GUYON'S CANAL SYNDROME

What Is Guyon's Canal Syndrome?
In the wrist and hand, there is a series of ligaments and connective tissue that make up what is called Guyon's canal, or Guyon's tunnel. This canal is the home of the ulnar nerve. According to Houston's Medicine, when Guyon's canal and the ulnar nerve is compressed, it is known as Guyon's Canal Syndrome. This

syndrome is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome and is often confused with it. Because the pain and the location of the tunnels both come from the ulnar side of the wrist, it is sometimes hard to distinguish between the two. Unlike the carpal tunnel, Guyon's canal does not have any tendons. Because of this unique difference, carpal tunnel syndrome has a completely different cause than Guyon's. Rather than inflammation and overuse being the cause of nerve compression, Guyon's is caused by external compressive forces on the base of the hand. That means that Guyon's is caused by external pressure while carpal tunnel is caused by internal pressures. Some things that can cause this external pressure is walking on crutches, using certain power tools, and participating in different athletic activities, like tennis, break dancing, and martial arts. There are no other characteristics that make a person more inclined to get Guyon's, such as age, gender, or race. This comes solely from the activities that are done and the frequency. This syndrome is fairly rare throughout the world. 

Symptoms of Guyon's Canal Syndrome
There are various symptoms that come about from Guyon's Canal Syndrome. All symptoms are experienced in the left side of the hand and wrist and the pinky and ring finger, while carpal tunnel syndrome is on the right side and other three fingers. The most common is pain in the wrist that is aggravated by extension range of motion movements. Other symptoms include weakness of the wrist, worsened grip strength, lack of coordination with the hand and wrist, and clawing or atrophy of the hand, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. A doctor can determine if the patient has this syndrome through medical examinations with different tests to check the quality of the wrist and hand and a detailed medical history. 

Treatment of Guyon's Canal Syndrome

The best way to treat this is by reducing the outside pressure on the ulnar nerve, which means changing the lifestyle or the aspect that is putting pressure on the nerve. Another treatment to help the nerve tissue to heal is through massage. It is important to only use a light pressure on the hand, wrist, and forearm, but increasing the blood circulation has been known to help the tissue to heal faster. Too much pressure on the nerve can hinder the healing process or reaggravate symptoms. Before beginning any form of treatment, please consult your doctor and make sure it is the right plan for you. In extreme cases where damage to the nerve tissue is far too great, sometime surgery is required to help clear out any obstruction within the canal that is causing continued neuro-degeneration. This is very rare and most cases are effectively treated with a conservative regimen of treatments and lifestyle changes. 

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

TOP SEVEN REASONS TO GET A MASSAGE

Here are seven reasons why you should get a massage (As if you needed another reason!)

1. It feels amazing!
There is no doubt that massage is one of the best feelings out there, so why wouldn't you want to partake in the greatness that is massage?

2. It relieves pain naturally.
Everyone wants to be pain free. Massage is a great tool to use to get yourself there.

3. It boosts your immunity.
With all the nasty flu and colds going around, our immune systems need every boost that it can get!

4. It improves flexibility.
Massaging the muscles and tissues of the body helps to reduce any tension that may be stopping you from reaching your flexibility goals. The better your flexibility the less likely you are to have certain injuries.

5. It helps you get better sleep.
By relaxing your body, regular massage can help you to sleep better on a regular basis, which is SO important in your natural healing processes.

6. It can help to lower blood pressure.
Stress is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure. By reducing some of the stress and tension within the body, massage can in turn help to reduce your blood pressure. It is often recommended with traditional treatments for high blood pressure.

7. It helps to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Studies have proven that regular massage helps to reduce some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety. For many people, massage and yoga have been an alternative treatment for certain mental illnesses, however, this may not be the best course of action for every patient.

The list could go on and on of the countless benefits of massage.

Massage has been utilized for years for it's many physical, spiritual, and mental healing properties. Schedule your massage today to begin healing!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

MASSAGE AND PLANTAR FASCIITIS

What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is the inflammation of thick band of tissue that connects your heel and your toes to one another, which is called plantar fascia. This inflammation is one of the most common causes of heel pain throughout the world, according to Mayo Clinic. It is commonly described as a stabbing pain and is the worst when taking the first steps after you have woken up and improve throughout the day. However, it may flair up at times due to standing, walking, or running for long periods of time. Runners, individuals who are overweight, and those who do not wear shows with enough support are the most likely to get or have plantar fasciitis.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is the part of the foot that absorbs a significant amount of the shock from daily activities and supports the arch the foot. After repeated motions or too much continued stress and tension on the plantar fascia, small tears can begin to appear throughout the fascia. As there is continued stretching and tearing, the plantar fascia begin to get irritated and inflamed, causing pain and discomfort throughout the bottom of the foot. Although there are some things that increase one's risk for plantar fasciitis, like running regularly, being over twenty pounds overweight, age, and the mechanics of someone's foot, there is no one specific understood cause for it. 

How to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis?
According to Active, there are three main tips that can help to prevent plantar fasciitis- relax your lower legs, land with a mid foot strike, and lead with your upper body. These three tips are for every person on a daily basis, including runners. By relaxing your lower legs, ankles, and calves while sitting, standing, walking, or running, you reduce the amount of pull that is put on the plantar fascia when you move. When walking and running, if you land on the middle of your foot every time, it will help to reduce impact onto your heels and plantar fascia. Finally, when you walk and run, leading with the upper half of your body and letting your lower half follow helps to put less tension on your plantar fascia. Although these tips are important in the prevention of plantar fasciitis, there is a chance that everyone could get it, even when following these rules.

What Can Help Plantar Fasciitis?
There is no cure for plantar fasciitis. There are just little things that you can do to try and heal the damaged fascia. This may include stretches, fine muscle movement of the feet and toes, and soaking the feet in tubs of is water three times a day until the pain goes away. Another common treatment of plantar fasciitis is massage. A study published in the Manual Therapy Journal found that regular deep tissue massage focused on the feet and calves, decreased the pain in the heels and feet of clients by over 20%. By increasing the blood flow and decreasing tension within the feet and lower legs, it not only helps the healing process, but also helps to lower the constant strain and pain within the fascia.

It is important to consult with your doctor before starting any form of treatment for plantar fasciitis.

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

OUR FIRST COUPLES MASSAGE CLASS

Wow! Let me start off by saying thank you to the awesome couples that came out to our couples massage class. We had a great time, and we hope that you did, too. 

The class turn-out was awesome and made for such an exciting class. Angela had a great time teaching her students the basics of giving massage. Massage is such a wonderful thing in every person's life, but being able to give a proper massage to your special someone is even more wonderful. 

We hope to see some more faces at our next workshop, which is a Stretching Workshop on March 24th. You can learn more information or register by clicking HERE. 

Thank you again to all who attended, and we look forward to seeing you at our next workshop!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

HAVE SCIATICA? MASSAGE CAN HELP!

What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a pain that radiates along the length of the sciatic nerve, according to MayoClinic. The sciatic nerve can be found from the lower back down the whole legs and goes through the hips and buttocks, as well. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the whole body. It is made up a large amount of nerve roots from the spine that combine at the lower back to form what we call the "sciatic nerve." Commonly, sciatica pain only happens on one side of a person's body.

Why Does it Happen?
Sciatica happens in patients with herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and an assortment of other back, spine, and hip conditions. Another common cause of sciatica pain is pregnancy. It is important to note that sciatica is not a medical diagnosis in and of itself, according to Spine-Health. In fact, sciatica is generally considered a symptom of many conditions including the ones listed above. 

When one is experiencing certain conditions, the large sciatic nerve can become irritated or compressed. This leads to what is commonly known as sciatica. Sciatic generally happens during middle age between 40 to 50. It is extremely rare for a person under 25 to experience sciatica symptoms. 

Almost all cases of sciatica are temporary meaning they last up to two weeks at a time. However, there are some cases that are very severe and debilitating that can last for extended amounts of time. 

Symptoms of Sciatica 
The most common and obvious symptom of sciatica is moderate to severe pain from the lower back down to the feet on one side. However, this is often not the only symptom of sciatica. Other symptoms include weakness, tingling, limited range of motion, and numbness in the same leg, according to WebMD. One may also experience a worsening of symptoms from sitting or standing for a long period of time and from any exercises that cause the spine to flex at all. On the other hand, one many feel a relief of symptoms while walking, lying down, or during any exercises that extend the spine. 

Treatments of Sciatica
In extremely severe cases, surgery may be the best option to help relieve the symptoms of sciatica. However, this is a very little percentage of sciatica cases. 

Most people with sciatica are prescribed anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medication and sent home, according to Cleveland Clinic. Although uncomfortable, sciatica is not a life threatening or severely debilitating condition in most people, so it often goes untreated by medical practitioners. Some doctors may recommend physical therapy and massage therapy as an option to try and increase range of motion, which will evidently reduce pain. 

Massage and Sciatica
There are three main ways that massage can help treat the symptoms of sciatica- increase range of motion, loosen lower back muscles, and release pain-relieving endorphins. 
Like was mentioned above, massage can help to increase the range of motion between the hips and legs. Increasing the limited range of motion cause by sciatica can help to reduce the stress and strain on the muscles. This can help lead to pain relief due to the relaxation of those overworked muscles.

The second way that massage can help with sciatica is by loosening the lower back muscles. When the low back muscles are tight, it can cause pressure and strain on the nerve roots associated with the sciatic nerve, according to Spine-Health. By receiving a massage, the therapist can work on loosening the lower back muscles, which can reduce the amount of strain on the sciatic nerve roots. Thus, reducing and preventing the pinch, strain, and pain of the sciatic nerve.

Releasing pain-relieving endorphins will also help with sciatica, by just that- relieving pain. According to Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, massage has been proven to release multiple neurohormones and endorphins, which leads to a significant decrease in pain and stress. Massage can also help to decrease levels of cortisol, which aid in the lowering of stress. No one is relaxed when they are in pain, so this can help to lower the effects of sciatica pain on one's emotional and mental well-being. 

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

HOW TO: HELP DRY SKIN

This time of year can be horrible on all of our skin. From the constantly changing weather to the runny noses causing dry and

cracked skin, life can be rough this time of year for lots of people. How do can you help alleviate some of these issues though? We are here to give you eight quick tips on how to help recover from or heal dry skin!

1. Shower and wash your hands with lukewarm water.
I know when it is chilly outside you may want to bathe and shower with scolding hot water to try and get some relief, but this is actually terrible for your skin! Going from different temperatures rapidly can cause your skin to dry out. Taking a cold shower is also not recommended by most dermatologists and other skincare professionals as it closes the pores and may strip away some essential oils from the skin that are important to keep the skin moisturized. This all goes for when you are washing your hands, as well. (Hopefully) you wash your hands a lot more than your shower, so using the wrong temperature of water can make your skin turn into scales before you know it!

2. ALWAYS use lotion after getting out of the shower.
It is essential to use your lotion immediately after getting out of the shower. By moisturizing while the skin is still damp, it locks it the dampness into your skin. This keeps the skin from drying out throughout the day!

3. Choose a good lotion.
There are countless different brands and types of lotion on the market, so choosing the right one can sometimes be very difficult. Check with your dermatologist or skin care professional to find out which lotion would work best for you.

4. Protect your skin from the weather.
Whether it is sun, rain, wind, or snow, it is so important to always protect your skin. Your skin is one of the most important things in your body, so it should always be your first thought when going through your day. Make sure to wear a jacket or sunscreen, whatever it is that will protect your delicate skin from exposure to the outside elements. Even the most beautiful San Diego days can drastically damage your skin. 

5. DRINK LOTS OF WATER
This tip is so easy and so important. Every part of your body needs a lot of water, but your skin especially. If you are suffering from dry skin, simply drinking more water throughout the days can help to add some moisture. Even if you are not experiencing dry skin, drinking water is vital to your skin and overall health. Every person should be drinking AT LEAST 8 cups of water a day, but many health professionals recommend more.

6. Exfoliate your skin and body.
Exfoliating your skin and body on a regular basis helps to get rid of the dead skin on the surface. By getting rid of the dead skin, it allows moisture to better penetrate the skin and moisturize the skin from the inside out. 

7. Always wear sunscreen.
I know we briefly said this in tip # 4, but it is so vital that we need to say it again. Always wear sunscreen. It doesn't matter if you are walking around an outside mall on a cloudy day. Getting into the habit of always using lotion that has SPF in it and wearing sunscreen if you will be out in the sun for more than 30 minutes is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Not only does the sun dry out your skin if there is no protection, skin cancer is developing even more rapidly. Every year, more and more people are finding out they have some form of skin cancer. Do yourself the favor and protect your skin from the sun the best you can!

8 Get regular massage
Getting regular massage helps to open pores, increase blood flow, and moisturize the skin. By getting regular massage, you are not only helping the inside of your body, you are also helping to protect and bettering the skin. 

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.

AGING- HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR HEALING

Most people know that as you age, you continually start to heal less quickly. The saying "children are resilient" is an example of this. Children heal at an astronomical rate that significantly differs from an adult in their 20's, and an adult in their 20's heals significantly faster than an adult in their 40's. This can continues all the way up- everyone wishes that they could recover like they did when they are younger, even in little things like a pulled muscle. We have clients often wonder why they cannot recover like they did when they were younger when they are trying to bounce back from an injury, so we decided to do a blog that explains exactly why a man in their 60's can't pull a muscle in their back and do an hour bike ride the next day. It is all because healing changes as you age, and there are three main reasons why this happens to everyone.

1. Cell Replication Slows
Cell replication is vital to the process of healing in the body. When an area is injured or wounded, the body replicates cells to either to close the wound or to strengthen the area and fix the injury. According to Science Daily, once a cell divides a specific amount of times, the cell then changes it's shape, slows it pace down, and will eventually stop dividing. The more you age, the more cells will slow or stop dividing, which causes a significant slowing in the replication process. With your body no longer replicating the way it used to, processes like healing are also decreased significantly. 

2. Elasticity of Tissues Decreases
Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly why the elasticity of our tissues decreases as we age. There are many theories and speculations regarding this. According to the author Kannus, some scientists believe that it is related to a decrease in collagen within the body, which is essential to the make-up of tissues. Others believe that it is related to the decrease in cell replication. Another theory is that the lack of water within the body is connected to the decrease in elasticity of tissues. As they continue to try and pinpoint the exact reasons that this happens, one thing is certain- elasticity of tissues decreasing is paramount in why individuals heal slower as they age. 

3. Losing flexibility
Most people know that they can't do the cartwheels and splits that they used to do with ease, but that is very common. Less than ten percent of Americans participate in exercise on a regular basis, according to Ortho Info. This adds to the decrease in flexibility as you age. The lower the flexibility, the more likely you are to injure yourself, so not only does low flexibility cause more injuries, it also makes it harder to recover from injuries. One of the best ways you can help reduce the aging process is by participating in regular exercise and/or stretching. Some great options are yoga, walking, and pilates. By getting active, your body will thank you, and you will be able to recover quicker as you continue to age.

The two most important things to remember if you feel that you are not healing quickly enough is that you cannot put a timeline on your body and that it is normal. No matter how fast we would all like to heal from injuries, it is up to our bodies, so just take it slow!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.