tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1250480 2010-11-01T09:25:32-07:00 Alternative health care approaches for issues that are female-specific. TypePad tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14303 2010-10-01T12:00:32-07:00 2010-10-01T12:00:07-07:00

The New York Times recently cited a 2008 report which showed that birth rates for women over 40 years of age rose 4 percent over the previous year and a 2009 survey indicated that 14 percent of people in their prime childbearing years decided to delay becoming pregnant due to the economic recession. For some of these women, this decision may have dire consequences on future pregnancies.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT The New York Times recently cited a 2008 report which showed that birth rates for women over 40 years of age rose 4 percent over the previous year and a 2009 survey indicated that 14 percent of people in their prime childbearing years decided to delay becoming pregnant due to the economic recession. For some of these women, this decision may have dire consequences on future pregnancies. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14234 2010-06-01T12:00:32-07:00 2010-06-01T12:00:07-07:00

Scar massage, regardless of the scar's location or how long it has been there, is a technique to reduce scar tissue and improve skin elasticity. It is a progressive treatment and if too much force is applied too quickly, the colloid gel within the connective tissue responds with increased resistance. On the other hand, if not enough pressure is used the treatment will have little effect on the scar tissue.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT Scar massage, regardless of the scar's location or how long it has been there, is a technique to reduce scar tissue and improve skin elasticity. It is a progressive treatment and if too much force is applied too quickly, the colloid gel within the connective tissue responds with increased resistance. On the other hand, if not enough pressure is used the treatment will have little effect on the scar tissue. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14184 2010-03-01T12:00:32-07:00 2010-03-01T12:00:07-07:00

The encouraging news about uterine fibroid tumors is that they are almost always benign, especially for women in their 30s and 40s. However, they can cause a multitude of discomforts, including heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), backaches, and/or abdominal or pelvic bloating and heaviness. If the fibroids grow large enough to protrude into the pelvic cavity, other pelvic organs may be involved, resulting in urinary frequency and urgency, or constipation. Most fibroids, however, are asymptomatic and many women don't know they have them until they cause a problem or a gynecological exam detects them.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT The encouraging news about uterine fibroid tumors is that they are almost always benign, especially for women in their 30s and 40s. However, they can cause a multitude of discomforts, including heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), backaches, and/or abdominal or pelvic bloating and heaviness. If the fibroids grow large enough to protrude into the pelvic cavity, other pelvic organs may be involved, resulting in urinary frequency and urgency, or constipation. Most fibroids, however, are asymptomatic and many women don't know they have them until they cause a problem or a gynecological exam detects them. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14100 2009-10-01T12:00:32-07:00 2009-10-01T12:00:07-07:00

Twins! The doctor said TWINS! You might think a mother-to-be would be delighted to hear that news. But Carly's first pregnancy had been difficult. Would carrying two be twice as hard? Or worse? If someone had told Carly, a Texas mom, she'd deliver two healthy babies with none of the problems she had with her first pregnancy, she wouldn't have believed them. But then she began receiving CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) and everything changed for her and her newborns.

By Ken Piercy, MTI, CST-D; guest author for John Upledger, DO, OMM Twins! The doctor said TWINS! You might think a mother-to-be would be delighted to hear that news. But Carly's first pregnancy had been difficult. Would carrying two be twice as hard? Or worse? If someone had told Carly, a Texas mom, she'd deliver two healthy babies with none of the problems she had with her first pregnancy, she wouldn't have believed them. But then she began receiving CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) and everything changed for her and her newborns. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14078 2009-09-01T12:00:32-07:00 2009-09-01T12:00:07-07:00

I always felt that the case of Meador v Stahler and Gheridian would have made a terrific case for the award-winning television show "Boston Legal." I could just picture Alan Shore (brilliantly portrayed by James Spader) eloquently and passionately representing his client while educating the rest of us about our legal rights as patients.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT I always felt that the case of Meador v Stahler and Gheridian would have made a terrific case for the award-winning television show "Boston Legal." I could just picture Alan Shore (brilliantly portrayed by James Spader) eloquently and passionately representing his client while educating the rest of us about our legal rights as patients. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-14013 2009-06-01T12:00:32-07:00 2009-06-01T12:00:07-07:00

All too often health care providers fail to connect a woman's depression with labor and birth after several months have passed since delivery - leaving the mother even more despondent.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT All too often health care providers fail to connect a woman's depression with labor and birth after several months have passed since delivery - leaving the mother even more despondent. tag:mpamedia.com,2008:post-13955 2009-03-01T12:00:32-07:00 2009-03-01T12:00:07-07:00

In addition to learning what to do to support your pregnant/postpartum clients and relieve their common discomforts, part of the prenatal professional training must include how to recognize when a massage should not be provided. And part of the dialogue that you have to establish with your clients is that when you feel a massage should be postponed until after they have been checked by their care providers, you mean it and stand behind your decision. It is not easy to tell a deserving client that her much-coveted massage is not going to happen, but if your pretreatment evaluations are positive, that is the only safe and responsible choice you can make.

By Elaine Stillerman, LMT In addition to learning what to do to support your pregnant/postpartum clients and relieve their common discomforts, part of the prenatal professional training must include how to recognize when a massage should not be provided. And part of the dialogue that you have to establish with your clients is that when you feel a massage should be postponed until after they have been checked by their care providers, you mean it and stand behind your decision. It is not easy to tell a deserving client that her much-coveted massage is not going to happen, but if your pretreatment evaluations are positive, that is the only safe and responsible choice you can make.