POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND MASSAGE
What it is, who is effected by it, and how alternative therapy like massage therapy can help
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event outside the range of normal human experience and that is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event. It is an anxiety disorder that develops as the after effects of stress witnessing a horrific accident, a natural disaster, a violent crime, sexual abuse, or military combat. PTSD is the inability to dissociate the trauma from the past and live without fear of the …show more content…
When a PTSD sufferer's muscles are constantly tense and 'ready for action' this can cause them physical as well as emotional pain. Massage can help ease pain, prepare muscles for extra stress and pressure and reduce the effect of physical wounds. It can trigger the body's relaxation response, breaking the cycle of fight or flight. Positive touch stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which are the parts of your body and brain that are activated when you are relaxed and experiencing something that gives you pleasure. Massage can also help to heal the mental scars and burdens left behind after tragedy. Trapped within the physical trauma is part of the emotional trauma. The reason for this, again according to Western Medicine, is that emotions are simply chemical reactions. When adrenaline and fear-activating chemicals get trapped in the muscles, and the muscle tense, these chemicals get trapped and do not move. It is very important to know this as a massage therapist because when you start working on releasing the muscles, you are releasing the pent up chemicals and allowing them to start to flow. Depending on the client, the reaction emotionally and physically can differ and be quite radical. Massage can offer safe, professional physical reassurance and pain relief for those suffering from PTSD, as well as coping techniques. It should be a safe, welcoming place for the client to release the …show more content…
A client may have an unconscious reaction or habit when faced with a similar incident that caused the initial PTSD. They may feel anger, causing them to tense their jaw or grit their teeth. This will cause pain in the masseter muscle. They may get headaches. Or they may feel grief or ashamed and this would effect the body ie: hunched shoulders, sunken chest, bowed head, causing pain and discomfort and also effect their posture and alignment. Effleurage, stretching the arms and shoulders, and moderate to deep pressure kneading these areas will work out the tension in the muscles. Light tapotement on the facial muscles can help release tension, too. More symptoms of PTSD include Insomnia and Exhaustion. The rhythmic stroking and kneading of the body that takes place during massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system and induces a feeling of sleepiness. It lets the body know that it is ok to “shut down”. This also helps slow down rapid heat beat, slows down breathing to take longer, fuller breaths and drops cortisol levels to help keep blood pressure
What it is, who is effected by it, and how alternative therapy like massage therapy can help
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event outside the range of normal human experience and that is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event. It is an anxiety disorder that develops as the after effects of stress witnessing a horrific accident, a natural disaster, a violent crime, sexual abuse, or military combat. PTSD is the inability to dissociate the trauma from the past and live without fear of the …show more content…
When a PTSD sufferer's muscles are constantly tense and 'ready for action' this can cause them physical as well as emotional pain. Massage can help ease pain, prepare muscles for extra stress and pressure and reduce the effect of physical wounds. It can trigger the body's relaxation response, breaking the cycle of fight or flight. Positive touch stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which are the parts of your body and brain that are activated when you are relaxed and experiencing something that gives you pleasure. Massage can also help to heal the mental scars and burdens left behind after tragedy. Trapped within the physical trauma is part of the emotional trauma. The reason for this, again according to Western Medicine, is that emotions are simply chemical reactions. When adrenaline and fear-activating chemicals get trapped in the muscles, and the muscle tense, these chemicals get trapped and do not move. It is very important to know this as a massage therapist because when you start working on releasing the muscles, you are releasing the pent up chemicals and allowing them to start to flow. Depending on the client, the reaction emotionally and physically can differ and be quite radical. Massage can offer safe, professional physical reassurance and pain relief for those suffering from PTSD, as well as coping techniques. It should be a safe, welcoming place for the client to release the …show more content…
A client may have an unconscious reaction or habit when faced with a similar incident that caused the initial PTSD. They may feel anger, causing them to tense their jaw or grit their teeth. This will cause pain in the masseter muscle. They may get headaches. Or they may feel grief or ashamed and this would effect the body ie: hunched shoulders, sunken chest, bowed head, causing pain and discomfort and also effect their posture and alignment. Effleurage, stretching the arms and shoulders, and moderate to deep pressure kneading these areas will work out the tension in the muscles. Light tapotement on the facial muscles can help release tension, too. More symptoms of PTSD include Insomnia and Exhaustion. The rhythmic stroking and kneading of the body that takes place during massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system and induces a feeling of sleepiness. It lets the body know that it is ok to “shut down”. This also helps slow down rapid heat beat, slows down breathing to take longer, fuller breaths and drops cortisol levels to help keep blood pressure