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8/29/2022

Why You should choose neuromuscular therapy

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Neuromuscular therapy 

By: Alicia De Mello
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What is Neuromuscular therapy?

Neuromuscular therapy or technique (NMT) is the manual application of specialized pressure and strokes
that have either a diagnostic (assessment) or therapeutic (treatment) goal. The focus of the treatment is to
alleviate myofascial pain and dysfunction as well as deactivating trigger points.

What is a trigger point?

Simply, it's a knot. A small, palpable (able to feel) nodule in a tight band of muscle. Trigger points (TPs)
are painful to pressure and can cause referred pain, decreased range of motion, and even such things as
nausea, runny nose, and eye watering.
• Active trigger point: client is aware and familiar with pain
• Latent trigger point: only tender with touch

Releasing Your Trigger points

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How do you treat a trigger point yourself? Visit this amazing DIY blog article, entitled "How To Fix Myself When My Massage Therapist is Nowhere to be Found." There, you will learn a step by step process for finding and releasing your trigger points, specifically for headache relief!
Need help? Book an appointment with a local massage therapist! If you're in the Connecticut, book your appointment at Grow Wellness! Mention this blog and get 10% off! 203-403-3710

Gate Theory

​Ever notice that your massage therapist will find a spot in your back and just hold pressure there and it
will hurt? Or when your shoulders are bothering you at home so you find a door jam and lean into it?
Most clients I've seen in my career, have referred to it as “that feel good hurt” – yes, it hurts but I know
it's doing something.
​

Our body is only able to recognize one stimulation at a time. So the pain that we go to a massage therapist
to address or we try to fix ourselves with a door frame at home can be overridden by applying another
sensation – pressure, heat, cold, electrical stimulation, vibration. A new stimulant travels faster than
through our nervous system than an old pain.
NMT should NOT be used within 72 hours of an injury

Why I chose neuromuscular therapy

​I have struggled with TMJD issues since I was a child. The worst headaches I experience, are directly
related to my chronic teeth grinding. At a certain point, I accepted that this is just the burden I had to
carry. And then I started getting more and more migraine and TMJD focused clients. That pushed me to
look into ways I could further help my clients, and as a bonus, help myself.

Why You should choose neuromuscular therapy

Especially now more than ever, being post-pandemic, a good portion of the population is still working at
home. Some have went all out and created ergonomic office spaces. While, and I know this for a fact,
some are working whole shifts on laptops in bed. And if we're not working on computers with poor
posture we're “relaxing” on our phones with necks overstretched. We've had to wear masks for the last
two years. Many of us have felt facial pain after a whole day of wearing them, myself included. As much
as we were appreciative of having to wear mask so people around us couldn't see how we really felt about
an interaction (and of course the global pandemic), our facial muscles – from the eyes up – sure did get a
work out.
Unbeknownst to a surprising amount of people, our muscles encompass our whole body. The same way
we get knots in our back and shoulders, we're entirely capable of developing knots in our scalp, forehead,
eyebrows, and cheeks. Whether we know it or not, our face is constantly making micro-expressions.
There's the saying “it takes more muscles to frown than to smile”. As a massage therapist, there's no
reason why we should take more care of the muscles in our back and legs than the muscles in the
seemingly less necessary areas like the neck and head. We take for granted the importance of our neck
and head until we wake up one morning and can't turn our head.

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Meet Alicia

Alicia has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2015 as well as a certified reflexologist since 2017. She holds certifications in Medical Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy for the cervical spine and jaw as well. With a basis in Swedish massage, she incorporates trigger point work, movement, and education into her sessions. She believes that massage therapy is not just for the body but also for the mind.

Book a session with alicia!

Diving Deeper

On all following charts, “X” denotes trigger points for headaches 
​blog article
"How To Fix Myself When My Massage Therapist is Nowhere to be Found"

Access This Blog HERE
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Occipitofrontalis
Stressors:
• Frowning or maintaining a surprised look
• Satellite trigger points from Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
• Wearing a tight hat
• Decreased visual acuity


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Temporalis:
Stressors/Indicators:​
• Trauma/imbalance
• Emotional stress
• Occlusal imbalance -jaw misalignment
• Over-activity stress
◦ Bruxism (teeth grinding)
◦ Gum chewing
• Compression
◦ Wearing surgical mask
◦ Tight glasses
◦ Tight hat bands
•Satellite activation from Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper Trapezius
• Jaw wired shut
• Lateral headache
• Molar toothache/sensitivity


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Masseter
Stressors/Indicators:
•Occlusal imbalance (jaw misalignment)
• Trauma/imbalance
• Over-activity stress
◦ Bruxism (teeth grinding)
◦ Gum Chewing
• Emotional tension
• Direct trauma
• Prolonged immobilization i.e. jaw wired shut
• Long dental procedures that result in overstretching
• Improper denture fit
• Tinnitus – ipsilateral masseter
• Restricted range-of-motion
• Ear pain


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Splenius Capitis
Stressors/Indicators:
• Postural imbalances that overload extension or lateral flexion (forward head posture)
• Sitting in front of a computer with monitor off to ones side
• Texting – smart phone use
• Lurching into a computer/laptop
• Falling asleep on a sofa with head crooked (lateral flexion)
• New pillow that is too high or too low
• Air conditioner blowing on neck
• Maladjusted eye glasses
• Sport motorcycle position (and wearing a helmet)
• Whiplash injury
◦ Head bent to one side or looking to one side when being hit
• Forward head posture
• Inability to fully flex neck (Chin to chest)
• Dome headaches


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Splenius Cervicis
Stressors/Indicators:
• Postural imbalances that overload extension or lateral flexion (forward head posture)
• Sitting in front of a computer with monitor off to ones side
• Texting – smart phone use
• Lurching into a computer/laptop
• Falling asleep on a sofa with head crooked (lateral flexion)
• New pillow that is too high or too low
• Air conditioner blowing on neck
• Maladjusted eye glasses
• Sport motorcycle position (and wearing a helmet)
• Whiplash injury
• Head bent to one side or looking to one side when being hit
• Forward head posture
• Inability to fully flex neck (Chin to chest)
• Decrease of lateral flexion range-of-motion
• Headaches behind the eye


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Suboccipitals
Stressors/Indicators:
• Maladjusted eye glasses
• Typing with copy flat
• Driving with head protracted
• Texting – smart phone use
• Poor posture – forward head posture
• Chilling of posterior neck
• Headaches wrapping around the side of the head to over the eye
• Checkrein muscle to flexion
• Vertigo treatment


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Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Stressors/Indicators:
• Postural imbalances – forward head posture
• Sitting in front of a computer with monitor off to ones side
• Texting – smart phone use
• Lurching into a computer/laptop
• Lying on side while reading
• Compression of shirt collar
• COPD/Asthma
• Paradoxical breathing (poor breathing pattern/upper chest breathing)
• Maladjusted eye glasses
• Sport motorcycle position (and wearing a helmet)
• Whiplash injury
◦ Head bent to one side or looking to one side when being hit
• Hangover type headaches
• Migraine type headaches
◦ Blurred vision
◦ Watery eyes
◦ Sensitivity to light
◦ Hearing loss


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Scalenes:
Stressors/Indicators:
• Postural imbalances that overload extension or lateral flexion (forward head posture)
• Sitting in front of a computer with monitor off to ones side
• Texting – smart phone use
• Lurching into a computer/laptop
• Reading in bed
• Compression of shirt collar
• COPD
• Coughing
• Asthma
• Paradoxical breathing
• Maladjusted eye glasses
• Whiplash injury
◦ includes lateral whiplash injury
• Arterial obstruction or tingling to the arm (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome


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Learn More!

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  • Home
  • About
    • Grow Wellness Team
    • Packages & Discounts
    • Photos
    • Reviews
    • Who We Recommend
    • Ambassador Program
    • Covid 19
  • Menu
    • Therapeutic Sessions
    • Hypnotherapy & Spiritual Offerings
    • Day/Weekend Retreats
    • Niyama Sauna Room
    • Virtual Sessions
  • YOGA AND MORE
    • Virtual Activities
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    • Couples Synergy Workshop
    • Reiki Certifications
    • Purchase Options
    • Mommy & Me
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  • Therapy Shop
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  • Learn
    • Grow Blog
    • Grow Good News
    • CBD Therapy
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    • Reflexology
    • Infrared Sauna >
      • Sauna Care
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  • Giving Back
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