Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Massage Therapy

Keeping my thoughts straight and myself on task has been something I’ve struggled with since I was a child.  School was hard, good grades never came easy and I often felt “stupid” compared to other kids in my classes.  When I was a child I had no idea that I was struggling with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is a neuro-psychiatric disorder.  It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I learned about ADHD and associated the symptoms that I have had and continue to have with it.  Google along with peers told me that my symptoms could be treated with medication, but I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to ingesting things.  So, I decided to go another route, increased physical activity.  Which looking back to my childhood playing sports and physically tiring myself out seemed to help stabilize and reduce my symptoms.  A few years back when I decided to go back to school to obtain a Bachelor of Health Sciences I thought it was best, in order to do well in school, to get my ADHD diagnosed and treat the symptoms.  With my new-found knowledge and interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I have found yet another way to manage, and possibly cure my symptoms outside of Western medicines way of treating my symptoms with medication.

For those of you that do not know what ADHD is, it is a neuro-psychiatric disorder, “a blanket medical term that encompasses a broad range of medical conditions that involve both neurology and psychiatry”.  (Wolfsdorf 2018).  Western medicine defines ADHD as a “biological condition that’s caused by differences in the development of the brain anatomy and wiring.  It involves a group of key skills known as executive function”.  These functions influence the way a person is able “to focus, organize, use working memory, and other skills”.  (The Understood Team).  At some point in our lives, everyone has shown or have had symptoms of ADHD but in comparison, people with ADHD have a much harder time dealing with the above problems. 

Symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, inability to keep still for any period of time and limited attention spans.  These symptoms typically tend to cause problems for a person that affect their home lives, schooling and relationships with people.  There are three types of ADHD that a person can be diagnosed with.  These are inattentive type, hyperactive/impulsive type or combined type.  Please visit https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd if you would like to see the different symptoms for each type listed above. 

ADHD is diagnosed through medical evaluations and checklists.  Once diagnosed, Western Medicine uses behavioral therapy, medication and parenting as treatment options.  Medication treatments include stimulants such as methylphenidate and amphetamines and non-stimulants such as atomoxetine and guanfacine.  These medications come with a list of potential side effects.  Here are some side effects of stimulants; disruption in sleep, loss of appetite, weight loss, moodiness and irritability, increased blood pressure among many other things.  The following are only a few of the potential side effects of non-stimulants; nausea, loss of appetite, mood swings and fatigue.  It is said some of these side effects tend to diminish after a few days of taking the medications, but some may last the entire duration of treatment.

There has been research done in regard to the effects of massage with people who have ADHD.  The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s blog reflects on a study that showed that, “adolescents who took ten massage treatment classes for two weeks rated themselves as more content than those in comparison who participated in recreation therapy.”   (“Treating ADHD With Massage Therapy” 2014).  In further support, the Silicon Valley Massage therapy group backs that massage is indicated and very beneficial for treatment of ADHD symptoms.  Their blog discusses how “two recent studies conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami reported that regular massage therapy can be an effective treatment for kids and adults with ADHD”.  (“ADHD: Why Massage Works” 2014).  Even with the above research, Western medicine still relies heavily on medication to treat the symptoms and not the root of ADHD.

From a TCM point of view, “ADHD is a condition affecting the mind, thought, and emotion. The main affected systems are the heart, liver, spleen and kidney; the pathogenesis is caused by the imbalance of yin-yang and dysfunction of the Zang-fu (viscera) organs”.  (Ni, et al. 2014).  With ADHD, or any disease there is a disharmony within the body.  By bringing the body back into harmony by use of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, Tui Na (Chinese medical massage), Tai chi chuan and TCM diet therapy, symptoms of ADHD can be decreased and improve overall quality of life.  It is important to know that with the above TCM therapies, there are specific contraindications with each of them.  These can be found here, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265647687_Traditional_Chinese_Medicine_in_the_Treatment_of_ADHD.

An article written by Erik Goldman discusses how Dr. Cowan, a pediatrician who takes a holistic approach to healing, and author of “Fire Child, Water Child: How Understanding the Five Types of ADHD Can Help You Improve Your Child’s Self Esteem and Attention” uses the Five Elements ideas to figure out how to help your child based on their specific personality and type of element that they mirror.  Goldman states that the Five Elements idea is a “theory that every human, in his or her essence, belongs to one of these five “types which colors how one asserts oneself in the world, what one finds attractive or repelling, how one copes with stresses, and how one seeks comfort.”  Dr. Cowan uses this theory to educate children and their parents, based on what type of element they are, “how to both nurture the core elemental tendencies while simultaneously balancing them, so they become assets rather than hindrances.”  (Goldman 2007).  This is done by suggestions on diet and nutrition in conjunction with “acupuncture, guided imagery and other mind-body techniques.”  Treatment with this method is unique to each person.  Just as medications affect people differently and may take several times to get things right, treating and tailoring a plan of care to a person’s element type is necessary to achieve success.

In conclusion, TCM and massage therapy have been proven to be very beneficial with those struggling with symptoms of ADHD.  I can attest to this, as I have decreased medication usage significantly since starting school at Alaska Institute of Oriental Healing, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy. It has been months since I’ve taken any medicine and I managed to write this research paper without any medication at all!!  Doing Qi Gong twice a week, meditation and the occasional massage have done my mind body good!!

References:

Wolfsdorf, Jack. “Neuropsychiatric Disorders.” Nicklaus Children's Hospital, 22 Feb. 2018, www.nicklauschildrens.org/conditions/disorders/neuropsychiatric-disorders.

The Understood Team. “Understanding ADHD.” Understood, Understood.org USA LLC, www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/understanding-adhd.

“ADHD: Why Massage Works.” Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group, 25 July 2014, https://svmassagetherapy.com/blog/2014/07/25/adhd-why-massage-works/.

Ni, Xinqiang, et al. “Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of ADHD.” Research Gate, Oct. 2014, www.researchgate.net/publication/265647687_Traditional_Chinese_Medicine_in_the_Treatment_of_ADHD.

Goldman, Erik. “The Five Faces of ADHD: A Chinese Medicine Approach.” Holistic Primary Care, 1 June 2007, www.holisticprimarycare.net/topics/topics-a-g/acupuncture-a-oriental-med/12-the-five-faces-of-adhd-a-chinese-medicine-approach.html.

“Treating ADHD With Massage Therapy.” Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, 22 Dec. 2014, www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/12/22/treating-adhd-massage-therapy.

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Energy Medicine: Born to Heal

Everything – living or unliving – plant, animal, or organism – large or small - stationary or mobile – thought or action – real or surreal – is energy. This energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it is only transferred or transformed from one form to another. Despite our perceived differences and our experience of separation, we are all made up of the same energy and we are all connected. Within every proton and subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom exists all the energy and information of all the other atoms in the universe. And within every individual lies the ability to connect with universal oneness, the energetic connectivity among all things.

Our thoughts and intentions are powerful forms of energy that fuel our actions and allow us to interact with the world around us. Through our own energetic frequencies, we can attract energy to ourselves, move it within our own bodies and change its frequency, and transfer it to others. This energy exchange can be used to heal ourselves and to assist others in their healing through our energetic connection. 

Many modalities for energy healing exist today, and new possibilities arise in every moment and with every thought. Such energetic healing modalities include reiki, qigong, EFT tapping, kinergetics, yoga, and tai chi, among many others. With each of these modalities, universal energy is transferred, moved, stimulated or dissipated to balance the energy within an individual to promote healing. Our intelligent energetic bodies already know what to do, we only need to open our minds and hearts to allow the energy to flow.

Ho’OponoPono: The Language of my Heart

I’m Sorry.

Please forgive me.

Thank you.

I love you.

Like the lyrics of a song, the powerful words of this meditation resonate through my heart                                                             as a healing mantra with an energetic melody.

I’m sorry for my erroneous thoughts that brought such situations and circumstances into my awareness.

Erroneous is defined as not being in-agreement with what is true. Given that love is our true nature, erroneous thoughts are those that are not grounded in love. Such thoughts may arise from fear of the known and unknown, uncertainty of our own identity or purpose, and are fueled by our active and vivid imaginations. Some thoughts may even be karmic in origin, carried forward from a past remembered or forgotten. In any case though, our thoughts are created by our own power and carried forward as each thought manifests to become the reality of our experience. Therefore, everything that we experience in our awareness is of our own creation. By withholding judgment of the nature of our experiences, we can simply, but powerfully, accept responsibility for our own thoughts. And because we understand that we create some thoughts with intention, and others from uncertainty, we can choose to acknowledge this responsibility for all that is brought into our awareness or life experience.

Forgiveness represents a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense. It offers opportunity to release negative emotions such as vengefulness, however legally or morally justified such offenses may be, and it creates space and ability to give love to a situation or individual, even when such compassion seems unjustified and feels nearly impossible. No matter the offense or the offender, through the ho’ oponopono mediation, forgiveness is requested for the erroneous thought that manifested into awareness as a situation or circumstance. Forgiveness allows healing to occur by bringing our own energy back into balance.

Thank you is a genuine expression of gratitude. This expression, when sincere, carries incredible energy to move any situation or circumstance in a positive direction. Gratitude is grounded in love.

Love is our most readily available, unlimited resource with infinite power. It is the source of life, health and healing. As we sift through our mind’s chatter, we tune into to the language of our heart. 

I love you.

Learning to LOVE MORE: Reflecting on a Spiritual Journey

If you knew the only reason you exist is to LOVE MORE, how would this knowledge change your life?

Let’s first consider, what is love anyway? Love is emotion and action. It is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast. It is not proud or rude. Love is not self-seeking or easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs. It expands through truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love conquers all. And God is love.

Love itself is energy, a vibrational frequency…  and, as an emotion or action, it is an energetic exchange.

If the only reason that we exist in this life is to learn to LOVE MORE, then tremendous energetic burdens can be immediately lifted. Fear, and all associated emotions such as anger, jealousy, lack, and even procrastination can disappear because fear does exist through a lens of love.

This perspective guides me in how I choose to live my life. I work consistently toward this goal… imperfectly, of course, because I am human and learning and growing through my experience. However, it is still my truth and the nature of my being. As I face challenges, make choices big and small, and interact with others in my life, I am constantly redirecting my attention to my spirit and my heart. Reflecting on each scenario and circumstance as they occur, I try to correct my course, and refocus my energy toward thoughts and actions that are rooted in love and communicate love to all who share my experience. While I understand this to be a lofty goal and a work in progress, it is my goal to simply and consistently learn to love more and, ultimately, to become pure love.

Massage Therapy For Asthma

ASTHMA
Western and Chinese Medicine Points of View
Benefits and Considerations of Massage Therapy For Asthma

Western medicine describes asthma as a chronic lung disease, for which there is no cure, and no way to prevent. Risk factors for someone becoming sick are: genetics, allergic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis, exposure to airborne pollutants and chemicals. An asthma attack can be triggered by respiratory infections, physical activity, pollutants, cold air, medications, strong emotions, sulfites, and GERD. (www.mayoclinic.org) Once triggered, an asthma attack causes the airways to become swollen, inflamed and excess mucous is being produced. This makes breathing labored, sometimes with a wheezing sound. These attacks can be minor or life threatening.

Western medical professionals use a specialized, detailed medical plan to treat and control asthma symptoms. The common prescription protocol is a combination of bronchodilators; both rescue and long-acting. Rescue inhalers are used when a person feels like an attack is eminent. Common rescue inhalers are Albuterol, Proventil and Ventolin.  Long-acting corticosteroids used for daily maintenance include; Advair and Symbicort. Both of these contain a combination of long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilators and an inhaled steroid. Long acting beta-agonist bronchodilators raise the risk of death from asthma and should only be used as additional treatment for people who are using an inhaled steroid. (www.webmd.com) Other common side effects of bronchodilators include jittery feeling, racing or irregular heartbeat, upset stomach, insomnia, and muscle cramps. The Mayo Clinic warns that, “overusing asthma medications can cause side effects and may make your asthma worse.” Western physicians stress the importance of staying on your medication regimen even if you feel good. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) does not have one single diagnosis for asthma. It divides the respiratory conditions into two categories: breathlessness and wheezing.  Similar to western medical points of view, airborne pollutants factor into the cause of the distressed breath. The irritants adhere to latent mucous within the lungs. When phlegm and the congested lung qi fuse, they obstruct the airway making it difficult to breathe. (Essentials of Chinese Medicine: Internal Medicine by Anshen Shi, Bridge Works Publishing Group, October 1, 2003)

TCM states that the lung Qi is affected by wind cold or wind heat. Excess wind cold-contracts and inhibits dispersion of lung qi. Wind heat-obstructs by forming damp mucous and blocks the descent of lung qi. Mucous is the fluid of the Metal element. The capacity to cough is the Metal element’s power. Coughing is the capacity to eliminate unwanted waste, physical waste or emotional waste. Irritants from the environment enter the airway and signal the cough…a forceful burst of air to expel the irritant. (www.thetaoofwellness.com) A Metal imbalance can present as a congestion in the lungs. A congestion representing cloudy thoughts or feelings.

Improper diet that disrupts the healthy functioning of the spleen generates phlegm-dampness. This also blocks the descent of lung qi. Strong negative emotions like worry and anger create dysfunction in descending and dispersing lung qi. Chronic stress on the lung qi and yin eventually damages the kidney essence. Water metabolism will be impaired. Deficient qi fails to transform fluids and phlegm is generated. (“Essentials of Chinese Medicine: Internal Medicine,” First Edition, by Anshen Shi, Bridge Works Publishing Group, October 1, 2003)

 TCM points of view believe that the respiratory system affects the entire mindbody. It is a major contributor to the blood flow. According to TCM the function of the lungs is to receive qi from the heavens. They receive pure energy and infuse it into our complete mindbody. Points along the stomach, large intestine, spleen, bladder and kidney meridian pathways, as well as the lung meridians are used in acupuncture to return the lung qi into balance so it can once again receive and infuse pure energy from the heavens. (“Fundamentals of Chinese Acupuncture,” Revised Edition, Ellis, Wiseman and Boss, Paradigm Publications, 2004)

Massage therapy has consistently shown positive results for asthma patients. It helps reduce anxiety, and minor coughing and congestion frequently associated with asthma. It has been recommended for children as a compliment to traditional medical treatments.

 Keep client in the prone position longer if possible as it helps in oxygenation. During massage concentrate on respiratory muscles. Work with client on diaphragmatic breathing. Finish with tapotement, making certain you stop to allow the client to expectorate if necessary.

Contraindications for massage therapy:

·       Determine patient’s asthma triggers. Remove if present

·       Do not exhaust with over treatment

·       Avoid compression of xyphoid and floating ribs

·       Treatment during acute attack is contraindicated

·       Postural drainage with severe conditions of the heart and lungs

·       Tapotement over bony prominences

·       Ask client if osteoporosis is present 

                                                 (Source: www.massagetherapyreference.com)

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease

By Cristina G. June 7, 2019

I use to work as a nurse aide in an assisted living home in Anchorage about ten years ago. At that time, I met a kind, soft spoken doctor while working there. He was in great shape for his age, I’d say he was in his 60’s. But rather than working for our facility, he was being admitted for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top ten leading disease in the US. Alzheimer’s disease was discovered in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer. It is a form of dementia with no current cure. It is also the most common cause of dementia. The cause is still unknown, but it effects mainly the elder population. An estimated 5.8 million Americans are living with this disease.   The majority of people with Alzheimers is 65 and over. Roughly 200,000 are under 65 and that is known as younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

Symptoms occur slowly (known as early-onset Alzheimer’s) and worsen over time. Early onset Alzheimer’s disease symptoms include memory loss like who your grandchildren are. Forgetfulness, such was leaving the stove on. Hard time finishing something that a was once so simple, like putting the dishes away. Decision making, even if it is something simple as which color you want. And confusion with being oriented to time and place, such as thinking your a teenager again living in the south. Changes in mood, withdrawing from people, and depression are also symptoms and they worsen over time. At the ALH I use to work at, there was a lady who would ask us about the ship we were on all the time. She’d confuse the ALH with a cruise ship and we would correct her, but it was always a ship to her. 

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. But there are things you can do to delay early onset of Alzheimers. Keeping your mind sharp by doing activities such as reading, learning new things, cross word puzzles, keeping a journal or writing stories. Things that help keep the mind going. The more active you are physically and mentally the better it is for your body, as there is evidence that dementia is lower for people more active in these aspects of life. 80% of people with Alzheimers disease have cardiovascular disease. Reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease may reduce your chances of Alzheimer’s disease (along with many other disease such as heart attacks and strokes) It’s recommended to do things such as exercise, eat healthy, quit smoking, drinking alcohol…all the things your regular doctor tells you to do. 

This disease is irreversible. There is no cure but there is medication that can help with early and middle stages of AD. There are medications for every stage of AD.

In China, many herbs are used to help treat AD. A quote from an article cited down below: “According to TCM theory, AD is assumed to be correlated with kidney essence vacuity and turbid phlegm blocking upper orifices. The whole cognitive function may worsen because of the aggravation of kidney essence vacuity, deficiency of blood and qi, and phlegm and may eventually lead to multiple cognitive domains impairment in the progress of AD [52].”

“In recent years, scientists have isolated many active constituents from herbs, such as huperzine A, which can alleviate AD and neurodegenerative syndrome with fewer side effects than conventional drugs.”

The benefits of massage therapy for someone with AD:

Studies have found an increase in dopamine and serotonin. Decreased agitation and aggression, and better sleep. When working at an ALH, I can tell you some of the only touch elders get is when they are being helped out of bed, to the bathroom, getting dressed. You would be surprised at how little family visits them, let alone lovingly touches them. This article said it was more like being “handled” than being touched, which is something I can agree with. Weather you take a western approach or a TCM approach or both, massage and touch has many benefits. 

As someone who has worked in healthcare for many years, I have witnessed “the nursing home burnout” first hand, and patients with dementia is one of the many reasons.  The patient who becomes lonely, depressed, agitated and aggressive would highly benefits from touch and massage, and a friendly conversation. It may calm them down, make them happy, less aggressive, easier to redirect. 

Reducing risk of early onset of Alzheimer’s disease:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php

American Population with Alzheimer’s:

https://www.alz.org/facts

Early onset of Alzheimer’s disease:

https://www.healthline.com/health/alzheimers-disease/signs-of-early-onset-alzheimers

TCM quote from article: 

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/642128/

Study of massage therapy benefits:

https://dailyhealthalerts.com/6-benefits-of-massage-for-alzheimers-patients/

Natural Treatments for SCIATICA

SCIATICA

Definition

Sciatica, also called sciatic neuritis, is a painful condition caused by problems with the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest single nerve in the human body. It is composed of the fourth and fifth lumbar nerves and the first three sacral nerves. It runs from the lower back down the posterior of each leg. (See photo below).

Symptoms

The pain is usually described as burning or shooting pain in the lower back, buttocks, or one or both legs. Numbness of the legs or even muscular wasting may be observed in advanced cases.

Causes

Pressure on the sciatic nerve can be caused by swollen or herniated discs, protrusions on the spinal vertebra, or inflamed piriformis muscles.

Treatment

In Western Medicine sciatica is generally treated with prescription painkillers and bed rest. Surgery is considered a last resort because the scarring can cause additional pressure and pain.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine there are multiple approaches which are most effective when used in combination. These include acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, Tui Na or Chinese Massage, properly balanced diet, exercise, and rest, Qi Gong breathing, and stress management which can include meditation. The objective of the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach is to restore the essential flow of Qi and the proper balance of Yin and Yang within the body. There are no contraindications for use of massage therapy in the treatment of sciatica.

References

https://www.sustainhealth.com.au/blog/sciatica-treatment-chinese-medicine/

https://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/alternative/care-your-low-back-according-traditional-chinese-medicine-tcm