When I say “massage,” what image comes to your mind? Let me guess: you’re thinking a spa, soft music, and a soothing, relaxing treat that most of us don’t get to enjoy often enough (or ever). I used to think that way, too. As a migraine sufferer, I began massage as a course of treatment; specifically, Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy (INT). We’re very fortunate in that the developer of this method of massage lives in our area. In fact, he has been treating my daughter since she was 4 years old. Yes, I said he’s been treating my daughter.
Among the many benefits of this form of treatment are elimination of muscle spasms, restoration of flexibility, increased muscle strength and endurance, pain reduction, and stabilization of joints. This isn’t chiropractic care; it’s a manipulation of the soft tissues surrounding the bones and joints, so it’s gentler than traditional chiropractic treatment (no cracking sounds that typically accompany adjustments). When we first brought Zoe in to see Paul, he completed an evaluation and determined that she had two major issues: the irregular placement of the top two vertebrae of her spine, and a cranial ridge that ran from her forehead to her crown. Based on Zoe’s birth history, Paul concluded that the initial trauma was caused by Zoe’s rapid (and traumatic) delivery necessary to save her life.
We began taking Zoe for regular treatment back in 2001, and she continues to receive treatment to this day. Initially she needed to see the therapist quite frequently; as her body began to stabilize (and the adjustments Paul made took hold) we reduced the frequency of her treatments. Now she gets a massage every 3-4 months. Back when Zoe started seeing Paul, she couldn’t speak. It wasn’t until she was able to communicate that Zoe told us about the headaches and muscle pains that had previously plagued her. Now that she’s older, Zoe can speak for herself and let us know when it’s time to take her for a massage.
The benefits of massage are many, and I think it can be an effective tool in treating those with neuromuscular and sensory issues. For more information about the benefits of massage, visit www.massagetherapy.com/learnmore/benefits.php or http://stjohn-clarkptc.com.
I’ve been meaning to look into this for Parker. Thanks for the info and resources!
This sounds fascinating. Is it related to craniosacral therapy? We have someone around here who does that, although I am not very familiar with the specifics of how it works.
Glad to be of help–there are several really good resources that talk about the benefits of massage.
This therapy is actually not related to craniosacral therapy. If you’d like I can ask Paul if there are therapists trained in INT in your area. He has taught this form of massage throughout the US and abroad.