Lets talk about stress!
“Let’s talk about stress baby, let’s talk about you and me.” I haven’t heard that song in a long time! There sure is something about the hair bands of the 80s, isn’t there? The words may have been altered slightly, but only to make us think of how stress affects us in ways we do, and don’t, realize. We need to know stress could be killing us, keeping us from getting pregnant, and everything in between.
Stress is defined as: a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Work, family, traffic, one’s boss, and even the pressure to keep up with the Jones’ can cause stress. Although we generally manage to accommodate all the stressors in our lives, they take a toll. A teenager’s response to stress is to sleep more. That’s often not an option as an adult. We carry on without thinking about the costs, forcing our bodies to manage stress by putting it away for another day; day, after day, after day.
Usually, we don’t even know there’s a problem until something goes wrong. You can blow up a balloon so far until it breaks. The same thing happens with our bodies as we repetitively move or remain positioned in ways we weren’t designed to. For example, neck pain often results from looking at a computer all day. Sometimes you don’t even know there is a problem until it is too late to correct.
Massage therapy can offer relief from the stress of everyday life. Of course, you have to have one to reap the benefits! The benefits of which are a recurring theme in this column. One of them is a reduction in stress related to pregnancy and birth; especially so if you are going through infertility treatments. A time to rest, relax, practice some affirmations, or be in a space all for you, can be just as important as the procedures for infertility.
Just a quick online search will reveal that massage and infertility go hand in hand. Some fertility centers have also discovered the benefits of massage and offer it as an adjunct service. There are also many references to specific massage techniques, which promise fertility without traditional medical treatments.
Do they work? I’m not sure. It doesn’t mean that you can’t employ massage as part of your treatment, although there may be sometimes when massage therapy isn’t appropriate for you. Those concerns are best discussed with your physician.
It might also be a good idea to consult a massage therapist who has pre-natal experience. Your doctor may even know and recommend one. What do you have to lose? At the least, we all could use a massage to reduce stress!
Heather Piper is the owner and primary Muscular Therapist at River Bend Therapeutic Massage in Kennebunk Maine. She has worked at two well-known spas, The White Barn Inn, and the Cliff House Resort & Spa; she had worked with athletes and performers all over New England. She is licensed to practice massage in Maine and Massachusetts. She has a keen knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology. Heather uses her skills to assist the client’s return to physical health. She can be reached via email: heather@ksystems.us, or at her website: riverbendtherapeuticmassage.massagetherapy.com.
ELM™ | Maine
