Massage Professionals Article Archive

Cape Gazette Covering Delaware's Cape Region |Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Massage therapy serves as treatment for pain

By Karl Chalabala

Mary VonGoerres suffers from thoracic outlet syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia and temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome.  A petite woman, she worked for 21 years as a bank teller, and the repetitive stress from moving heavy boxes of change set off the host of maladies.

Her treatments involved nerve-removal surgery, steroid injections and pain management with muscle relaxers and opiates.  However, no surgery could correct her problems, steroid injections became counterproductive and pain management medicines could become addictive.  So twice a week she turns to the hands of Meghan Jefferson to treat her ailments.

When she does the massage, VonGoerres said, it brings more blood flow to the muscles that are in pain.  It hydrates the muscles and releases the spasms.  I always feel more calm and peaceful afterwards. I missed an appointment one week and noticed a serious difference in the pain.

Jefferson, a Cape Henlopen High School graduate, decided a career in massage was what she wanted to do with herself.  However, she took a different path than offered in a traditional massage program.

Im more interested in disorders and pathologies, she said.  I like seeing clients who have diseases.  When Jefferson was in ninth grade, a scoliosis diagnosis led her to massage as a treatment.  She studied for 15 months at the Pennsylvania School of Massage Therapy in Oakes, Pa.  She said the school offered her a certification and in-depth courses in therapeutic medical massage that local and regional massage schools do not offer.  She graduated and now is nationally certified for therapeutic massage by the American Massage Therapy Association.

A job hunt led her to Matt Carter at Quest Fitness, where she joined a team of other massage therapists.  She said people do not have to be a member to schedule an appointment with her there.  While she takes clients looking for relief from a rough workout or a stressful day, she wants people who suffer from neuromuscular ailments, such as VonGoerres does, to know there is a less intensive treatment for them. VonGoerres said she had referred other people to Jefferson who she knew had problems.

In addition, Jefferson also will come to an office or other similar environment and offer 10 to 15 minute massages to relieve stress.

Working in the offices, she said, youre sitting there in front of a computer with bad posture.  A short massage can make the day go by better.  It also improves morale within the office.  Jefferson can be reached at Quest Fitness at 644-7020 or at 344-9303.

Health Night Helps Out
By Paul Swiech

BLOOMINGTON

Lynn Warner's health insurer doesn't cover preventive medicine.

That's one reason Warner was lying down getting a free back massage Tuesday evening. She also had free cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density and glaucoma screenings.

"I like to come here, and my doctor accepts the results from the screenings," said Warner, of Bloomington.

"Here" was Central Catholic High School for the sixth annual Women's Health Night, sponsored by Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation.

Warner, a registered dietitian, knows the importance of preventive medicine. That's why she takes step aerobics, uses a treadmill and lifts weights at the YMCA -- and why she was at the health night.

She told Dave Dietsch, massage therapist with Fox & Hounds Hair Studio & Day Spa, to "give me the works." He responded with a combination Swedish and trigger point massage.

"Oh, I love massage," she said afterward. "I get one once a month. It's good for the circulation."

Warner was among about 1,200 people who attended the event and Fox & Hounds was among 62 vendors with booths. Among them were chiropractors who provided free posture analysis, and BroMenn Regional and OSF St. Joseph medical centers who provided free blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

Jane Delforge of Bloomington, who has been to all six health nights, took advantage of the screenings and listened to Dr. Scott Morgan discuss female urology. Other speakers were Dr. David Koh on sleep and Dr. Jeffrey Poulter on cosmetic and laser surgery.

Carol Smith of Bloomington said she has back problems because she's gained weight. But she plans to start water aerobics and was at the health night to get information on care of the back.

"It's interesting learning new things and getting information and advice," she said.

One new thing was facial microdermabrasion performed by aesthetician Amber Hinthorne with Doran Capodice & Efaw Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons. She passed a wand over the face of Joann Barnes of Normal as baking soda crystals were released to remove the top layer of skin.

"It grows back tighter, healthier and more refined ... and is a good treatment for fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and acne scarring," Dr. David Efaw said.

"I have problem skin and I thought it would help. It felt like a cat's tongue," Barnes said of the procedure.

"The purpose of this night is to acquaint women with issues they have concerns about," said event chairperson Karen De Angelis.

Keeran Spirit of Success Award

The event also saw the presentation of the third annual Gale Keeran Spirit of Success Award. Keeran, a community leader who was instrumental in starting the women's health night, died in November 2001.

The award went to Tina Sipula, founder of Clare House, the Bloomington food pantry that distributes food to the poor twice a week and also operates the Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

"I'm extremely honored because Gale was a person with such compassion for our community," Sipula said.

http://www.pantagraph.com/

 Cancer Patients Likelier to Use Alternative Medicine
- Study finds they spend $500 a year on nontraditional treatments

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDayNews) -- Cancer patients are twice as likely to turn to acupuncture and herbal therapy as people suffering from other diseases are, claims a new study of alternative medicine use.

In fact, alternative medicine accounted for an average of $500 worth of therapy a year among cancer patients in Washington state, which requires insurers to pay for nontraditional treatments.

"A substantial number of people in our region are using naturopathic medicine," says study co-author Dr. William Lafferty, an associate professor of public health at the University of Washington. "This may deserve some additional investigation to see exactly what people are getting from those forms of treatment that they aren't getting elsewhere."

While patients and conventional doctors appear to accept alternative medicine more than ever before, they aren't approved by all insurance companies, making it difficult for researchers to study them. In Washington state, however, a 1995 law requires insurers to cover visits to licensed alternative medicine providers, such as massage therapists, acupuncturists, and naturopathic doctors, Lafferty says. Chiropractors were covered under previous laws.

In the new study, Lafferty and colleagues analyzed the medical claims of 357,709 Washington patients. The findings appear in the April 1 issue ofCancer.

The researchers found cancer patients were twice as likely to turn to naturopathy -- herbal medicine -- and acupuncture. Patients treated with chemotherapy, those with blood or bone cancer, and those with spreading cancer were most likely to turn to naturopaths and acupuncturists, as were women as a whole.

The sicker patients may have been trying "to get help with the toxicity of cancer itself as well as from conventional treatments," Lafferty says.

On average, alternative medicine accounted for 2 percent -- or $500 -- of the average $25,000 annual medical costs per cancer patient. Cancer patients were less likely than other patients to go to chiropractors and about as likely to turn to massage therapy.

Lafferty says the fact that 12 percent of female chemotherapy patients saw a naturopathic physician highlights the importance of full communication between health providers.

"If you're going to get naturopathic care, you should tell your [conventional] care providers that you're doing that," he says. "The same would be true for other forms of care like chiropractic and acupuncture. The more you share with all your health-care providers, the better service and outcome you're going to get."

Some insurance companies try to guarantee that communication takes place. At the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan in the Mid-Atlantic states, for example, conventional physicians work directly with alternative therapists, says Dr. Lydia S. Segal, service chief for integrative medicine.

Among other things, the alternative practitioners recommend meditation, guided imagery, acupuncture, acupressure, and massage, she says. Also, "we judiciously, cautiously review the diets [of cancer patients] and recommend supplements and herbs on a case-by-case basis," she says. "But we do not recommend using alternatives in place of traditional cancer therapy."

More information

To learn more about alternative medicine, try theNational Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. For more on cancer treatments, visit theAmerican Cancer Society.

- SOURCES: William Lafferty, M.D., associate professor, public health, University of Washington, Seattle; Lydia S. Segal, M.D., M.P.H., service chief, Kaiser Permanente Health Plan, Mid-Atlantic region, Falls Church, Va.; Feb. 23, 2004,Canceronline

The News-Herald 2004 http://www.4woman.org/news/

 Students dealing with backpack backlash
By: Jackie Tilton

Staff Writer
02/22/2004

Chiropractors crack down on the injuries caused by children's overloaded book bags

Backpacks have evolved into more than a sporty way to tote texts to and from school.

They are now an essential accessory for nearly every student.

But several studies are pointing to backpacks as a major contributor to injuries among youth in America.

An estimated 40 million teenagers carry a backpack to school each day, as do countless young children who march into school hauling loads that look almost as big as they are.

"Today's heavy loads are causing injuries that last a lifetime," the Congress of State Chiropractic Associations warns on its Web site.

While carrying a backpack to school every morning may seem harmless enough, medical professionals argue there is proof it can cause painful back and neck problems and injuries for students who don't pack or carry their backpacks properly. It can also lead to long-term medical problems.

More and more doctors are seeing children for back pain and injuries, according to the Congress of State Chiropractic Associations.

Medical professionals advise individuals carry no more than 10 to 15 percent of their body weight on their backs. A child weighing 50 pounds, for example, should carry no more than 7.5 pounds on his or her back.

But studies have found many children carry up to 40 pounds on their backs, which could be causing long-term spinal problems.

Painesville resident Katie Major has brought her children, 7-year-old Avery and 6-year-old Zach, for regular spinal adjustments since they were babies.

Avery was first brought to Dr. Brian J. Morris at Painesville Family Chiropractic for pain in her middle back and neck, but continues visits as a preventative measure.

Now quite familiar with the routine, Avery hops atop the rocking horse massage bench as Morris uses an activator on her neck. The device, equipped with a spring, is often used on smaller patients' necks to realign their vertebrae.

Major worries her tiny, 50-pound daughter toting a heavy blue quilted backpack for at least an hour each day will create long-term back problems.

Although Major tries to ensure her daughter gets on the bus for St. Mary School in Painesville with her backpack properly strapped over both shoulders, Avery still complains of back pain.

"When she gets off the bus, she hands (the backpack) to me right away and says it's too heavy," Major said.

With increasing demands put on students to achieve, so do the amounts of books they must take home.

"Our teachers put lots of books in there for us to study," Avery said.

Her bag also is often filled with gym clothes and shoes, adding even more weight.

Morris usually has young patients bring in their backpacks and weighs the bags to see how much the children typically lug around.

During Avery's last visit, she complained of lower back pain after falling on the stairs at her house. But after a visit with Morris, she was almost feeling like new again.

"When I get home from here, it feels better," Avery said.

Her usual catch phrase after an adjustment is, "The power's on."

Chiropractor Dr. Thomas Campana of Eastlake notes children already are susceptible to vertebral subluxation, or spinal misalignment, even before they strap on their first backpack. He said spinal trauma is common from the delivery infants endure and from tumbles they take while learning to crawl, walk and ride a bike.

With each fall, scar tissue forms, taking more of a toll on a child's developing body.

"They have enough accidents that they don't need to hurt their developing spine on purpose by carrying overloaded backpacks incorrectly," Campana said. "Each injury becomes a cumulative trauma."

Even a properly carried backpack is not ideal, he said. Backpacks pull the arms back and flatten out the middle back, changing the curve in the upper and lower spine.

About 30 percent of the patients Morris treats are younger than age 18, and he has seen a rise in the number of younger children as patients during the last five years.

Morris said many people don't realize spinal misalignment can be a factor in several other problems, such as sinus infections or asthma, which is why keeping a child's back in good form is important for more than just posture.

A 1999 American Academy of Orthopedics survey of more than 100 physicians found that 71 percent felt backpacks are a clinical problem for children, and 58 percent stated they have seen patients complaining of back or shoulder pain related to backpacks.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning in 1997 concerning injuries related to backpacks.

However, the study also suggests spinal misalignment from carrying the excess weight is responsible for a minority of the injuries.

There were 7,277 emergency room visits from injuries related to book bags since 1996.

The CPSC data revealed the most common injuries involving backpacks are from tripping over them or being hit with them.

Of all reported backpack injuries to children, 13 percent were associated with wearing a backpack.

Although many children begin carrying backpacks when they enter kindergarten, Morris said severe spinal injuries often go unnoticed until children are older.

Chiropractors believe older students (12 to 18 years) magnify the back injury problem by carrying their backpacks with one strap over one shoulder, directing the weight to one side of the body.

There is evidence that this encourages scoliosis and other permanent physical problems.

The Association of Backpack Use and Back Pain in Adolescents found the prevalence of nonspecific back pain increases dramatically during adolescence, from less than 10 percent in pre-teenage years to up to 50 percent in 15- to 16-year-olds.

One alternative is a roller bag that can be pulled on wheels with a handle. However, many schools, such as St. Mary's, have banned roller bags because of space constraints or damage they cause to floors.

Morris said he has also encouraged schools to have teachers coordinate assignments so students are not required to take as many textbooks home at once.

The concern about damage caused by backpacks also hits home with school nurses.

Brenda Swanson, West Geauga School District's nurse for elementary students, said although she does not see many acute cases of back problems due to backpacks, she often fields complaints from parents who feel children are being asked to carry too many books to and from school.

"They're chronically complaining to their parents that their shoulders hurt or their back hurts," Swanson said. "I do agree they're carrying too much weight on them."

Although West Geauga allows students to use backpacks on rollers, Swanson said other children often trip over the bags and children still often have to lift the roller bags onto the bus, up school steps or out of the snow.