Some regular massage therapy is a good thing for most diabetics. Swedish strokes tend to help lower blood sugar, and structures suffering from loss of blood – from bones to the soft tissues, enjoy a boost of circulation. Most people think of diabetes as an imbalance of insulin hormones, but we massage therapists see … Continue reading The Diabetic Foot
It had been a particularly busy Saturday, with lots of clients coming in for massage therapy at my office. After work, tired though I was, honey and I went over to the local promenade for dinner and walked along the cement boardwalk for quite a ways looking at the crowds and shops. Usually we … Continue reading Taming the Tube
Folks who travel for vacations complain the most about the plane ride home – they are tired, often sunburned and a bit depressed that the dream vacation is over. Many clients book massages during their vacations, but forget about dealing with the stress and fatigue of the trip home. That’s why I have recommended people … Continue reading Frequent Fliers and Massage Therapy
A recent study showed hyper nerve endings under the skin of people with fibromyalgia – the first “objective” sign that people with fibro are not just whining about their pain. Well, we massage therapists are different from others in the treatment community who have doubted the clinical basis of fibromyalgia. The difference is fairly … Continue reading Wrapped Up in Fibromyalgia Massage
It being the crack of summer and my massage practice being filled to the seams, I decided to take 10 days off. Daring, I know, for anyone in private practice, but it was great. For 10 days, no massages, no excess use of my hands and now, heading back to the office for another full … Continue reading Look! No Hands!
Some things about being a massage therapist are all about the details – the atmosphere, noise level, lighting, and yes the table linens. Face cradle covers have always been problematic for massage therapists. The disposable covers are scratchy – and although no client has ever complained about them I have heard clients complain about … Continue reading Covering the Cradle
Dogs love me, and I love dogs. Cats love me, and I love them too. When this massage therapist does house calls, I suddenly find myself surrounded by four-legged fans. I didn’t mean to, but I have managed to train all of my house clients’ domesticated beasties to expect a mini-massage when I get … Continue reading Massage Me, Massage My Dog
One of my massage therapist friends had a good bit of extra time on her hands when she first started her practice, so she picked up a Spanish book and taught herself to speak it.My therapist friend has not used her knowledge of Spanish much in her day spa, but it has come in handy … Continue reading Adding New Skills
At a recent continuing education class, I spoke with a recent massage graduate struggling with starting her massage career. A few months have passed since graduation, and she has had trouble with deciding on a venue for massage. Should she work on her own? Work for a doctor? A spa? Join an established massage practice? … Continue reading Taking the Last Step off the Diving Board
Sometimes during a massage a client will ask me how I got into the business of doing massages. I don’t really like to take that question seriously. I have a serious answer, but I don’t like to share it. I’d rather say that it just happened that I noticed one day that I had … Continue reading Just Lucky, I Guess