| If you've been checking out massage lately you | | | | fairly long period of time, until they determine |
| may have come across the term "neuromuscular | | | | through their own touch and feedback from the |
| massage" or "neuromuscular therapy". You may | | | | client that the spasm has released. While they are |
| be wondering what they are. Are they different? | | | | putting pressure on the area no blood can get |
| Are they types of massage? What are they | | | | through anyway, but when they release the |
| good for, anyway? | | | | pressure the blood will flow back in, providing the |
| The terms "neuromuscular massage" and | | | | area with needed oxygen and helping it heal. |
| "neuromuscular therapy" (also called NMT) tend to | | | | Sometimes the effects are immediate and the |
| be used interchangeably. They refer to a style of | | | | client feels the pain resolve right away; at other |
| bodywork that uses constant, focused pressure | | | | times it may take up to a day or two for the |
| on a specific area. This pressure is applied for a | | | | residual soreness to subside. |
| period of time lasting up to 30 seconds and uses | | | | Obviously this can be a very intense technique; it |
| the fingertips, knuckles, elbow, or possibly a small | | | | is meant to be used for serious pain. If a client |
| tool called a t-bar. NMT is based on the following | | | | has a lot of trigger points it can take more than |
| premise: Muscle spasm does not have to involve | | | | one session to treat them all. Even without the |
| the entire muscle. There can be small areas of | | | | actual trigger point work itself, it can take time to |
| spasm that refer, or transfer, pain to another | | | | locate the source of the pain (remember, the |
| area. These areas are called trigger points | | | | trigger points are located somewhere other than |
| because they trigger a pain reaction in a different | | | | where the pain is felt). Also, the practitioner will |
| spot from where the spasm is located. | | | | probably use lighter work like Swedish massage |
| When a muscle (or part of a muscle) spasms, the | | | | to "warm up" the tissue before the trigger point |
| flow of blood to that area is cut off or severely | | | | work and to promote general relaxation |
| decreased. Blood carries oxygen, so when blood | | | | afterward. |
| can't flow to an area, oxygen can't get there | | | | NMT can be used for the following conditions, as |
| either. This lack of oxygen results in a buildup of | | | | well as many others: - low back pain and stiffness |
| lactic acid (the same chemical that causes the | | | | - neck pain and stiffness - headaches - repetitive |
| "burn" that people who work out sometimes feel), | | | | motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and |
| which itself causes muscles soreness. The trouble | | | | temporomandibular joint syndrome - athletic |
| is, soreness and pain can cause even more spasm | | | | injuries - problems with numbness and tingling in |
| and therefore less blood flow, less oxygenation | | | | the extremities (arms, legs, hands, or feet) |
| and even more lactic acid buildup. It can turn into | | | | Of course the primary effect of NMT - and the |
| a vicious cycle which is very hard to break. | | | | desired one - is pain relief. But other effects |
| Also, spasm can put pressure on nerves running | | | | include improved flexibility and range of motion, |
| through the area, which can cause symptoms of | | | | better posture, more balanced muscle tone and |
| nervous involvement, like numbness or tingling, as | | | | increased energy. |
| well as pain. And because nerves transmit | | | | So if you have problems with chronic pain or |
| impulses along their entire route, these symptoms | | | | other symptoms that might be coming from |
| can be felt fairly far away from the source of | | | | muscle spasm, but other forms of massage have |
| the trouble. | | | | not helped much, you might want to consider |
| What the NMT practitioner does is apply | | | | neuromuscular therapy. Its intensity can be worth |
| continuous pressure to the trigger point for a | | | | it. |