Therapeutic Massage For Multiple Sclerosis Patients In St. Paul Mn
Although there is still no known cure for Multiple Sclerosis, patients afflicted with this potentially disabling disease may find hope in studies that show how therapeutic massage, particularly reflexology massage therapy, can relieve many of its symptoms. Reflexology massage therapy is part of the repertoire of massage therapy modalities offered by professional massage therapists in reputable massage spas. It belongs to the line up which usually also includes deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy, Swedish massage therapy and pregnancy massage therapy. Residents of St. Paul MN and the rest of Ramsey County who have Multiple Sclerosis should avail of these services.
When a patient is afflicted with multiple sclerosis, the central nervous system is attacked by the body's immune system. This destroys the myelin which is the insulation of the brain and spinal cord. As a result, scars are formed on the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. These scars, plaques and lesions are called sclerosis.
The formation of sclerosis hinders the ability of the brain to communicate with the spinal cord. This results in various neurological symptoms which eventually lead to cognitive disability, physical disability and neuropsychiatric disorder. There symptoms may have a gradual onset, may progress with time or may come as sudden attacks with periods in between that are free of symptoms.
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include paresthesia, spasticity and urinary problems. Paresthesis is caused by peripheral nerve damage and is felt as tingling, tickling, itching, burning and other strange skin sensations. Spasticity involves spasms affecting the internal organs. Bladder spasticity in turn causes various urinary problems like hesitancy, urgency, frequency and incontinence.
There is no known cause and no known cure for of Multiple Sclerosis. Current medication and treatments are mostly palliative. Symptoms are eased, attacks are delayed and discomfort is managed. Most medicines produce unwanted side effects, though. Natural treatments are much more tolerated.
Reflexology massage therapy is one such natural treatment. In 2003, a study done by I. Siev-Ner, D. Gamus, L. Lerner-Geva, and A. Achiron, staff of the Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Complementary Medicine Clinic and the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Center; and the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, showed how reflexology benefited patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The study was published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
The study was participated in by 71 patients who were randomly assigned to a massage therapy group and a control group. Members of the massage therapy group were given weekly reflexology massage treatments of 45 minutes per session for 11 weeks. The massage focused on the reflexology points in the feet and hands that correspond to the condition and its symptoms. Members of the control group were given weekly non-specific relaxing touch therapy on the calves for 11 weeks, also with 45 minutes per session.
Results showed that the reflexology massage therapy group exhibited borderline improvement in muscle strength but significant improvements in paresthesia, urinary symptoms and spasticity. The significant improvement in paresthesia persisted even three months after the end of the massage treatments. The control group, however, did not show any significant improvement in any area.
You can provide significant relief for the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis even if you cannot completely cure it. Reflexology massage therapy can give much improvement to the quality of life experienced by patients. This in itself will already be a great help. A professional therapeutic massage spa with qualified massage therapists will be able to provide reflexology massage therapy services along with deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy, Swedish massage therapy and pregnancy massage therapy. Ask for it from your favored therapeutic massage spa in St. Paul MN.
When a patient is afflicted with multiple sclerosis, the central nervous system is attacked by the body's immune system. This destroys the myelin which is the insulation of the brain and spinal cord. As a result, scars are formed on the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. These scars, plaques and lesions are called sclerosis.
The formation of sclerosis hinders the ability of the brain to communicate with the spinal cord. This results in various neurological symptoms which eventually lead to cognitive disability, physical disability and neuropsychiatric disorder. There symptoms may have a gradual onset, may progress with time or may come as sudden attacks with periods in between that are free of symptoms.
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include paresthesia, spasticity and urinary problems. Paresthesis is caused by peripheral nerve damage and is felt as tingling, tickling, itching, burning and other strange skin sensations. Spasticity involves spasms affecting the internal organs. Bladder spasticity in turn causes various urinary problems like hesitancy, urgency, frequency and incontinence.
There is no known cause and no known cure for of Multiple Sclerosis. Current medication and treatments are mostly palliative. Symptoms are eased, attacks are delayed and discomfort is managed. Most medicines produce unwanted side effects, though. Natural treatments are much more tolerated.
Reflexology massage therapy is one such natural treatment. In 2003, a study done by I. Siev-Ner, D. Gamus, L. Lerner-Geva, and A. Achiron, staff of the Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Complementary Medicine Clinic and the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Center; and the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, showed how reflexology benefited patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The study was published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
The study was participated in by 71 patients who were randomly assigned to a massage therapy group and a control group. Members of the massage therapy group were given weekly reflexology massage treatments of 45 minutes per session for 11 weeks. The massage focused on the reflexology points in the feet and hands that correspond to the condition and its symptoms. Members of the control group were given weekly non-specific relaxing touch therapy on the calves for 11 weeks, also with 45 minutes per session.
Results showed that the reflexology massage therapy group exhibited borderline improvement in muscle strength but significant improvements in paresthesia, urinary symptoms and spasticity. The significant improvement in paresthesia persisted even three months after the end of the massage treatments. The control group, however, did not show any significant improvement in any area.
You can provide significant relief for the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis even if you cannot completely cure it. Reflexology massage therapy can give much improvement to the quality of life experienced by patients. This in itself will already be a great help. A professional therapeutic massage spa with qualified massage therapists will be able to provide reflexology massage therapy services along with deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy, Swedish massage therapy and pregnancy massage therapy. Ask for it from your favored therapeutic massage spa in St. Paul MN.
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