Scar Tissue from Breast Augmentation can cause Capsular Contracture (update)
A month or so ago, I’d recently started working with a woman that was having encapsulation issues after a breast augmentation and lift surgery and want to update everyone on where we are now. We are continuing to work on the one remaining encapsulated breast in order to prevent her having a 4th surgery on that breast. With her doctors encouragement we did therapy on her 2 times a week for approximately 3-4 weeks. I say 3-4 weeks because the therapy has now stopped. We were successfully getting the breast to slowly drop. The thickness of the anchor cut scar tissue was thinning nicely with each successive appointment. Progress was slow but the patient would call me after appointments to let me know she was now wearing blouses that she’d not been able to wear since the surgery because of the breast being noticeably off balance with the encapsulation. Upon our last visit which was at the end of the week, the patient had noticed a painful nodule had popped up on the breast we were working on and pointed it out to me. Since it was not in the area that I needed to work in we continued to thin out the scar tissue under the breast. We were happy with the results of the breast thus far and now she would have her follow up appointment with the surgeon at the beginning of the week. Monday morning I received a call from the woman. She told me that over the weekend that the nodule was very tender so she’d gone in to see her surgeon. He gave her antibiotics for the breast but said since she has been such rare and difficult case; he wanted to take no chances and scheduled her for another surgery on her breast. As you can imagine this is not the way I was hoping the story would end. The patient was firm in letting me know that even with the outcome; she would not change a thing. She needed to have that peace of mind that she had done everything she could naturally, first! Surgical Alternative is not against surgery. Everything has its place. When natural routes have been responsibly explored and exhausted to that individual’s satisfaction and with a doctor’s guidance then there may come that time when it is necessary. We just want you to know there are many ailments we can help reverse and cure with our therapy techniques. These blogs are all about getting the word out that massage can help with the rehabilitation of lesser know ailments like jaw pain, cluster headaches, chest pain, abdominal pain, sacroiliac joint pain, sprained ankle, tendonitis and many more things.
Massage as Medicine
If any of you have read my blogs or know, you know that I prescribe to the thought of massage as alternative medicine. A lot of the time when you mention massage people assume relaxation but the truth is most perform more types of therapeutic massage. Many of the passionate one in our industry including myself have been trying to get better recognition for the many benefits that we provide our clients. The Wall Street Journal just released an article that is finally starting to shine light on the many benefits of massage. Massage therapy boosts immune functions, reduces stress and anxiety, improves asthma symptoms in children and as with our type of therapy increases grip strength in carpal tunnel patients while also being able to cure most non-surgically.
Most in our field got involved because they want to help others and believe that there are better methods of treatments than drugs, shots and surgery. My clients are walking testimonials for the benefits of massage. The bigger issues that we face is that most insurance companies only cover a portion of the cost or don’t cover it at all. It’s not a bad as you may think since massage isn’t like a doctors visit, most cost between $60-$100 an hour.
As the article reads, Don’t Call It Pampering: Massage Wants to be Medicine. I am appreciative of all our efforts that are made that bring to light, how we can help! Like other medical professionals, we have to take continuing education to maintain our licenses ensuring that we are constantly learning new methods to benefit our clients. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
To pay or not to co pay?
I recently had a phone call from a person whom had been referred to our office from his neighbor who comes here for maintenance therapy. She recently spent time explaining her journey of finding pain relief to him. He’d finally had enough pain that he was now thinking about what he considered to be the only next step, surgery. He‘d been told he would need surgery for his herniated discs and bulging discs in his lower back which were causing him a wicked sciatica pain. His neighbor had been down this similar path but thankfully someone steered her our way. I spent at least an hour on the phone listening to his health history and his treatment journey thus far. He asked lots of questions about our bodywork approach and what our therapy plan would entail for a person in his condition. Most clients feel a significant improvement after the first session, but being that he’d been in pain for over 10 years, I asked him to schedule 5 appointments spaced 7 to 14 days apart. I could hear his hesitation though the phone. He then said, maybe he should try physical therapy or his chiropractor again. His insurance would pay for that. He was only responsible for the co pay. In prior years these therapies which worked for him now seemed to give him less results. I could not understand how he was willing to go back to therapy that he says was no longer giving him relief. He would rather pay a co pay than give another approach a try, out of pocket. I felt like he was fitting to stay in the cycle he was stuck in because insurance would cover it.
Much of the work that I do is updating the public’s thinking about what structured massage therapy can address. I feel like most people are still running a DOS program when what “WE” do is actually equivalent to running Windows 7. We can successfully treat more conditions than the public knows a therapist to work on. The work we specialize in “Structural Energetic Therapy,” is a total body restructuring! It is not your mother’s massage therapy. Many can’t fathom that massage therapy could rehabilitate them. Structural imbalances are responsible for over 90% of our painful symptoms throughout the body, and can cause varying degrees of limitations and dysfunctions. We use specialized deep tissue massage protocols to release myofascial holding patterns, scar tissue and adhesions that maintain distortions causing pain and dysfunction! These techniques allow us to release the primary distortions/ imbalance, and sub-patterns, with the ultimate goal of restoring balance in the body long term.
We feel very fortunate and excited to do what we love to do, help others. We have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. The reason we started blogging was so that we could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. For more information or read other testimonials or blogs Check US OUT!
Surgical Alternative Opens A New Location
It is with great pride and pleasure that I am pleased to announce,” Surgical Alternative has a new office!!!.” We are still conveniently located on N. US HWY 41 in Lutz,FL. We now have 2 more therapists whose schedules you can also view online at our site. No more waiting your turn while a loved one is seen; you can now be seen simultaneously. With 3 therapists specializing in various types of therapy including SET BODY(integration of deep tissue massage and cranial structural therapy), Emotional Release, Mother Massage and much more. We have the staff to support your therapeutic needs and you’ll be on your way to feeling more like yourself in no time.
Our new therapist include a wealth of experience:
Pamela Mann’s ability to empathize and her calm energy allow her clients to receive the maximum results possible during each session. She is passionate about educating her clients and empowering them to take control of their own health and well-being. Pamela has a mindful, nurturing touch and a relaxed professional presence that allows her to work well with a variety of clients. “My passion is to provide a service that improves the quality of life for my clients. If they come to me in pain, the end-goal is to find a way to alleviate that pain and make them a happier and healthier person.”
Nyssa Hanger has been a licensed massage therapist since 2005 and has been specializing in Structural Energetic Therapy® since 2006. In 2009, she founded Upward Spiral Body Therapy and Education (www.upwarspiraltherapy.com), offering therapeutic bodywork and educational workshops designed to help others embody their potential. She has seen both in herself and her clients the holistic benefits of this rehabilitative therapy and desires to share this gift with many more
In my dream to bring you a well rounded approach to healing, Jacqueline Armand, a clinical social worker will also be joining our officelate fall. We look forward to having her join our team.
We look forward to giving you the care and attention that you have come to know, but adding that compassionate touch to make your experience here exceptional!
NEW HOURS OF OPERATION:
M-Thursday 8-6:30 Friday 8-4 Saturday 10-4
New services being offered such as Cranial decompression, Mother Massage® and lymph drainage. More information on our new services and more can be found at our site! Come meet the newest additions to our staff.
Office Address:
17886 N. US HWY 41
Lutz, FL 33549
Why live with back pain? Alternative therapy benefits
Weekend warriors and people living an active lifestyle that has recently been disrupted by pain as well as those of you that have jobs / hobbies that have you doing repetitive actions for extended periods of time fall in this category too. Why are you putting up with these pains? Now it’s affecting activities you love and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Does this sound like you? Adding regular bodywork as part of your health and fitness/ training regimen is preventative for injuries. Which by the way helps you stay on your game? SET bodywork is so much more than a deep tissue massage; this therapy incorporates cranial work, body logic, and deep tissue massage to focus on the source of where your symptoms are coming from. Let me help you get back to feeling like yourself and resume normal life activities.
Having been in this industry for 13 years, I have always believed the benefits of massage especially the more specialized work like I do, have been undervalued. So it was great to see an article on NPR discussing the benefits and the great results. They compared the effectiveness of treatments for lower back pain using three different groups, full body relaxation massage, deep tissue massage and medication and physical therapy. The study found good improvement with those who used either relaxation or deep tissue massage therapy over conventional types of treatment. You can check out the full article at http://www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137609072/got-low-back-pain-massage-therapy-may-rub-it-out?sc=emaf.
Although massage has been around for hundreds of years we are still discovering the power the body and mind having in the healing process. I have seen and lived this process with many of my clients, that is why I feel very fortunate and excited to do what I love to do, help others that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, degenerative disk disease, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. At www.surgicalalternative.com we can help!
Sciatica- A pain you don’t have to live with!
There are many times when I am crossing the parking lot of a store and I observe people walking with pain or discomfort. I see them walking with a limp, walking slowly holding a shopping cart and wincing because of the severe pain they are experiencing. I often think about speaking with them to let them know that there are options for them to get better. I want to give them my business card to let them know that I can help. A common pain that many people suffer from is sciatica or a pinched sciatic nerve. It usually starts in the back as a minor pain and will eventually move all the way down your leg as the pain progresses. This is one of those pains that can get worse as it starts to travel and make its way down your leg. The pain can be so intense that it can bring you to your knees. When the nerve becomes really irritated it will start to bother you while sitting or standing and can also be so intense that it keeps you up at night. Most times you can wiggle around until you find a position that isn’t as uncomfortable and the sciatica pain will ease. After a certain point, the pain you feel from the pinched sciatic nerve can seem like no position is a good position. I hear people chalk it up to getting older but I am here to tell you “don’t buy into that!” The structural work I do, which uses a combination of several techniques including deep tissue massage and cranial/structural therapy, addresses the tight muscles allowing the bones to release bringing the pelvis back into balance. You don’t have to manage that pain! We can get rid of it. My clients feel a SIGNIFICANT difference in just one session! It is best to follow thru and do more than 1 session; but imagine being able to finally sleep, walk, or sit without this pinch sciatic nerve pain running your life! I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disk disease,hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
A New lease on life-Pain Free
A client came in suffering from severe neck and shoulder pain. Their neck muscles were so seized or traumatized that they were causing a constant low grade headache. The muscles were so tight that they made her right shoulder draw tight to her body and drop lower than her left shoulder, which could also lead to painful conditions such as nerve entrapment. The client had been suffering and living with this from this condition for over 25 years. . Their loss of range of motion in their neck, led to losing their ability to drive or operate other motorized vehicles, making a difficult situation more unbearable. In our first session, I used a combination of many techniques including deep tissue massage to help release the strain on the muscles, it was painful but relieving. After only the first session there was an instant increase in their range of motion for her neck and surrounding tissues. The second session focused releasing the restriction around the neck and shoulder areas. We also explored what restrictions would cause the arm to hold so tightly to the body. In my 13 years using alternative therapy as complementary and alternative medicines, I have come to find that problems like these can be more mental or emotional than physical. I continue with the deep tissue massage techniques releasing the muscles that went into the ribs and around the rotator cuff. After only the second session the client had regained blood vessels and circulation in the wrist area of the right arm. Blood flow had returned to a bone in wrist that had recently been diagnosed as a dying bone!! The client had not mentioned this to me because they had thought there was nothing anyone could do about it outside of surgery. It has now been 2 ½ months and the veins in the right wrist are as beautiful as ever! Their neck is maintaining its gained range of motion even though we still have a ways to go. The best news to for me is they now drive themselves to their appointments! How Awesome! I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
Childs night time sleeping habits keeps parents at wits end
As a massage therapist in Tampa for over 13 years I have seen my share of interesting cases. For instance, a father came in for therapy and seemed more tired than usual. He told me how since birth, his child woke up on a nightly basis frantically screaming, until a parent came to comfort them back to sleep. Both he and his wife would take shifts of who would sleep and who would do the comforting. He also told me how this had severely limited their lives because the child was usually acting out what he had done earlier that day. Too much day time excitement and stimulation made the nights much worse. The father gave the example of taking their child to the beach or attending family/friend functions as not being an option for them. A very interesting detail about this was that the child was never aware that they were doing this. They only had the awareness of being tired every morning. I explained to the father how I thought the child could benefit from a cranial decompression and other cranial work that would release pressure on the cranium but also help bring it into balance. I asked the father to bring in the son to experience a cranial work session. Both parents agreed to bring the child in for therapy. The child enjoyed the therapy, was quite inquisitive, and fell asleep during the session. When the family came for the second appointment the parents gave feedback that 2 days before their 2nd appointment the child slept through the night for the first time! The parents had grown accustomed to taking shifts for the past 7 years anticipating his waking, but he never did wake up. By the 3rd appointment the parents were happy to report that the son had not woken up again since 2 days before his 2nd appointment. This nightly disturbance that had taken over their lives was no longer limiting and governing their lives! No longer waking up tired has allowed this child to become more emotionally balanced, more focused at school, and more themselves! The parents were surprised at all the changes are and were so grateful for how this has changed all their lives! There are many types of alternative medicines and therapy that can help change what people think they have to live with. Check into it and you may be surprised. I’d love to hear any stories you may have.
What we think we have to live with?
One thing that seems to come up quite frequently is what aches and pains clients think they have to live with. Some aches and pains diagnosed and some self diagnosed. It is not unusual for clients to report at their follow up appointments that they can’t believe how much better they feel. These clients have done everything their doctor/specialist/ PT told them to do and it helped but they are still with pain. I am talking about those everyday pains like a sore neck, sore back, headaches, chronic shoulder pain, hip pain, sports injuries, or muscle strain from car accidents and more. I remember a client saying over and over in his session how in disbelief he was that his shoulder muscle pain and numbness to both arms and hands he was experiencing was just about completely gone. He had been urged by his family to come and have a session. But he never thought that structural work would get him this kind of relief. Within a matter of just a few sessions this clients life went from eating ibuprofen daily, having daily numbness in the neck/ shoulders down to both arms/hands when driving, and chronic headaches to coming in for preventative work every other month or two.
