Introduction to Massage Therapy
Annika Miller Lampropoulos
The Rexburg Free Clinic has appointments available for massage therapy on Mondays from 3:00-5:40 p.m. and Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. as of June 1st 2021.
The clinic’s massage therapy provider, Lulu, offers massage therapy for patients who are truly unhealthy. These appointments are not to be used for those looking for a ‘relaxation’ massage.
Lulu specializes in creating custom treatment plans for people suffering from chronic pain. She has also been working alongside fellow clinic provider Dr. Bradbury to create a specialized massage therapy treatment plan for patients being treated for various mental illnesses.
Chronic Pain Treatment
If you are someone who suffers from chronic pain, massage therapy may be a treatment option for you. When being treated during a physical ailment session, the goal is for you to experience an eventual physical change. Lulu holds consultations with new patients so she can fully customize each treatment plan.
Especially when dealing with deep-tissue issues, it is unlikely that there will be significant change after only one session. The Rexburg Free Clinic is able to offer patients (need-based) multiple session treatment plans with Lulu. This gives Lulu the time that she needs to properly assess and address long-term issues.
In more extreme cases, massage therapy treatment plans for chronic pain may include 80-minute sessions up to twice a week. More typically, a 40-60 minute massage once a week or as needed is enough. An acute pain issue, such as knots, can be treated in a brief 20-minute session.
Mental Health Treatment
Massage therapy has been shown to significantly reduce stress and anxiety in patients. “Psychology Today” has reported data that suggests massage therapy could be hugely beneficial to people suffering from a wide variety of mental illnesses including:
Anxiety
Depression
OCD
Anorexia
PTSD
Lulu is extremely understanding when it comes to the nerves and anxiety many of her mental health patients suffer from. For some, the vulnerability that comes with undressing even in a professional massage setting brings up past trauma and feelings of anxiousness. So, for that reason, Lulu performs massage therapy with patients fully dressed.
What else can you expect from a massage therapy appointment that is structured around caring for your mental health?
For starters, there are no elements of deep tissue massage involved in these appointments. Mental health sessions are approached with a focus on progressive relaxation and mindful meditation.
An audio is being played that guides the session. This gives patients a sense of control and comfort in being talked through what is happening. Lulu encourages them to voice to her what they are feeling throughout the session in terms of where they might be feeling themselves tense up.
These sessions are shorter than those for chronic pain. Typically they include around 40-minutes of purposeful compressions to increase blood flow to certain areas of the body. Research has shown that posture is directly related to mental health.
Bad posture causes your back muscles to work harder. This can result in physical stress that subsequently leads to mental stress. Lulu works with patients to target those areas where the body is very tense.
Whether you suffer from chronic pain, anxiety or stress, massage therapy may be a very beneficial treatment option. Consult your doctor or therapist to determine if they would recommend massage therapy for your individual circumstances.
Lulu welcomes any questions and can be contacted at: lourdes_tamez@yahoo.com
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Rexburg Free Clinic