Helpful Information From Your Massage Therapist

Please click any of the links below to read past articles from Bruce's newsletter. These articles feature helpful information on health tips, pain relief, the effects of massage therapy, and anything else that may be of benefit to Bruce's clients.

These articles are researched and written by Bruce Schaefer, LMT. You are welcome to print them out for your own personal use. However, these articles may not be republished in any form. You may create links directed to these Web pages. Bruce Schaefer retains the copyright to these articles.

Additional Strategies for Depression, Spring 2010

We all experience periods of sadness -- feeling down for a day or so, but soon our mood turns around and we continue on our journey. However, for nearly 21 million American adults, emotions degenerate into despondency and anguish, are of much longer duration, and often become intense enough to be debilitating. The term "depression" covers a group of mood disorders which include major depressive disorder ("clinical depression"), dysthymia, and bipolar disorder. The World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2020, depression will be the second most prevalent cause of disability for people of all ages.

Early this year, the effectiveness of antidepressant medications made headlines when The Journal of the American Medical Society (JAMA) published a report titled "Antidepressant Drug Effects and Depression Severity." Commenting on this report, Peter Roy-Byrne, M.D. wrote, "... this report may create a storm of controversy with few practical solutions... We know patients should pursue nonpharmacologic treatments, but until these are more accessible, things may not change very much." He also adds, "... with so few specialists in effective psychotherapy techniques, access to nonpharmacologic depression treatments is extremely poor in primary care, where most depressed patients are seen." Click to learn about addition strategies for depression.

Long-Term Stress -- More Harmful Than You Think, August/September 2009

Unfortunately, stress is an all too familiar concept. For many of us, the demands of work, school, and/or family have made stress an accepted part of our daily lives. By design, when a person is confronted with a situation they perceive as a challenge or threat, their bodies start the process of "stress response." This stress response evolved to increase one's chances of survival in potentially life-threatening circumstances -- of short duration. However, if an individual is continuously living in state of stress, the physiological changes and by-products of the stress response can be very damaging to one's health. Fortunately, there are some very simple actions that can reduce some of the harmful by-products of the stress response. Click to read about some of the effects of long-term stress and what you can do about them.

Viva Las Vagus (Nerve), July 2009

One of your cranial nerves, called "the vagus nerve," has a critical role in many vital processes within your body. Recent discoveries have shown the vagus nerve has an even more profound effect than once thought. Click to read how you can influence this nerve to help with certain inflammatory conditions.

Try Your Pain Relief "Iced", June 2009

As summer approaches, we tend to get a bit more active and and a bit more daring. Unfortunately, our increased activity is often followed by muscle soreness, spasms, or even muscle strain. "Ice applications" are very easy and effective approaches for relief of pain and inflammation due to minor muscle injury. Next time you experience muscle pain, why not reach for an ice application instead of the ibuprofen. Click to read about using ice applications for muscle pain and inflammation.