrelevant sensory input. CST is thought to help normalize sensory processing, which may improve how a child responds to stimuli and help with focus and behavioral regulation.

6. Increasing Overall Calm and Self-Regulation

CST’s gentle techniques might help a child feel more grounded, leading to improved self-regulation, which is often a challenge for children with ADHD. By working with the body’s natural rhythms and promoting balance, CST can support overall well-being.

7. Addressing Underlying Physical Tension

Many children with ADHD have been shown to have heightened muscle tension, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and jaw. CST could help alleviate this physical tension, which may contribute to reduced anxiety and better mental and emotional functioning.


If you would like to try a Craniosacral Session, look at the Upledger site for a practitioner in your area.  I’d recommend looking for someone who is certified to make sure they have a thorough understanding of the work.

If you have questions about how Craniosacral can help alleviate some of  your child’s ADHD symptoms, I would love to chat.

Sharon Hartnett CST, SI, LMT

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

For more information on ADHD:

 

Can Craniosacral Help Resolve Post-Concussion Symptoms?

Can Craniosacral Help Resolve Post-Concussion Symptoms?

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.

Concussion

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

 

 

7 Reasons Why You Should Get Craniosacral Therapy

7 Reasons Why You Should Get Craniosacral Therapy

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

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

A Great Way to Help with Plantar Fasciitis

A Great Way to Help with Plantar Fasciitis

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

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

Alleviating Neck Pain with Craniosacral Therapy

Alleviating Neck Pain with Craniosacral Therapy

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

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.

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