Raindrop Aromatherapy

Raindrop Aromatherapy is a gentle yet powerful technique developed from ancient Egyptian and Native American energy principals. These techniques are combined with ancient Tibetan reflexology, various massage techniques and the power of therapeutic grade essential oils to create a truly unique and wonderful experience.



It is a treat to all of the senses, the body, the mind and spirit. Raindrop Aromatherapy is usually performed in silence, giving you the opportunity to sink into a deep state of relaxation and inner connection. Many people drift off to sleep when they receive Raindrop Aromatherapy, aided by the relaxing effects of the essential oils.



Raindrop Aromatherapy massage utilize only the purest, therapeutic grade essential oils. The massage consists of at least 7 different oils and two oil blends applied in a specific sequence, first on spinal reflexes of the feet and then by dripping them along the spine and muscles of the back. They are then massaged into the body using gentle massage techniques. The application of these oils helps to release toxins, balance the body's systems and open the energy flow throughout the entire body. The treatment ends with moist heat applied to the back followed by a gentle neck massage.

TIPS:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

Massage Therapy For Pain Management

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. You might be wondering how to treat your pain, and massage therapy is one option that is showing promise.
Research continues to support the health benefits of massage therapy for pain management. Find out how massage therapy can help these five painful conditions.

1. Low-back Pain - Back pain is a common neurological ailment in the U.S. Research shows that massage therapy can help decrease pain, reduce disability and lower anxiety/depression in low-back pain sufferers.
2. Fibromyalgia - Studies indicate massage therapy can be a beneficial part of an integrative treatment plan for those with fibromyalgia syndrome by reducing pain, improving quality of life and decreasing anxiety, stiffness, fatigue and more.

3. Post-operative Pain - Post-operative pain can complicate recovery, lengthen hospital stays and interfere with a patient’s return to activities. Recent research indicates massage therapy can be effective for reducing pain intensity/severity and anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures.
4. Tension Headaches - According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, tension-type headache is the most common type of headache. Research has shown massage therapy can decrease perceived pain, frequency, duration and intensity for those dealing with tension headaches.
5. Arthritis - Research indicates that 60 minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. In addition, research shows that massage therapy can decrease pain and significantly impact some rheumatoid arthritis patient’s ability to control the mobility of their limbs.

TIPS:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill's in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

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Himalayan Salt Stone Massage and the Benefits

Himalayan salt stones are warmed and massaged over the body to ground and balance the body’s electromagnetic field, central nervous system and meridians. From the ancient primal sea beneath the Himalayan Mountains, these hand-carved salt stones harmonize and revitalize to gently soothe away an accumulation of stress and tension to bring the mind, body and spirit into balance.

What is it like to get a Himalayan Salt Stone Massage

If you ever treated yourself to a hot stone massage you'll find that a Himalayan Stone Massage is similar. However, clients report that they can feel the minerals of Himalayan salt being absorbed into their bodies in addition to the soothing glide of the stone.

Incorporating warm Himalayan salt stone into trigger point massage can provide substantial pain relief as well as mineral benefits.

Softer Moisturized Skin

With over 84 naturally occurring minerals and salts that replenish the body’s largest organ, the skin, you’ll feel your skin radiating during a Himalayan salt stone massage. These salts and minerals are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial, which helps to eliminate harmful toxins that build up in your body.

As your massage progresses, your skin will become tangibly softer and more moisturized.
During the course of a massage with warm Himalayan salt stones, the minerals are absorbed through the skin. The total effect is a profound sense of well-being.

Post Massage Benefits

After your Himalayan salt stone massage, you'll likely notice the following:

• Improved sleep
• Energetically you will feel more centered in body, mind and spirit
• Deep sense of relaxation
• Easier breathing
• Increased blood circulation
• Reduced signs of aging
• Glowing, healthy skin
• Increased sense of well-being
• Sore muscles have been soothed
• A calming of the nervous system
• Light skin exfoliation
• Heated Himalayan salt stones emit negative ions thereby delivering a myriad of health benefits--from higher mental alertness to protection against germs in the air

TIPS:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

Book Your Himalayan Salt Stone Massage Now

Lymphatic Drainage

Two lymphatic disorders that massage therapy—more specifically manual lymphatic drainage (MLD)—has shown some promise in helping are edema and lymphedema.

These conditions can occur for many reasons, including post-operatively (especially for cancer treatments that require lymph node removal), acute injury, orthopedic trauma and some autoimmune conditions, to name a few.

Lymphatic System Basics 

In simplest terms, the lymphatic system is a network of vessels, nodes and organs that work as part of the immune system to carry lymph fluid that is rich in infection-fighting white blood cells throughout the body, while also helping rid the body of waste and excess fluid. In addition to the nodes and vessels, the tonsils, thymus and spleen are all part of the lymphatic system.
Via the circulatory system, blood delivers oxygen, nutrients and hormones to cells and also collects waste. This exchange takes place in the interstitial fluid surrounding the cells. About 90 percent of this interstitial fluid returns to the circulatory system as venous blood. That last 10 percent is lymph fluid, which travels through the body via lymph vessels, passing through lymph nodes, where excess fluid and waste products are filtered out. Here, too, lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells) kill pathogens that might be present.
Lymph can only move in one direction—upward, toward the neck, where it reenters the circulatory system via the subclavian veins. And unlike blood in the circulatory system, which relies on the heart pumping, lymph fluid depends on muscle contractions in the surrounding skeletal muscles to move through the lymphatic vessels.
The average person has approximately 600 to 700 lymph nodes.

Benefits of Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
MLD is generally discussed as a massage technique that works to encourage the natural movement of lymph fluid. “It is a systemic, rhythmic method of purposefully stretching the skin to produce an increase in the volume of flow of the lymph fluid through the filtering system of the body.
For many, the main benefits of MLD are going to be helping reduce edemas and inflammation and prevent lymphedema—the latter being of particular importance as there currently is no cure for lymphedema.

Reduce Edema and Inflammation
One of the biggest benefits of MLD is the quick reduction of edemas that occur, in part, because MLD—unlike some conventional treatments like medication, edema pumps or pulling the fluid out with a syringe—helps move the protein, not just the water. Because of the physiology of the edema, treatments that focus on moving the water component but not the protein molecule can create a cycle of dependency. So people begin to rely on the medication or pump, for example, to move the fluid.
MLD may help the lymph do its job better. By understanding the anatomy and function of this delicate system, your massage therapist can assist your body in clearing sluggish tissues of waste and swelling.


TIPS:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email: info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

WAVECRESTMASSAGE.COM

DIY Herbal Hand Sanitizer

Looking for a quick and easy DIY hand sanitizer recipe? Make a few bottles of this spray hand sanitizer to carry in your purse, store in your vehicle & office, and toss in the baby’s diaper bag. You can easily sanitize and kill germs on the go. Plus, it smells great.

You can get as creative with your hand sanitizer spray as you wish. Create your own blend with essential oils or try one recommend at the bottom of this page. 

INGREDIENTS:

• Purified water
• 5 Drops essential oils
• 5 Drops Witch Hazel
• 1 oz. glass spray bottle
• 5 Drops of Vitamin E
• 5 drops of fresh frozen aloe, or aloe vera gel

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pick and choose the essential oils to meet your desired result, fill ¼ of the bottle with witch hazel and the rest with water.
2. Be sure to shake before each use. It's THAT easy!
3. If you'd like to make an extra moisturizing spray, add some vitamin E and aloe.

Notes

Here are some blends that work great in this highly diluted formula. Choose from below or make one up yourself:

Christmas Blend - Fir Needle (Balsam fir, Douglas fir, White fir), peppermint & vanilla

Deep Breathing Blend - Cardamom, eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary, tea tree

Focus Blend - Cedar wood, frankincense, sandalwood & vetiver

Allergy Blend - Lavender, lemon & peppermint

Immune Boosting Blend - Cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, orange & lemon

Sleepy Time Blend - Roman chamomile, lavender & vetiver

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Massage As A Back - Pain Killer

A regular massage is often considered to be a treat, rather than a necessity. Most people believe that having a massage is good for aches and pains, or can help if they’ve overdone the exercise. Not everybody realizes that massage therapy is also a powerful painkiller that can even be used to help people with back problems to reduce the amount of medication they must take.
Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain and if you’re one of the 31 million Americans who suffers with back pain at some point in their life, you’ll know how miserable it can be. If you are dealing with chronic back pain – which is pain that’s lasted more than three months  it can impact on your daily life, and stop you doing things you want to do. You could be reliant on drugs to keep you mobile or help you sleep.

The vicious pain cycle
If you can no longer exercise pain-free, you might end up in a vicious cycle of inactivity which makes your pain worse, which stops you being active. Or you could just increase your meds but that just masks the problem. Also, some strong pain meds contain painkillers opioids like codeine which can lose their power over time as you build up a tolerance to their effects. They can also have unwanted side effects.
What you need is a way to manage your back pain that is effective but doesn’t have the side effects. Wouldn’t you know it, research has shown that regular massage along with your prescribed medication and any other advice from your healthcare supplier can be so powerful that you might be able to decrease the number of painkillers you need to manage your back pain and start to live a more active life.

How massage can help beat back pain
A massage session doesn’t just relax you, it can help to promote tissue repair, improve the blood circulation and does wonders for your stress levels and mood. Recent research showed that regular massage therapy combined with exercise helped people suffering from chronic back pain to feel less anxious about their condition too. The study, which took place at a pain management clinic in Western New York, involved sixty chronic low back pain patients who were split into two groups. One group received regular massage therapy, twice a week for four weeks, along with their regular treatment, and one group only carried on with their prescribed treatments.
The participants all recorded their own pain levels before and after having massage therapy on a scale of one to ten. There was a significant difference between the pre-and post-treatment pain rating in the group that had regular massage, but the control group who carried on as normal reported no changes to their pain levels.
If you suffer with back pain and want to try something different – book that massage session now.

Types Of Massage

Depending on your goals and situation, your massage therapist may recommend one specific type of massage or a blend of several. These include:

• Swedish or Relaxation Massage -- the most common in America with gentle, light to medium pressure
• Deep Tissue Massage -- deeper pressure across the grain of your muscles
• Hot Stone  -- which uses smooth, heated stones to increase circulation and relax muscles

Each type of massage has its own benefits, so be sure to discuss your back pain with your therapist. You may decide on one particular massage style and repeat it with every visit, or you may decide to combine various styles at different times. Either way, you'll discover how back massage can make you feel more relaxed and relieved of pain, stress and tension.

Tips:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

February Is American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month. A multitude of research shows a correlation between massage therapy and improved cardiovascular health.

Massage Therapy Can Help Lower Blood Pressure Temporarily & Control Stress

In a study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers concluded massage therapy could serve as an effective intervention in controlling blood pressure in pre-hypertensive women. The study showed that the immediate results of lowered blood pressure lasted up to 72 hours after massage. Full study »
A separate study in the same publication had similar findings; those that received regular Swedish massage therapy over a period of four weeks had significantly lower blood pressure than those who did not have a massage. Full study »

Massage Therapy for Reduced Pain, Anxiety and Muscular Tension in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Research published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery indicates that massage therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety and muscular tension, as well as enhance relaxation and satisfaction after cardiac surgery. Full study »

http://www.wavecrestmassage.com/

Tips

For a professional massage, seek out a certified or licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage. Use massage therapy for relaxation, not as an alternative to medical treatment.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

Which is better massage or stretching? 

Massage and stretching are both really helpful ways to keep your muscles relaxed, reduce tension and of course help recovery after an injury.  Stretching helps to get the blood flowing to your muscles, which is great if you’ve injured yourself, or if your muscled are stiff because they’ve contracted due to inactivity.

Giving your muscles a really good stretch can stop your muscles from going into painful spasms or cramps, and stop the knots forming in them that take so much work to get rid of when you have a massage!

Regular massage on the other hand improves your flexibility and range of motion, keeping your joints more fluid and making them less injury prone in the first place. 

What are the differences between massage and stretches - and how do they work together to promote muscle and joint health?

Massage 

What is a massage? Well, stripped right down, massage is simply a word that’s used to describe the manipulation of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue. Of course there are lots of different types of massage, and techniques that are suitable for different things, but when you go for a massage, this is what your therapist will be doing.

What’s massage good for?

We love a massage for general wellbeing, but medically massage is recognized for more than just making you feel good.

Massage can:

 Help strained muscles to heal faster
 Reduce swelling and scar tissue if you’re injured
 Relieve stiffness and tension in your muscles
 Reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and fatigue

Stretching

Stretching does have a lot of similarities to massage, but its main benefit is to relieve the tightness and tension that’s built up in your muscles when you’ve used (and over-used) them.   Having a really good, effective stretch can increase the blood flow to your muscles, and this leads to a better range of motion that helps your joints to stay in alignment
 
What’s stretching good for?

Stretching properly can;

 Improve your circulation
 Boost your nerve health
     Make movement easier
     Improve flexibility

How can massage and a stretching routine work together?

Daily stretching – to a point where you can just feel it pulling on your muscles – can really help to increase your flexibility, and you can feel the effects in a matter of a few weeks.

Enjoying a regular massage helps to keep your body relaxed and flexible. Massage can release trigger points and muscles in spasm, making your stretching routine even more effective. 

You could even opt for a Thai massage which uses stretches and massage all in one session to give your muscles and tendons a really thorough workout. You can also ask your massage therapist for advice if you have any injuries or are experiencing stiffness in your muscles.

http://www.wavecrestmassage.com/

Tips

For a professional massage, seek out a certified or licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage. Use massage therapy for relaxation, not as an alternative to medical treatment.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at roy@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment.