FAQs

Originally based on the work of Wilhelm Reich, this style of bodywork was developed at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy over 20 years ago. To assist in the release of emotional issues trapped in the body, long fluid strokes are used to move energy from the head down and out through the hands and feet. This is combined with the use of deep breath-work to aid the process.

The treatment of Chronic Pain has historically been difficult using the traditional western medical model. Drugs & surgery may be effective with managing some conditions, but with many complex lifestyle pain syndromes, such as back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines etc. the elimination or long term management has been elusive.

ETPS is a new FDA approved therapy that combines the principles of acupuncture & neurology with micro current stimulation. Around the world, ETPS is successfully helping many patients control their pain levels and resume normal functioning in their lives again!

How Does it Work?

ETPS applies concentrated DC micro-stimulation to produce an “acupuncture” response that “releases” muscle tissue that impinges nerves & causes joint articulations (pain). This action permits increased reinnervation of affected neural pathways, allowing patient pain levels to be substantially decreased, often instantaneously. This multi-pronged approach to the body’s nervous and musculoskeletal system is the reason why ETPS works so well on pain.

All pain & joint dysfunctions (arthritis) of the limbs must have some source in the nerve root. Therefore, releasing the paraspinal (erector spinae) muscles at the nerve root(s) that innervate the pain site will have significant and long term benefits to the pain patient. ETPS Therapy can play a significant role in any clinical or pain setting by permitting the attending therapist to quickly isolate and treat the root causes of pain.

WHAT IT DOES

The goal of structural integration is to create a “better-functioning” body and mind, primed to reach higher levels of physical and mental performance.

Structural Integration is designed to:

• Increase structural balance
• Elevate the mind-body connection
• Improve body awareness
• Recapture fluidity and ease of movement
• Prevent injury or re-injury

RESULTS (impact on fascia)

Specifically, “SI” lengthens connective tissue (muscle and fascia), breaks down old scar tissue and adhesion, and releases chronic spasm. It also relieves stress on the circulatory system and restores optimal flow of blood and nutrients to the entire body. The result is a return to health, and an end to pain, discomfort and fatigue. Structural integration moves beyond the immediate to create a fully integrated mind and body, and aligns each region of the body perfectly with all other regions. Feet align effortlessly with knees and hips. Hips align neatly with upper and lower back, and so on, until the entire musculoskeletal system is optimized to work together for greater strength, mobility, balance and ease of movement.

Results may last several months, or even years.

You can benefit in a number of ways by adding massage therapy to your chiropractic care program. Recovery is normally faster and more complete when you address multiple components of your pain. This is because muscles move joints, while ligaments and fascia support them. If a joint is adjusted without addressing related soft tissue problems, you may still experience pain. In addition, your tight muscles and shortened fascia can prolong the healing process and cause a joint complex to heal in a tightened and stiff state. Chiropractic treatment often proceeds more easily, with less discomfort, when soft tissue has been relaxed with massage. You may be less anxious and more ready to receive chiropractic adjustment after receiving therapeutic massage and Chiropractic adjustments have a better effect when muscle tension is released.

The power of massage lies in its ability to improve immune function, stimulate muscle tissue, and encourage blood flow through key areas of the body. Proper blood flow revives sore muscles and relieves pain, especially in the neck, shoulders and lower back. People have discovered that massage can help a wide range of medical conditions, including anxiety, circulatory problems, depression, headache, insomnia, sports injuries and all types of stress. Additional examples include but are not limited to:

• Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments
• Reduces pain and swelling
• Reduces formation of excessive scar tissue
• Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
• Helps relieve tension, strain and whiplash related headaches
• Reduces muscle spasms
• Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion
• Helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness
• Promotes deeper and easier breathing
• Rehabilitation after injury
• Strengthens the immune system
• Improves posture

Stress affects the neck and shoulders by changing posture. The body tightens, shoulders roll forward, the chin lifts and the neck moves forward. This puts a tremendous pressure on the muscles of both the upper and lower back. From our point of view, stress is the fundamental cause of most illness.

This condition is easily addressed by massage.

In answering this question, it is important to recognize the three types of headaches: a) tension headaches b) sinus headaches and c) migraine headaches. The cause of tension headaches is emotional or physical, resulting in throbbing temples and mental discomfort. The cause of sinus headaches is most often attributed to allergies and the flu, resulting in fluids trapped in the sinus cavities. The cause of migraine headaches can be either impingement of the nerves of the neck or by chemical imbalances, resulting in the inability to function optimally.

This philosophy of well being incorporates approaches and beliefs that concentrate on the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person being closely interconnected. Sometimes we experience pain due to a repetitive use injury. ie: from work, driving, sports, etc. Other times the cause of our symptoms and problems can be buried emotions that the body can no longer compensate for. Holistic health treatments seek to find the “cause” of the symptom instead of just masking the problem with various pharmaceutical choices. There are natural solutions available for our needs and holistic health care is gaining popularity.

Plants contain complex and powerful substances known as essential oils. These are aromatic liquids derived from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds. Essential oils have been used throughout time dating back to 4500 B.C. From perfumes and pleasant aromas to embalming and medicinal purposes, essential oils were used in everyday life for centuries.

How do essential oils work? Our senses connect us to the world and allow us to respond to our environment. Essential oils fill our senses and trigger physiological and psychological responses in our bodies. There are three basic ways to use essential oils: inhalation, topical application, and internal consumption.

Is quality a factor when choosing an essential oil? Too often cheap copies of essential oils can be potentially toxic. Many oils are derived with harsh chemicals, diluted, or copied and produced in a lab. It is imperative to exercise great care when choosing high-quality essential oils.

There is a huge difference between oils that merely smell good and therapeutic-grade essential oils. The quality of Young Living’s pure and potent essential oils has established credibility with eminent scientists and medical professionals who continue to research and validate the effectiveness of these timeless natural wonders.

For further information about Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils and product line, please feel free to Contact Us at Advanced Alternatives.

(Often referred to as Therapeutic Touch, Polarity Therapy, Reiki, among others) It is based on the principle that the human energy field extends beyond the skin and the practitioner can use the hands as sensors to locate problems in the physical body. Disease is seen as a condition of energy imbalance or blocked energy flow. Assessment is done by placing the hands over the body about 2-4 inches above the surface. The practitioner then serves as a conduit for universal energy, consciously and actively transferring energy into the recipient thus encouraging a return to balanced physical/emotional/spiritual health. Therapeutic Touch is currently taught in over eighty universities and thirty countries and is practiced by twenty to thirty thousand health care professionals in the United States and around the world.

With a renewed interest in natural forms of treatment, research activity in massage has gained momentum. The following are a few examples of recent studies:

• Denise Matt Tope, Ph.D., of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire studied how massage therapy can reduce anxiety and depression in bone marrow transplant patients.
• Frank Scafidi, Ph.D., at the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute is studying the effects of daily massage on growth, cognitive development, and immune function in premature infants born to HIV infected mothers.
• Melodie Olson of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is using a controlled experiment to examine the effects of Therapeutic Touch on the immune functioning of highly stressed students preparing for professional board exams. Positive findings would have implications for other highly stressed populations including cancer and AIDS patients.

Medical qigong uses qigong energetic therapy to reverse or mitigate chronic disease and injury. The focus is on medical therapeutics, rather than spirituality or extreme physical or mental prowess.

Medical qigong is used either as a primary therapy or as an adjunct therapy with other forms of traditional Chinese medicine, such as acupuncture, herbs, and massage. It is also used as a complementary therapy in conjunction with Western medical practices and drug therapies.

> Medical Qigong works in four ways:

Qigong forms are practiced to heal and regenerate the body, reduce stress, calm the mind and soothe the central nervous system.

Qigong can target specific illnesses or body functions. For example, Dragon and Tiger is used in China to help treat cancer and mitigate the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Using traditional Chinese medical and qigong diagnostic methods, qigong doctors design exercises for specific health problems, similar to the way herbalists create prescriptions. The treatment and how the exercises are done change as the individual progresses.

Qigong tui na therapists can project energy from their bodies to move and re-balance the energies of their clients. They may also use hands-on techniques to manipulate their patients’ tissues.

Massage cupping is a type of deep tissue massage that promotes stress relief and relaxation. Back pain, neck pain, frozen shoulder, and repetitive motion injuries can be treated with fire cupping.  Air is heated inside small cups, which are quickly applied to the skin, creating a vacuum. The vacuum in the cup draws blood and lymph fluids to the area, promoting circulation and healing. This breaks adhesions between the skin and underlying connective tissues, allowing for freer movement and helps to suppress pain. This the same process used in Shiatsu massage stimulating the body through deep massage at sites of nerve clusters. Fire cupping reverses the normal inward or downward pressure, by applying a gentle outward pulling to the body.  This outward pressure draws blood to the area, and stimulates the underlying nerves.

• Massage Cupping is a safe, non-invasive, natural method of the body’s physical and nutritional needs, and that deficiencies or imbalance in these areas could cause or contribute to various health problems.
• By creating suction and vacuum pressure, Massage Cupping is used to soften tight muscles and tone attachments, loosen adhesions and lift connective tissue, bring hydration and blood flow to body tissues, move deep inflammation to the skin surface for release, and drain excess fluids and toxins by opening lymphatic pathways.
• Sustaining results.  This ancient treatment produces impressive results, truly impressed those who experience its subtle power.
• Customized into treatments to maximize your results.
• Bio-Magnetic Cupping, helps relieve pain and discomforts in the body