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Can Massage Therapy Help Asthma?

Anyone who suffers from asthma knows that its symptoms are worsened with stress.  Most people also know that massage therapy tends to lower stress levels.  However, few people combine massage and asthma as part of an effective coping strategy.

Asthma and stress can be a vicious cycle.  Although rarely the root cause of asthma symptoms or an attack, stress tends to exacerbate symptoms, sometimes leading to a full-blown attack.  For someone with asthma, symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and coughing can trigger anxiety, which usually causes an increase in heart rate and breaths per minute.  This puts an added strain on a respiratory system that is already working in overdrive. 

Combining massage and asthma can have the opposite effect on stress levels and symptoms.  First, the massage atmosphere is itself usually calming.  The mood lighting, soothing music, and burning of candles or oils can be a welcome respite from a lifestyle of constant stimulation.  Second, a trained masseuse can use massage to help drain and relax the bronchial area, which will often reduce asthma symptoms, especially coughing and wheezing.  Lastly, massage therapy releases tension in your muscles.  Loosening the muscles of the upper body can be an effective way to reduce chest tightness caused by asthma.

A holistic approach to asthma treatment will seek to prevent and treat symptoms.  Steroids and inhalers can treat symptoms, but combining massage and asthma can be an effective way to prevent them

Understanding Different Types of Massage Modalities Everyone is familiar with the Swedish massage.  It involves a combination of long strokes, localized pressure, and vibrations.   Its goal is overall health and well-being, without focusing on any particular problem or area.  Although it tends to be what people think of when they imagine a massage, there are many other types.

Understanding that different types of massage, not just Swedish massages, can be effective is important.  If you’re going to spend time and money on massage therapy, you need to consider what type of massage is best for you.  A Swedish massage may not address your particular needs. 

In choosing a massage modality (or multiple modalities as part of an overall approach), you should ask yourself why you want a massage.  Do you hope to increase your energy?  Acupressure (not acupuncture, which involves needles) might be for you.  Do you hope to reduce muscle tightness and pain in particular muscles?  A deep tissue massage or myotherapy may be what you need.  Are you just trying to relieve the extra stress on your body caused by pregnancy?  There are specific massage modalities which address the aches and pains caused by pregnancy.

There are nearly as many different massage modalities as there are bodily ailments.  It is important to find a masseuse familiar with different modalities.  Understanding that different types of massage, not just Swedish massage, can achieve the results you desire is an important part of improving your overall health through massage. 

Take care of yourself this summer by making healthy summer lifestyle choices. You can take several simple steps this season to care for your mind and body and become healthier.

Wear Sunscreen
Protect your skin this summer and make the single most important healthy decision you can make this summer by wearing sun screen. Skin cancer rates are on the rise and wearing sunscreen is a proven way to help protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

Eat Seasonally
This season offers the perfect chance to add a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet. Make the healthy summer lifestyle choice to add in season fruits and vegetables to each meal and for snacks and desserts. Farmer’s markets, local grocery stores and even larger chains now offer a wide variety of locally grown, organic produce.

Get Out and Move
While the sunshine and great weather may tempt you to laze about in a lounge chair, the summer months offer the perfect opportunity to get outside for exercise. Working out wont’ feel like a chore while the sun shines on a morning walk or jog. Or, take advantage of the great outdoors and try something new, like hiking, biking, or a new sport, like kayaking. A lot of what we do in the summer already like hitting the local pool, also counts as exercise.

In just a few simple steps, you can live a healthy summer lifestyle while still enjoying fun in the sun.

There are many aspects to consider when choosing a massage therapist. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Qualifications and Training

   Massage therapists are health professionals. Any professional massage therapist should not only be properly trained in techniques and anatomy, they should also be licensed. Generally, this is a legal requirement in most states and municipalities. If a massage therapist cannot provide verifiable documentation of licensing and of training from an licensed massage therapy school, don’t even consider hiring them.

2. Reputation and Experience

   A qualified massage therapist should be able and willing to provide references of trainers and/or past clients who can attest to their ability. Furthermore, if you require a specific type of massage treatment, be sure that your prospective therapist has experience with your specific needs.

3. Value

   Value is different than price. Maybe you just need to loosen your back after a hard week of work, in which case you may not require the most experienced and high-priced massage therapist available. However, recovery from a sports injury or therapy related to a specific medical condition may require a professional in the higher price bracket.

4. Professionalism

   Above all, any therapist should conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times when dealing with you as a client. Remember, this person is going to be providing prolonged physical contact to your body. Even a slightly unprofessional demeanor could result in an excessively uncomfortable situation.

Being a massage therapist is a great way to help people feel better, maintain their health, and much more!) It’s also an excellent way to make a good living! Here’s a look at the Top 5 Study Skills to Remember While Attending Massage School. Ready? Here goes!

1. Take care of YOU! To give your best effort AND become the best therapist possible, this is mandatory. Get adequate sleep, drink lots of water/stay hydrated, exercise and eat properly (your strength, stamina and abilities develop most easily when you’re in shape). These are pretty much the highlights of what you’ll suggest your clients do for themselves. When in top condition, you’ll find you don’t get fatigued, you learn more readily – the benefits are many!
2. Practice – a LOT! Most massage schools give ample opportunity to trade with other students, but definitely also practice on friends and family – they’ll love it and you’ll gain confidence and smoothness!
3. ASK QUESTIONS! Especially in tough classes like Anatomy and Physiology. There’s no such thing as a “dumb” question, so ask away! That’s why your teachers are there!
4. While receiving massage from other students, think about the muscle groups on your own body; notice how they respond to various types of touch. You’ll better understand how YOUR massage can benefit your clients.
5. Work with a study partner, both for the hands-on and written exams.

The first day of school was always scary when you were a child, and it can seem just as intimidating if you are an adult looking to begin an exciting career as a massage therapist. If you are in fact interested in making this career shift, massage therapy school is the place for you.

The process of becoming a licensed massage or bodywork professional is actually quite streamlined, and there are countless reputable schools offering a variety of class schedules. This means that there will almost certainly be a school that allows you to work around your hectic schedule.

Still, the process to become a certified massage therapist can seem daunting at first. In this survival guide for massage therapy school, we will review some of the basics:

• Selecting Your Massage Therapy School
• Picking Your Specific Field
• Achieving Certification

Selecting Your Massage Therapy School

Massage therapy schools are unlike most education institutions because these schools generally operate on a for-profit basis. However, there are lots of great massage therapy schools out there, many of which are staffed with helpful professionals that can assist you in getting certified as well as offer you career guidance.

Keep in mind that selecting a school is more akin to selecting a graduate school program than an undergraduate university. You should have a clear idea of why you are going to massage therapy school, as well as what kind of job you hope to parlay your certification into. You should also take care to select a school with a class schedule that fits into your personal schedule. This includes factoring in how many months it takes for the potential program to conclude.

Picking Your Specific Field

The first step towards honing in on your exact field of emphasis is deciding whether to pursue massage or bodywork. Typically, bodywork courses place more of an emphasis on alternative medicine than massage courses do. This spiritual touch makes bodywork rewarding for many students, but if this doesn?t interest you then traditional massage school is probably your ideal route.

 The biggest thing to keep in mind when selecting your field is what kind of job you envision yourself having.  If you want to work at a trendy spa downtown, then massage is the path for you. However, if you want to work in the alternative medicine field, bodywork is likely to be a better fit.

Achieving Certification

Before you can try your graduation cap on, you must achieve certification from one of the governing bodies in the massage therapy field. If you were engaged in your classes, passing the test should not be too much of a hurdle.

Good massage schools are designed with the specific purpose of helping you get certified in mind. You should have an idea of what type of certification you need, and make sure that you select a program and school that meshes with this. Once you are certified, you are finally fully ready to begin your exciting new career as a massage therapist. 

Anyone seeking to find an exciting and rewarding career that they can pursue in a short period of time, may find that attending one of the area’s massage schools to be the ideal solution. Finding the funds to attend classes may seem impossible, but rest assured, that there is a solution out there for everyone.

The most successful students receive education with the assistance of private loans. This type of loan can be found in a number of places and many excellent massage schools offer them to their students. When seeking out loans from schools, try to find one that offers funds at lower interest rates for the duration of your time in class.  This alleviates financial burden and will permit you to obtain your certification before repaying the loan. Inquire if the school you are considering obtaining your education at offers a work study program. This could allow you to work at the school reducing your tuition and loan requirements. Also, take time to investigate scholarship opportunities in the field and you could receive a portion of your tuition from a generous private source.

Massage schools are often willing to help potential and current students find the money they need to succeed in their educational endeavors. Begin checking into the numerous options for educational private loans today, and get on the road to financial freedom.

With all the career choices available, you may be finding it a challenge to narrow down the options.  Time, money and job satisfaction are all worth your consideration.  So, why choose to go to massage school? 
One factor to consider is time.  While some careers require years of training, you can master the skills necessary for a successful massage business in less than two years – sometimes even in just a few months.  If you are making a career transition, massage school is also a great choice because of the various schedules offered.  You can find a program that accommodates your busy life.
As they say, money makes the world go around.  It also plays an important part in choosing a career.  Again, massage therapy school just may be the answer.  Depending on the program you choose, tuition costs range from under $7,000 to $15,000.  Even better, massage therapists can make close to $30,000 a year doing just 15 hours of massage per week.  Full-time therapists often make well over $60,000 a year.
Let’s say time and money are no object and ask again:  Why choose to go to massage school?  The answer is a truly rewarding career.  Once thought of as a luxury for the rich and famous, more and more people are turning to massage therapy as a health-care option.  In short, massage therapists help people feel better – physically, mentally and emotionally.  Massage therapists learn about health and wellness, and use a range of techniques to improve the well-being of their clients.  What could be more satisfying than that?
Why not make the choice that offers benefits for yourself and countless people that will come to rely on you in the future – choose massage therapy as your educational path.

There are many different massage therapy career options. First, it is important to make sure that you have the right credentials and certifications to be a massage therapist as massage therapists are regulated in 33 of the U.S. states as well as in the District of Columbia.

After making sure that you have all of the necessary credentials, there are many different options for you to start your massage therapy career. Some massage therapists choose to specialize in a certain area such as working with a certain clientele (such as athletes, the elderly and pre and post pregnancy), using a specific technique, or a certain application of massage therapy (such as stress relief,  pain management, injury recovery, or relaxation, to name a few).

Massage therapy career options range from private practice, group practices, working in a doctor’s or chiropractor’s office, hospitals, nursing homes, working at a massage therapy clinic, or at a holistic health clinic. Other options are fitness or health clubs, hotels or resorts, spas, in a sports medicine facility, or with a sports team. Some massage therapists have portable equipment that they are able to take to private homes, businesses, or even places such as the mall.

For more information on massage therapy career options, go to the American Massage Therapy Association’s website and view their workplace options and career guidance pages. 

When making the decision to attend massage school you may be wondering, “Will I be a good Massage Therapist?”  The question is valid; certainly everyone who attends massage schools or programs has queried themselves on their ability to do well in their chosen profession.  The last thing anyone wants is to pay money and spend time learning a skill only to find they have no aptitude or desire to pursue a career in it.  So, how do you know you’d do well as a massage therapist BEFORE looking into massage schools?

The answer is to look into yourself first.  A good massage therapist has empathy and compassion as inherent personality traits.  If you like making someone feel better and are always looking for ways to help others, you can be sure that massage therapy will be a good career choice.  A fascination with the body and how it works is a good sign that you will enjoy massage therapy.  A desire to work on your own terms with the flexibility to have your own business either now or in the future is also a sign that you will do well in a Massage Therapy career. 

Massage schools will give you the training to become a skilled therapist and teach you the technical aspects of your craft.   Your own passion for giving, healing and personal touch will elevate you to the top of your field.