Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where Will My Massage or
Bodywork Session Take Place?
A: Your massage or bodywork session will take place in a
professional office in a warm, comfortable, quiet room. Soft music
will be played to help you relax. You will lie on a heated table
especially designed for your comfort.
Q:
Who Will
Perform the Massage or Bodywork?
A: Your session
will be conducted by a professional who has received proper training
- Deborah Shahadey, NCTMB. I have graduated from one of the
best massage schools in the country. I have 850 hours of
massage school training, taken many additional continuing education
trainings, and have worked at some of the best spas in the country.
I am committed to continuing my education in the massage field with
different techniques to better serve my clients' needs.
Indiana doesn't currently have state licensure. However, since
I practiced in Florida before moving here, I do have a Florida State
Massage Therapist License. Florida has very strict rules and
requirements governing massage. You must complete 500 hours of
massage school (I completed 850 hours!), take the National Exam, and
also complete 24 hours in continuing education every two years to
renew your license. This is to protect the consumer. I
am also nationally certified. For more information on national
certification, click
here.
Q:
What is
your cancellation/rescheduling policy?
A:
Please understand
that your time commitment begins at the moment you reserve a
massage. In order to
make it fair for everyone, please consider your schedule carefully
and don’t commit to a time that you feel may be questionable.
There are times when a cancellation/rescheduling is, of
course, necessary; but please give advanced notice whenever
possible. Missed or
cancelled appointments (medical emergencies excluded) without four
(4) hour notice will be charged a $ 25 cancellation fee. On
the other hand, if I do not cancel or reschedule your appointment
without a 4 hour notice (medical emergencies excluded), I will give
you a $ 25 gift certificate!
Q:
Must I Be
Completely Undressed?
A:
Most massage and bodywork techniques are traditionally performed
with the client unclothed; however, it is entirely up to you what
you want to wear. You should undress to your level of comfort .You
will be properly draped during the entire session. Only the
area being worked on will be exposed.
Q:
Will the
Practitioner Be Present When I Disrobe?
A: Never!
The practitioner will leave the room while you undress, relax onto
the table, and cover yourself with a clean sheet.
Q:
Will I Be
Covered During the Session?
A: You will be
properly draped at all times to keep you warm and comfortable. Only
the area being worked on will be exposed.
Q:
What
Parts of My Body Will Be Massaged?
A: You and the
practitioner will discuss the desired outcome of your session. This
will determine which parts of your body require massage. A typical
full body session will include work on your back, arms, legs, feet,
hands, head, neck, and shoulders. You will never be touched on or
near your genitals (male or female) or breasts (female).
Q:
Why do I need
to drink water after my massage?
A: It is
important to drink a lot of water after a massage. Massage helps to
push toxins out of your muscles and into your lymphatic system to be
removed as waste; drinking water after a massage aids in the
flushing of the lymph system and the removal of these toxins.
Remember it is essential to drink adequate amounts of water at all
times, not just after a massage.
Consider these other important water facts:
The human body is made up of about 66% of water.
75% of the human brain is water; 83% of the blood is composed of water; bones are made of 25% water; 70% of your skin is water and 70% of your lean muscle tissue is water.
Water plays many roles in the human body—it acts as a solvent, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, aids in temperature regulation, provides
lubrication and shock protection for joints, participates in chemical reactions, protects organs and tissues, and removes waste.The body’s thirst signal is an indication that it is already dehydrated.
Mild dehydration (<5% loss of body weight) can account for lack of energy, weakness, muscle soreness, rapid pulse and rough, dry skin. Water losses of 9-12% total body weight can be fatal.
With strenuous exercise the body can lose 2 quarts of water per hour. If fluids are not replaced, the body’s cells will lose water, which will lead to dehydration and overheating.
An average adult needs to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day. Coffee, soda pop and alcohol are dehydrators. For every glass of these beverages that you drink, you need to drink an extra glass of water to compensate.
You can survive a month without food, but only 5-7 days without water.
Are you drinking enough water?
Q:
What Will
the Massage or Bodywork Feel Like?
A: It depends on
the techniques used. Many massage therapists use a form of Swedish
massage, which is often a baseline for practitioners. In a general
Swedish massage, your session may start with broad, flowing strokes
that will help calm your nervous system and relax exterior muscle
tension. As your body becomes relaxed, pressure will gradually be
increased to relax specific areas and relieve areas of muscular
tension. A light oil or lotion is used to allow your muscles to be
massaged without causing excessive friction to the skin. The oil
also helps hydrate your skin. You should communicate immediately if
you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken.
Massage and bodywork are most effective when your body is not
resisting.
Q:
How Long
Will the Session Last?
A: The average
full-body massage or bodywork session lasts 60 minutes. A 30 minute
appointment only allows time for a partial massage session, such as
neck and shoulders, back or legs and feet. Many people prefer a 60,
90, or 120-minute session for optimal relaxation. Always allow
relaxation time prior to and after the session. Hot tubs, steam
baths and saunas can assist in the relaxation process.
Q:
What
Should I Do During the Massage or Bodywork Session?
A: Make yourself
comfortable. The practitioner will either gently move you or tell
you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your
arm). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax. Others
like to talk during their session. Feel free to ask the practitioner
questions about massage and bodywork in general or about the
particular technique you are receiving.
Q:
How Will
I Feel After the Massage or Bodywork Session?
A: This depends
on what type of massage you receive. Most of the time, you
will feel very relaxed and refreshed after your massage. When
you have a lot of muscle tightness and knots and receive a deep
tissue massage, you may feel a little sore (or even a lot sore) the
next day.
There are several theories, none of them with universal support,
about the exact physiological cause of this delayed onset muscle
soreness (DOMS). An old theory suggests that excess lactic acid in
the muscle is the cause of this soreness. However, studies conducted
by exercise physiologist, Dr. George A. Brooks, have concluded that
“lactic acid does not cause muscle soreness, fatigue or the “burn”
of intense exercise.” Nor does it cause post-massage soreness. While
excess lactic acid is typically present in sore muscles, it is not
the cause of the soreness itself.
More research must be conducted before the exact mechanisms
can be determined, but it is most commonly believed that
post-massage muscle soreness is due to tight muscles having been
stretched down correctly, and/or deep pressure having been applied
to an injured muscle to release spasm. All such procedures help
muscles to relax and heal. However, they can also cause muscle
soreness the next day. This delayed onset muscle soreness is not
unlike what a person experiences after intense exercise.
Any time muscle tenderness occurs, place one cup of Epsom
salts in hot bath water. Soak for 20 minutes and follow with a cool
shower. (This soak/bath is contraindicated for anyone with
cardiovascular problems or any other condition that might respond
negatively to forms of heat therapy.)
Q:
What Are
the Benefits of Massage and Bodywork?
A: Massage and
bodywork can help release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve
circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical
fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular
tissue, improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and
bodywork is also known to promote better sleep, improve
concentration, reduce anxiety and create an overall sense of
well-being. Click here for more details on the benefits of massage.
Q:
Are There
Any Medical Conditions That Would Make Massage or Bodywork
Inadvisable?
A: Yes. That's
why it's imperative that, before you begin your session, the
practitioner asks general health questions. It is very important
that you inform the practitioner of any health problems or
medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor's care, it is
strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for
massage or bodywork prior to any session. Your practitioner may
require a recommendation or approval from your doctor.
Q:
Will I be
completely covered during my massage or will I be nude ?
A: You will be
completely draped, with the exception of the part that is being
worked on. I use sheets and blankets for draping ALL clients.
I assure you that your complete privacy will be preserved at all
times. You will have the opportunity to undress to your comfort
level and get under the sheet while I am out of the room washing up
and preparing myself for our session.
For the nudist and 'free body' inquirers, there are no exceptions to this policy! There is only ONE form of bodywork that I know of where the draping requirement can be much looser (depending on the practitioner) and that is Esalen massage. Please visit the Esalen Massage & Bodywork Association website or the Esalen Institute website for more information on their services. ALL other forms of bodywork will either require you to be under a sheet, large towel or in some cases leave all of your clothes on (for instance with Thai Massage, Shiatsu, chair massage, etc.).
Q:
Is it safe for
anyone to get a massage?
A:
If you have certain health conditions, they could be aggravated by massage therapy, so always make sure to inform your massage therapist or bodyworker about what is going on with you and your body. This includes letting them know about any medications that you might be taking at the time. If either of you have your doubts, a quick call to your physician should clear things up. Most massage therapists even keep a pathology book (or several) in their office that they can refer to for situations just like this.
Remember, a massage therapist or bodyworker is considered a health care professional. There is no reason to keep any of your medical information from them and it is very important that you don't. Don't ever underestimate anything.
Q:
Why should I
get a massage?
A: Almost
everyone will enjoy the positive effects from receiving a massage.
The benefits are numerous for people of all ages and activity
levels. Therapeutic massage feels wonderful and is very healthful.
Click here for more details on the benefits of massage.
Q:
Is all massage
the same?
A: No. Therapists
use many different methods, and individual styles vary. Therapists
also have different levels of training and talent. Massage is a very
personal service and should be adjusted to suit each client's needs.
Click
here for more information on the types of massages I offer.
Q:
Will massage
cause any discomfort?
A: Massaging
healthy tissue feels very good. Some deep tissue massage to areas of
trauma or inflammation might be uncomfortable, but should never be
extremely painful. Trained therapists know how to minimize
discomfort while accomplishing the greatest amount of relief.
You should always give your therapist feedback on the pain level.
Q:
How does
massage lower blood pressure?
A: Continued high
levels of stress increase blood pressure, so by relieving this
stress, blood pressure too may be affected. There are physiological
and psychological responses to therapeutic massage that enhance our
abilities to adjust, cope and gain control over-stimuli that would
otherwise be overwhelming.
Q:
How does
massage affect the immune response?
A: The manual
aspect of therapeutic touch serves to push toxins and debris out of
muscle tissue and into the lymphatic system faster. The lymphatic
system works very hard to rid the body of toxins, infection and
debris such as dead cells.
Q:
Will there be
a (sexual) release?
A: NO!!. This is
therapeutic massage. The genital area is NEVER
addressed in any type of therapeutic bodywork.
Q:
How often
should I get a massage?
A: How you feel
and how much you can afford will decide this. Most of my regular
clients come in about every two weeks. Some more often, and some
less often. You will be the best judge of your own needs.
Q:
Do you have any
massage tips?
A: If
possible, rest or take a walk after a massage to allow some time to
adjust to your new relaxed state. I find this helps me get the most
out of a massage.
Here are some useful questions you may want to ask before going to a massage:
- Is this type of bodywork done fully clothed?
- How much does it cost?
- How long are appointments?
- Do you have a waiting room?
- Is this a non-sexual type of massage?
- Is this a gentle massage?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Do you use scented oil? What type of oil do you use? (Note: some massage such as Thai do NOT use oil.) Different types of oils can really affect a massage. If you have sensitivities to smells, be sure to ask for unscented oils or oils that agree with you. Some oils have herbs (lavender is very common for relaxation). Others are said to have healing properties such as Emu oil. Depending on what works on you, you may request specific types of oils or bring your own.
Here are some tips for during the massage:
- If the massage is too light or too hard, ask to have the pressure changed. Some massages are only light (Rosen, Feldenkrais, etc.) but asking is appropriate.
- If you are uncomfortable (need heat turned up, less blankets, light moved, music volume), ALWAYS say something.
- Tell the practitioner where you hurt. This way the massage can focus on where you need it most.
- Spending time during the massage being grateful can help one make huge changes.
- Often breathing deeply can help you get the most out of a massage. Breathe into every cell of your body.
- Combining either aromatherapy or flower essences can enable even more change if so desired.
Here are some tips for after the massage:
- Drink lots of water. This helps the body flush out toxins that you were able to release during the massage.
- Plan to take the first 20 minutes after a massage lightly. For example, go on a short walk or sit quietly. This allows the massage to settle into the body.
- After many massages, a nice warm bath, sauna, steam room or jacuzzi is very refreshing.
Q:
What is infant
massage?
A: Infant Massage
is a holistic and natural way to promote infant health, improve
parenting skills, deepen bonding, strengthen family bonds, and to
create a future generation that is more caring and compassionate.
Infant massage incorporates nurturing touch, massage, and
reflexology in a loving, fun, one-on-one interaction that is
nourishment for baby's healthy development of mind, body and
spirit. Vimala McClure, founder of the International Association of
Infant Massage, Tiffany Field, Ruth Rice, and Ashley Montagu have
contributed to the body of knowledge and growing interest in infant
massage and nurturing touch. Research shows that infants
benefit psychosocially, developmentally, and physiologically with
infant massage. Cultures practicing infant massage have adults
that are less aggressive and violent. Infant massage is easily
learned. Information for Premature Infant Massage Instruction
and Certification is available.
Q:
What causes
headaches?
A: Most headaches
are caused by trigger points in the neck and head.
I have had many clients tell me what causes their headaches:
sinuses, food, coffee, odors, hunger, lack of sleep - the list goes
on. But no one can tell me how these things cause headaches. That
is, what actually mediates the pain, or makes a link between the
causal factor and the pain itself. Obviously there is still much
information missing. But in most cases, the pain itself comes from
trigger points in the neck and head. And pain from trigger points in
the neck and head can be relieved by releasing those trigger points.
There are
three categories of headache people (oversimplifying):
* severe headache people
* ordinary headache people
* no headache people
No headache people may have very tight, even painful, muscles in their necks, but they seldom if ever get headaches.
Ordinary headache people are people who get a headache now and then -- perhaps once or twice a month -- which is seldom severe enough to interfere significantly with work or activities, and which usually responds to over-the-counter pain relievers.
Severe headache people suffer tremendously. Not only do they suffer from the pain of the headaches (which is often disabling), but they suffer from loss of work, loss of the pleasure of leisure activities, and sometimes the thinly-disguised impatience of others who don't understand what they're going through.
Medical authorities have studied and categorized severe headaches to a high degree. I am certainly not an expert on the medical classification of headaches and their symptoms, but I suggest that, in addition to whatever regimen a patient's physician may prescribe, massage therapy (particularly along the lines of neuromuscular, deep tissue or trigger point work, see example) is well worth a try. Soft-tissue pain can mimic the symptoms of many disorders, and can also contribute to pain from other causes. In addition, many people engage in self-diagnosis. The word "migraine" has come to mean "a really, really bad headache" to many people. My professional experience is that massage therapy can often relieve a wide variety of headaches -- even migraines, even when medically diagnosed as such. And it is relatively risk-free.
Before we can intelligently discuss headaches, it is imperative that we understand what type of headache we are addressing. There are three types of headaches. First, there are tension headaches, which account for over fifty percent of all primary health care providers' visits. Second, there are sinus headaches, which are attributed to allergies and the flu. Third, and the most serious of all headaches, migraine headaches.
There are as many reasons to experience tension headaches as there are personalities and lifestyles. Whether the cause is emotional or physical the result is the same - throbbing temples and mental discomfort. We are certainly not at our creative best when our head hurts. Massage addresses tension headaches by relaxing the neck and shoulders. As we relax, we soften our muscles and headaches disappear. These are the easiest headaches for us to address.
Sinus headaches are best addressed by face massage. As the sinus cavities become relaxed, the fluids that are trapped in these spaces release and begin to flow, allowing us to drain and cleanse the sinuses. This is a slow process and usually takes a few massage sessions. Between massages, you will find relief with a few minutes of self-massage done on a regular basis.
Migraine headaches can be caused by either impingement of the nerves in the neck or by chemical imbalances. Massage can address the impinged nerve problem by releasing the Levator Scapula Muscles. It is often necessary to address either the left or right Levator muscle for several hours to achieve complete relief. Be sure to ask your massage professional if they have had experience eliminating migraine headaches. You will probably need to shop around a bit to find a massage professional who is willing to work just one muscle for one two hours at a time.
Headaches cripple our ability to function optimally and are probably the most common form of what could be called discomfort. Now is a good time to allow a massage professional the opportunity to rid you of your headache discomfort naturally.
Q: How to I Recover from an Injury?
A:
Completing
In your life, you may know individuals who have been injured who have never completely recovered from their injury. They still walk with a limp, or their posture is distorted, or they may still have pain or stiffness. If you see them in an athletic setting, you may notice that they may not move as well as before or that they may be prone to re-injury.
What does it mean? To answer that question, we should take a look at what happens in an injury situation. Whether the injury occurred in a sports situation, in a vehicle accident, or on the operating table, similar things happen. Number one is tissue damage. Bones get broken, ligaments get sprained, tendons get strained, muscles get torn, skin gets cut, etc. The usual stuff of injuries.
Tissue damage
heals. So why do the effects linger?
Adhesions and Trauma Reflex.
Releasing the Cringing Response (Trauma Reflex) The cringing response cannot be released by tissue manipulation because it doesn’t originate in the tissue; it originates in the brain. The brain is largely an organ of learning or conditioning. Unlearning it can only end the cringing response. The idea of “unlearning” is an odd one. We are used to thinking of learning, of gaining new abilities. But consider this: every time you learn something, you unlearn something else; that is, you cease to do things the way you used to do them.
Since habitual cringing is a learned action, a learning-based approach is necessary for complete recovery from injury. The term for this type of bodily learning approach is “somatic education”. The word, “somatic” has to do with the experience of the body from within. That kind of experience is familiar to all of us-we have it when chewing, yawning, and in fact in any kind of action we control by feel. The word, “education” means “the development of greater competence or ability”. Somatic education increases one's control over one's own body. It is just that which is needed to release the cringing response.
For a more technical look at therapeutic methods of addressing the residual effects of injuries and a comparison to somatic education, read A Functional Look at Back Pain and Treatment Methods.
Q:
Why does your
hand go to sleep when you put your arm over your head?
A: If there is
any shortening or tightness in pectoralis minor, it can entrap the
brachial nerve when you put your arm over your head. This can cause
numbness in parts of your forearm, hand and fingers. Where the
numbness occurs depends on what part of the nerve is entrapped.
Pectoralis minor is fairly easy to treat in clinical massage
therapy.
Q:
What causes low
back pain?
A: As any
neurosurgeon, orthopedist or chiropractor will tell you, there can
be many, many sources of low back pain involving vertebrae,
intervertebral disks, and nerves. They will all point out some of
these problems on your x-rays, surgeons will be delighted to operate
on you for them, and chiropractors will be more than happy to
manipulate them for you. But there are two things that are seldom
acknowledged:
1) The anomolies of the spine seen on x-rays -- bulging disks, slipped disks, herniated disks, bone spurs, calcium deposits, subluxations -- may or may not be the cause of your pain. They are fairly common, even in people who have no pain at all. It is very tempting, when there is pain, to fix on some abnormality found in diagnostic images and assume that it is the cause of the pain. But in any given case, that may or may not be true.
2) Most low
back pain originates in the soft tissues.
In any case, whether one's back pain is muscular or vertebral in
origin, the basic rule remains: first do no harm. It only makes
sense to begin with the least risky, least invasive treatment
available, then escalate if necessary. And that treatment is medical
massage therapy. If it isn't effective, the other treatments are
still available. But if it is effective, a lot of time and pain and
risk and money have been saved.
Low back pain caused by soft-tissue problems is likely to originate in one (or more) of three different locations:
1) Quadratus lumborum and its neighbors. Quadratus lumborum is the muscle between the bottom rib and the top of the pelvis; it is a key muscle in coordinating upper and lower body movements. It is a deep muscle, and is situated underneath (deep to) the lumbar paraspinal muscles. If there are problems in quadratus lumborum, there are also likely to be problems in those thick muscles near the surface on either side of the spine. In addition, muscle problems are invariably accompanied by connective tissue problems. This area, unprotected as it is by any skeletal structures, is thick with connective tissue: the thoracolumbar fascia, the gluteal aponeurosis, and other tough connective tissue cover and surround these muscles.
2) The buttock muscles. These include the three gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus), and the deep lateral rotators of the hip, especially piriformis.
3) Iliopsoas. This is the primary hip flexor (its chief assistant being rectus femoris), running down through the abdominal cavity and the groin to the lesser trochanter. But its origins, meaning in this case its anchor points, are the inner surface of the ilium (iliacus muscle) and the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae -- which means that every lifting of the leg pulls on the pelvis and the lumbar spine.
Certainly other muscles can and do get into the low back pain act, but these three muscle groups, all very heavily involved in the day-to-day demands we make on our bodies, are the chief sources. Careful examination by a skilled and knowledgeable clinical massage therapist can find the trouble spots, and appropriate treatment can yield relief that many people had despaired of finding.
Q:
Why do women have
more hip problems than men do (Including Hip
Replacement Surgeries!)?
A: Little girls -
probably because it’s considered a "cute" posture - tend to stand
with their tummies out. They do that by tilting their pelvises
forward. Reinforced by admiring grownups, this posture tends to
stick, so that most girls and women have more forward pelvic tilt
that boys and men do - anywhere from 5º to 20º more. And things that
some women do, such as wearing high heels, tend to increase that
tilt.
SO WHAT’S THE
PROBLEM?
The problem is that, at that angle, the head of the femur
(thighbone) doesn’t sit properly in its socket, so, to begin with,
the muscles that stabilize the hip have to work overtime, resulting
in hip, buttock, low back, abdominal, pelvic, sciatic or other pain.
Secondly, this odd angle, with tightened hip muscles, is likely to
cause increased wear in the hip joint, leading to arthritic
conditions and possibly the need for hip replacement surgery. In
addition, that forward tilt is hardly an ideal angle for easy
childbirth.
SO WHAT’S THE
SOLUTION?
The solution is posture therapy. When the soft tissues — muscles and
fascia — that are holding the body in this unfriendly alignment are
released, the pelvis can move into a more natural and relaxed
position, allowing the hips to work as smoothly and easily as they
are meant to.
If you would put braces on your daughter’s teeth to give her a nice smile, what about posture therapy to give her a better looking, better functioning and longer-lasting body?
Q:
How does the
shoulder work?
A: It
seldom occurs to us, if we knew it at all, that the arm and shoulder
structure is attached to the rest of the body skeletally at only one
joint: the sternoclavicular joint, which is the joint of the
clavicle (collarbone) with the sternum (breastbone). That's those
two knobby protrusions on the upper chest just under the throat. The
only other connections of the arm and shoulder are by means of soft
tissue -- muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia. This design gives
us tremendous freedom and range of motion in our arms and shoulders,
but it also presents challenges and dangers for the soft tissues
involved.
The
shoulder muscles can be divided into two groups:
- Muscles
that act on the arm:
Rotator cuff:- Supraspinatus
- Infraspinatus
- Teres minor
- Subscapularis
Pectoralis major
Latissimus dorsi
Teres major
Deltoids - Muscles
that act on the scapula (shoulderblade):
Trapezius | Trapezius upper back & shoulder pain | Muscles of the posterior neck
Trapezius neck pain referral zones
Pectoralis minor
Corachobrachialis
Biceps brachii
Triceps brachii
Major and minor rhomboids
Levator scapulae: Pain Referral & Therapy | Illustration of Internal Anatomy
The one muscle left over is the subclavius, which stabilizes the sternoclavicular joint. There are many other muscles which are in the region of the shoulder and which affect it, of course, but they are not, strictly speaking, shoulder muscles: serratus posterior superior, scalenes, serratus anterior, iliocostalis thoracis, etc.
Q:
What muscles can
cause pelvic or lower abdominal pain?
A:
- Rectus abdominis: this is the straight muscle that goes down the middle of the abdomen from the ribs and breastbone to the pubic bone. It can refer pain to the sides or middle of the lower abdomen, and within the abdomen itself.
- Obliquus externus abdominis: this muscle runs diagonally across the abdomen from the ribs down to the pubic region. It can refer pain to the side of the lower abdomen, down across the groin to the genital region, and even into the inner upper thigh. The pain may be deep, and may seem to come from the pelvic organs.
- Obliquus internus abdominis: a fan-shaped muscle underneath the externus muscle above, it has a similar pain referral zone.
- Quadratus lumborum: this is a muscle of the lower back, between the last rib and the crest of the pelvis. It can refer pain into the side of the lower abdomen and the groin.
- Pyramidalis: this is a small muscle in the center of the lower abdomen attaching to the pubic bone. It refers pain to that region.
- Iliopsoas: this is the hip flexor, attaching to the vertebrae in the lower back and the inner surface of the pelvis, then passing through the groin to the inner upper thigh. It can refer pain into the side of the lower abdomen and the groin.
- Coccygeus and levator ani - the muscles of the pelvic floor, of which these are two, form a kind of sling or hammock supporting the pelvic organs, anchored to the sacrum and coccyx (tailbone) in the rear, the ischial tuberosities (sitbones) on the sides, and the pubic bone in the front. The pelvic diaphragm, as it is called, has openings to admit the anus, the vagina and the urethra. These muscles also serve as sphincters (Greek for "band" or "lace", sphincters are muscles that control openings) for the anus, the vagina and the urethra. Trigger points in these muscles can cause pain over any or all parts of the pelvic floor region, as well as in and around the anus and around the coccyx. A skilled and knowledgeable massage therapist will be able to discuss the problem with you and suggest options for treatment.
- Obturator internus - this is one of the deep lateral rotators of the hip, and as such it is discussed elsewhere. But because it originates at the obturator foramen (that's that prominent hole in the pelvis just above the sitbone) and passes through the lesser sciatic foramen (an opening that lets the sciatic nerve through to the leg), this inner part of it can get very involved in pain problems in the pelvic floor region. The same note applies to this part of this muscle as to the coccygeus and levator ani, although this muscle is somewhat easier to treat.
- Adductor magnus - this is an adductor ("puller-toward") of the hip joint, which means it pulls the leg toward the center line. It attaches below along the inner part of the thigh-bone, and above to the pubic arch, which is an arch of bone going from the pubic bone above and in front to the sitbone (ischial tuberosity) below and behind. Trigger points in this muscle can refer pain into the groin and throughout the pelvic organs.
- Piriformis - this is the prime lateral rotator of the hip. "Piriformis syndrome" can cause pain in the low back, groin, perineum, buttock, hip and other areas, and can also cause dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and pain in the rectum during defecation. Piriformis problems are very diverse and very common, and fortunately respond very well to treatment in massage therapy.
- Iliocostalis thoracis - this is one of the erector spinae ("straightener of the spine") muscles, which are the superficial, or surface, paraspinal ("next to the spine") muscles. It attaches to the seventh cervical (neck) vertebra, and to the upper and lower six ribs. Besides referring pain up and down the back, it can cause pain in the side of the abdomen midway between the ribs and the pelvis that feels like internal abdominal pain.
- Multifidi - these are among the deep paraspinal muscles. They attach to the bony protrusions in the middle of the vertebrae and then diagonally cross two to four vertebrae to attach to the protrusions on the sides of lower vertebrae. They help to rotate the spine (although that job is done mainly by the abdominal muscles). In addition to areas of the back, those along the lower part of the spine can refer pain to the upper abdomen near the ribs and the lower abdomen near the groin. The multifidi are found the whole length of the spine; to see them in the neck area, go to Muscles of the Posterior Neck (below).
Q: What are the
muscles of the Posterior Neck?
A:
Q: What are the
pain referral zones of the Posterior Neck Muscles?
A:
Note: The red highlighted areas are
the areas where pain will occur from the
posterior neck muscles being tight. This pain can be lessened
and/or eliminated
by massaging these muscles.
Q: [FAQ Question]
A: [FAQ Answer]