I was waiting for it; it arrived yesterday. A denial letter. Yep, my attempt to secure an individual health insurance plan failed due to medical risk factors that LifeWise couldn’t deal with. Are you kidding?

Those of you who know me, know that I’m probably one of the healthiest people you’ll meet. I eat well, I sleep well, I keep stress low, I exercise (sometimes I even run!). I take my vitamins. I get bodywork.

A couple of years ago my low back started hurting, then my hip. It was really painful. I got some massage. I had a mercedes benz health plan thru my partner’s job at the time. So I went to the chiropractor, the acupuncturist, the DO. I got the recommended XRays and MRI. It got a scary sounding diagnosis. In the end it was massage 2 times a week for 3 weeks that did the trick. No problem since then.

Until now. Now that I’ve been denied coverage because I had some pain and took care of myself. I’m one of the latest causualities in the pre-existing condition debate.

Perhaps there will be change soon. Senator Ron Wyden was among 13 others who voted the Baccus bill out of committee yesterday.

With some of you I have talked about my process of becoming an “affiliate” at Numinosity, the wellness center where my office is located. This transition will be completed March 1, 2009. I anticipate the changes should all be positive for clients. Becoming an affiliate will be similar to hiring an assistant or receptionist. The front desk folks (Amber and Cecily) will schedule your appointments with me, process payments, and handle any insurance billing.

Back in November 2008 I (finally) purchased a digital table warmer to help keep you cozy and warm in the flannel sheets during your winter massage sessions. I’ve gotten rave reviews for the new “toy” which lays flat on the table under the sheets. I turn it on about 15-20 minutes before your appointment for maximum comfort. Come in and check it out for yourself!

So in the last post I detailed people who would be good candidates for lympgh drainage therapy (LDT). The entry before that gave a brief overview of the lymph system. Today I will lay out some of the things you can expect during and after a session.

LDT can be used as the sole treatment or it can be combined with massage techniques to round out the session. Often I work with people clothed (shorts and tank top). The manual pressure used is just enough to give a slight stretch to the skin.

Because LDT takes concentration to perform, the sessions are usually pretty quiet. Most people on the table fall into a deep state of relaxation. Some people feel “shifting” or “moving” happening within the body.

Although some people can not identify any post-treatment reactions, there can be many physiological “side effects”. These changes may last up to two days. More frequent urination is common, so drinking extra water helps. Some people have “weird” dreams or feel more emotional for a couple of days. Feeling more sleepy or even more energized are normal reactions, too.

The longer term effects include reduction of pain and inflammation, immune system stimulation, and improved recovery from injury or surgery.

In the last lymphatic drainage therapy (LDT) post I covered the basics of the lymph system. This time I plan to give a sense of who can benefit from and who should avoid LDT treatment.

Let’s start with the contraindications or the reasons you should not have LDT treatment. Do you have a fever or are you hemorrhaging? If yes, wait until you’ve recovered before seeking lymph treatment. Likewise for the ACUTE phase of an infectious or inflammatory disease. Chronic, serious contraindications include congestive heart failure, blood clots (thrombosis), an aortic aneurysm, or a venous obstruction. There are precautions a therapist should take for some other conditions.

In general, though, LDT is such a gentle treatment that almost anyone with any condition (including good health) can benefit. Remember, lymph drainage (pronounced like “massage”) helps encourage fluid circulation, including lymph fluid, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid. Activating these systems helps your body eliminate more toxins. It also promotes tissue regeneration and faster healing after illness, injury or surgery.

The immune system can be stimulated as this improved flow of lymph increases the antibody/antigen contact in the lymph nodes. The sympathetic nervous system – the part that keeps us in the “stressed out” mode – can be calmed by LDT, reducing the effects of chronic stress. Pain and muscle spasm are also reduced by lymph drainage therapy.

I’m very excited about the application of LDT in my practice. My favorite referrals are of people who are seeking pain reduction, injury recovery, or surgical support. The pain reduction, tissue rejuvenation and toxin elimination offered by LDT can really benefit these clients.

Clients who come in for maintenance massage can benefit from having lymph drainage incorporated into the session to reduce stress and pain and to boost the immune system.

Recently I spent four information-packed days learning the first level of lymph drainage therapy (LDT1), a program developed by Dr. Bruno Chikly and presented by the Upledger Institute. Over the course of three posts, I want to share some of the basics:

1. lymph and the lymph system

2. benefits of and contraindications for LDT

3. what to expect during & after a session

The lymph system is a very important component of the immune system. The fluid (lymph fluid) that moves through the system starts from the watery environment outside of tissue cells where cellular waste accumulates. After leaving this area (the interstitial environment), the lymph fluid carries the waste products – including dead cell fragments, proteins, lipids (fats), immune cells, hormones, and junk your body doesn’t use (like food coloring or preservatives) – through a series of vessels.

These vessels gently move the lymph through lymph nodes where the fluid is filtered and concentrated (some of the liquid is reabsorbed by the body). This is also where toxins can be captured and destroyed by the immune cells. The lymph fluid is eventually dumped into the the circulatory system near the heart. From here it is mixed with the blood and circulated to the organs of elimination. You then release the waste products and toxins from your body by urinating, sweating, etc.

When lymph tissues are damaged – by injury, disease, or even some disease treatments (radiation, surgery)- their ability to clear their interstitial areas of waste can be compromised. Cells, in a sense, begin to drown in their own waste which can cause toxicity, edema (swelling), and pain.

LDT helps improve lymph flow by stimulating the lymph vessel contractions. The treatment improves the strength and speed of these contractions. In the next post we’ll look at some of the many, many conditions which can be improved by the use of LDT. Stay tuned…

Just after Labor Day I will be going back to school. Well, for four intense days anyway. I have been looking forward for a long time to begin learning a technique called manual lymph drainage (MLD).

As a massage therapist, working on an area of inflamation is contraindicated – we’re not supposed to treat it. With MLD I’ll will learn – among other things – how to treat inflamation gently, effectively, and safely.

Learning to treat an area of inflamation within hours of onset, will allow me the ability to help clients enhance the recovery process. By adding this tool to my bag of tricks, I can help even more people who have had surgery or have been injured.

I had the great honor of meeting and chatting with former gov Dr. John Kitzhaber about the momentum needed to address the current health care system and create a new vision of healthy Americans.

The Archimedes Movement – Dr. Kitzhaber’s brainchild founded in 2005 – held its first annual membership conference this past Saturday (6/14/08). I was deeply impressed by the two addresses Kitzhaber gave at the conference. Not only was his style entertaining and humble, but the content was educational.

I learned, for example, that the current health care system was a solution to problems that arose from the ashes of World War Two. In the 60 years that have passed since, the solution is now the problem. The system was originally designed to address acute care and infectious disease. The old system is not flexible enough to accommodate current needs such as patient education, prevention, and management of chronic diseases.

One of the arguments Archimedes is challenging is over the funding of health and a health care system. They challenge us all to consider what we are buying with the trillions of dollars we spend each year. Do we want to continue buying a broken system or do we want to pay for healthier Americans?

I hope you consider joining the discussion by getting involved with Archimedes or a similar effort. We are all stake holders (whether we want to be or not) and “we can do better.”

We all need to sleep well each night to be most effective during the day. Some elements of chronic pain can be reduced by ensuring you have the proper mattress.

If you have ever thought about getting a “Sleep Number” bed give me a call and I’ll send you coupon for 10% off a new bed. Hurry, though, because they expire June 30^th, 2008.

A few years ago I bought a “Sleep Number” bed and have been very satisfied. After several months of waking up feeling crooked, with sore hips and a tight back, I figured it was time to investigate mattresses. After doing some research and napping on beds in stores all over Portland, I landed on a “Sleep Number”.

Now, even years later, I can’t wait to snuggle down onto my 35 and dream the night away. Gone are those creaky mornings and the perpetuating factor of a sagging mattress. Of course, that’s just my story. Get your own bed!

I’m excited to announce that I can now process your credit card for payments. Through my connection with ProPay, you can use your card with confidence and security for single sessions, maintenance packages, gift certificates, co-pays, and even “no show” fees.

Many people like to use their cards to accrue points or cash back as well as to establish and maintain good credit. Besides Visa and MasterCard, I can also accept Discover and AmEx.

By accessing my password protected account online, I enter your credit card information and snap! it’s done. I hope this makes receiving massage services at BTM easier for you. Your feedback is always welcome.