June 2005 [Volume 4, Issue 6]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Could Your Prescription(s) Be Harmful to Your Health?
• Using an Electric Toothbrush May Improve Oral Hygiene
• Answers to Your Massage Questions: Highlights From This Month's "Ask a Massage Therapist" Online Forum

From pain to depression to infection, there seems to be a pill for just about everything; it's no surprise then that prescription use is at an all time high in the U.S. A recent study, however, revealed that inappropriate medications are often prescribed to the elderly, putting them at risk for many adverse side effects.

Investigators from Duke Clinical Reasearch Institute in Durham, NC, examined over 700,000 outpatient prescription claims from a national pharmaceutical benefit manager in subjects 65-years or older. The study found that 21 percent of the subjects had filled a prescription for one or more drugs that had been named on the Beers revised list of drugs to be avoided in elderly populations. More than 15 percent filled prescriptions for two drugs on the list, and four percent filled three or more within the same year. Alarmingly, 51 percent of the prescriptions filled were known to have possible severe side-effects.

Before your next trip to the drug store, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of your prescriptions, and ask about those with fewer side effects to avoid suffering potentially severe consequences. Or better yet, ask about nonprescription alternatives to treatment. Massage therapy is an ideal alternative to prescription drugs for pain relief. For more information on the benefits of massage therapy, visit www.massagetoday.com.

Curtis LH, Ostbye T, Sendersky V, et.al. Inappropriate prescribing for elderly Americans in a large outpatient population. Archives of Internal Medicine 2004 (164):1621-25.

You brush three times a day, floss after every meal, and see your dentist twice yearly, but if you aren't using an electric toothbrush, you might be cheating yourself. A recent review of several studies shows that some electric toothbrushes might help reduce plaque by 11 percent and gingivitis by 17 percent over manual toothbrushes.

The review included 42 studies and 3,855 participants, which compared manual, electric and battery-powered toothbrushes with various types of bristle arrangements and motions. The review of the literature concluded that regular brushing with powered toothbrushes containing circular bristle heads that rotate in alternating directions were better at removing plaque and reducing the risk of gum disease than brushing with manual toothbrushes alone.

Although electric toothbrushes may help reduce incidences of plaque and gingivitis, the researchers emphasize the importance of regular brushing "whether the brush is manual or powered" and further indicate that "the results of this review do not indicate that toothbrushing is only worthwhile with a powered toothbrush."

To learn more about general health and wellness, visit www.massagetoday.com.

Robinson P et al. Manual versus powered toothbrushing for oral health. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2.

Question: I get regular massages and find that sometimes the massage will trigger pain in an area that was not bothering me before. Sometimes I have complete relief, which tends to be when she works rather deep. Is she possibly activating but not working out trigger points when she works lighter?

Answer: It's possible to activate a type of trigger point called a "latent trigger point." You probably wouldn't even notice them as they will only become painful when the massage therapist palpates or massages over them. You are right, deeper work like muscle stripping and ischemic compressions will take care of them. If you find these trigger points sore at home you can try heat to help relieve the pain. Some people even find applying cold works better for them.

Question: Any advice on working with children with Spina Bifida Myelomeningocele? Is massage safe and at what age, or are other therapies helpful?

Answer: Spina Bifida Myelomeningocele is a birth defect of the central nervous system. The bones of the spine do not completely form and the spinal canal is incomplete allowing the spinal cord and meninges (the membranes covering the spinal cord) to protrude out of the child's back. These children may suffer with partial or complete paralysis of the legs or lack of sensation. Due to the fact that the spinal cord is exposed it is susceptible to infection (meningitis).

You can try gentle, soothing and slow Swedish massage techniques. Craniosacral work can have a profound effect, too. Gentle joint play especially for the lower limbs may help with spastic muscles. This is a perfect opportunity for the family to learn some simple Swedish massage techniques that can be done at home. It helps infants by improving digestion, sleep, growth and more, but it works both ways -- studies have suggested it also helps relax the parents'anxiety.

Note: Information provided in this Q&A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" online forum, in which massage therapists field questions relative to the massage profession. Readers are encouraged to post their questions at www.massagetoday.com/ask/. Answers should not be misconstrued as a diagnosis, prognosis or treatment recommendation and do not in any way constitute the practice of massage therapy or any other health care profession. Readers should consult their own health care providers for medical advice.

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