Upper shoulder pain and stiffness, how to relieve?

Question by .: Upper shoulder pain and stiffness, how to relieve?
I have really stiff shoulders, and ive tried everything to help them go away but they never do! I just have such horrible knots in there. I had a chiropractor tell me it feels like I literally have rocks in there Couldnt afford to see him anymore :/

Ive tried massages, hot baths (with epsom salt), all sorts of relaxation techniques and such.

Any ideas on what I can do?

Please dont tell me to see a doctor. I dont have insurance anymore.

Best answer:

Answer by Greg S
Hi,
I have had the condition you described on and off for the last 30yrs.
I have tried every remedy known to mankind to no avail. I saw a
segment on TV one day on how to relieve pain with rice (stay with
me now) They had a fancy version with fancy tassels and fabric.
All you need is a 5lb bag of cheap white rice (around -2). an
old t -shirt, and either a needle and thread, or a sewing machine,
I promise it is not hard-I am not a sewer, but if you can thread a
needle, you can do this;if not they sell them at stores for about
10 times the amt. Cut off the tshirt right below the sleeves evenly and sew that end of the tshirt shut (you don’t have to be fancy with
the stitch just make sure it’s tight) Then fill the open end with the
bag of rice, Sew the open end the same as the other end. Split
the bag of rice into two sections (use your hand, a ruler, whatever.
Now sew the bag right down the middle (should be about two 6in
wide sections when done. Put it into the microwave for about 5min.
or until the bag is hot to the touch but not steaming. While you are
waiting, take any type of arthritus strength med. Take the bag out
of the microwave, find a recliner or a high back chair and position
the bag where it hurts. If the pain is on both sides, Spend about
20min on each side. Do some arm rotations when done. You won’t
believe how easy this is to make-I have made them for my whole
family and they love them. For less then an hour of time and the
price of a bag of rice, you can be pain-free. At least until next time.
Good luck. Let me know if it works. Oh, you can also use this for
other parts of your body-I have Fybermyalgia and it has become
invaluable to me.
Bobbie

Add your own answer in the comments!

Deep breathing, soft music relieve stress better than an expensive massage, researchers say

Deep breathing, soft music relieve stress better than an expensive massage, researchers say
Simple techniques like deep breathing are just as effective at easing anxiety as a pricey massage, researchers found.

Read more on New York Daily News

Body Massage Therapy Can Relieve Post-Operative Pain in Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Trinity and Clearwater FL

Image taken on by .

Body massage therapy has been proven to have countless health benefits. It is said to help prevent and treat a host of illnesses and ease a variety of pains. A study has also proven the effectiveness of body massage therapy in easing post operative pain. This can be tested by post operative patients with the help of professional massage therapists from reputable massage spas in Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Trinity and Clearwater FL.

A study conducted in Indiana has shown that 20 minutes of hand massage and foot massage given one day after surgery has significantly lowered the patients’ perception of their own pain intensity and distress. The same massage also lowered the patients’ respiratory rates and heart rates.

The study entitled “Foot and Hand Massage as an Intervention for Postoperative Pain” was conducted by Hsiao-Lan Wang, R.N., and Juanita F. Keck, R.N.. They were both members of the staff of the Clarion Health Partners Methodist Hospital and Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis, Indiana. The paper documenting the study was first published on pages 59-65 of the June 2004 issue of Pain Management Nursing, Vol. 5, No. 2.

The study covered 18 participants, all of whom were aged 20 or older. They had all undergone head surgery, neck surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, urological surgery, gynecological surgery or plastic surgery. They agreed to participate in the study which was done the day after their surgery.

The participants all reported pain, especially from their surgical wound, a day after their surgery and had asked for medication to relieve the pain. After the medicine was given, the participants were asked to rate the percentage of pain relief from the medication. They were asked to measure it on a scale, with 0 percent meaning having no relief to 100 percent meaning complete relief.

One to four hours after the pain medication was given, the same patients were given body massage therapy. Before the massage session started, though, they were again asked to measure their own perceived pain intensity and perceived distress. They were asked to use a scale again, this time with 0 representing no pain and no distress, to 10 representing pain and distress that is as bad as they could imagine. Their blood pressure, respiratory rate and heart rate were also measured.

The same therapist administered a total of 20 minutes of hand massage and foot massage to each of the 18 participants. Each hand and each foot was given five minutes of kneading, friction and petrissage.

Immediately after the massage session, each participant was again asked to measure his or her own perceived pain intensity and perceived distress using the same scale as before. His or her blood pressure, respiratory rate and heart rate were again measured. Furthermore, each participant was asked to again rate the percentage of pain relief, this time from the massage session. The same pain relief scale was used, with 0 percent meaning having no relief to 100 percent meaning complete relief.

Findings showed that after the 20 minute massage, the patients’  perceived pain intensity and perceived distress were reduced, and their percentage of pain relief were increased. There was also a significant decrease in the respiratory rate and heart rate, although there was no decrease in blood pressure.

According to the researchers, “The findings from the study indicated that a 20-minute foot and hand massage significantly reduced both pain intensity and distress resulting from incisional pain on the first postoperative day. Foot and hand massage appears to be an effective, inexpensive, low-risk, flexible, easily applied strategy for postoperative pain management.”

Long after they have recovered from post operative pain, patients can still avail of various modalities of body massage therapy for continuous health conditioning. Some of these modalities are deep tissue massage therapy, Swedish massage therapy and sports massage therapy. Highly trained massage therapists from the best massage spas in Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Trinity and Clearwater FL can continue to assist the patients with their long term health concerns.

Asian Massage Techniques – 5 Great Ways To Relieve Stress

Image taken on by .

While Asia has long been regarded as the home for varied cultural and alternate healthcare practices that combine the elements of agony, ecstasy, higher knowledge and consciousness besides being enjoyable, stress-relieving and also strengthening – both physically and mentally, not many people know of the 5 basic Asian massage forms and their benefits. We cover some of these proven techniques and their advantages for the reader interested in balancing the energies of the body and mind through the best relaxation techniques man has ever know i.e. Asian Massage.

There are many different types of massages in the world, each with its own basic techniques and benefits for those who believe in taking up activities to nourish mind and body; among the most popular are Shiatsu, Acupressure, Amma (or anma), Ayurvedic and Champissage.

1. Shiatsu – originated from Japan and focuses on using the fingers and acupuncture points for rewarding the person undergoing the massage a uniquely Oriental healing touch by controlling and balancing the flow of life energy that passes through the body. It concentrates in bringing about self-healing for the body through redirecting its own energies by applying slow pressure and stimulating blood flow, which in turn, brings about a sense of relief and relaxation besides also facilitating the human body’s mechanism against disease of many kinds.
2. Acupressure – is a Chinese technique for bringing rest from pain for the human body and focuses on using the fingers to press focal points on the body so tension and stress built up in the body is released and good sleep is ensured after the session. It is also a method for treating anxiety.
3. Anma (or Anma) – is yet another Japanese healing technique, which means ‘massage’ in their language; it combines different limb movements to help a person experience peace and relief from pain and stress. It is based on the principles of a dance-like activity called Kata, which works to build up a tempo, pace and precision in the manner in which the masseuse decides different finger strokes, knee and elbow movements, stretching or manipulating the feet and hands and thus, requires the body to be agile and flexible. Anma does not call for taking off one’s clothes and can be practiced anywhere since no oils are used.
4. Ayurvedic – is an Indian form of body massage used to cleanse the body of toxins and is based on vigorous hand strokes to bring about a sense of peacefulness and restore balance in the body. It typically uses warm oil and concoctions of herbs to get the right results and sometimes the massage oil is poured into the ears, between the brows and other specific energy points, with a client’s permission.
5. Champissage- has its root in Ayuveda; it is a technique that mainly deals with treating the upper half of the body in the aim of promoting blood circulation in the scalp. It nourishes the hair roots essentially but the feel-good feeling persists as the masseur also massages the client’s face, neck, ears, neck and shoulders besides upper arms to get all the cricks out. It is believed to relieve headaches, eye-strain and energize a person.

Try one today – and feel lighter and more relaxed than ever before!

Hand Massage Therapy To Relieve Daily Stress

Image taken on by .

Why do we need to turn to a hand massage evry once in a while? Our hands are one of the most abused parts of our bodies when we work. Whether you’re a typist, a clerk, an assembly line worker, or an executive, it’s inevitable for your hands not to take a beating day in and day out at work. Even the simple task of driving puts a big strain on our hands.

There are some simple techniques that you can do to ease the tension building up in your hand muscles and tendons. Sure, you can stop for a moment and give yourself a hand massage, but since you’re working with one hand to relieve the stress on another, it’s not as effective as being hand-massaged by a professional.

A hand massage would only take a few minutes of your time and would mean a lot, especially when your work involves repeated hand movements. To give someone else a soothing hand massage, first use good quality oil or lotion.

Next, gently spread the oil or lotion on the other person’s hand with light strokes. On the backside of the hand, use your thumbs and start from the center. Use outward strokes and move the thumbs from the center, outwards. Next, massage the tendons on the backside of the hand by pushing up in the direction of the wrist. Follow this with a rubbing of the wrist grooves.

Each of the fingers are then given gentle squeezes and are vigorously rotated by their joints to loosen the stiffness residing in the tendons. This will also provide flexibility and ease any soreness.

The next part of the hand massage is pulling the fingers to release any tension building up in them. Often, a hand massage professional will even wait for the popping sounds which mean a release of gases that build up in the joints and make hand movements difficult.

You can do tiny circular motions on the palm of the hand and finish off by holding the person’s wrist with one hand while sliding your other hand up and down his forearm. Do this several times. For more info see http://www.knowbodymassage.com/Articles/Hand_Massage.php on Hand Massage.

A hand massage works three ways: First, it improves the circulation. By doing so, we can perform better with our hands, especially if our work entails meticulous hand movements such as playing the piano or painting.

Next, it enhances the flexibility of the wrist and the digits. A hand massage eliminates the stiffness in the fingers, and the gentle pulling of fingers helps make them more dexterous.