FAQ

FAQ

Simply put, the word ‘myopain’ means muscle pain. It means the same thing as myofascial pain. The word ‘myofascial’ refers to muscle tissue (myo) and the connective tissue that envelopes and separates muscles like shrink-wrap (fascia). Note the spelling of ‘fascia’ which is pronounced /FASH ee uh/ is different than ‘facial’ which refers to the face.

Trigger point massage can help you run faster, sing louder, use less pain medication, stand longer, lift more weight, be more patient, be able to turn your head, take a deeper breath, and solve your chronic pain. Other benefits of trigger point massage include increased range of motion, decreased muscle stiffness and tension, reduction in headaches, improved flexibility, improved circulation, and fewer muscle spasms.

Those who may benefit the most include people coping with chronic pain such as low back pain, chronic myofascial pain syndrome, frozen shoulder, fibromyalgia, thoracic outlet syndrome, sciatica, TMJ dysfunction, tendinitis, bursitis, plantar fasciitis and many other conditions. Migraine headache and carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers have also greatly benefited from trigger point therapy. It is commonly used to treat athletic injuries, muscle stiffness and tension.

A brief list of examples includes aneurysm, atherosclerosis, cancer, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, peritonitis, or polycystic kidney disease. Other conditions that are contraindicated for massage therapy include, cirrhosis, pitting edema, blood clots, broken bones, deep vein thrombosis, embolism, fainting, uncontrolled high blood pressure, intestinal obstruction, lymphangitis, myocarditis, rheumatoid arthritis, tumors, seizures, kidney failure, and tuberculosis, just to name a few. If you are under a doctor’s care it is advised that you receive approval for massage prior to treatment.

There are many other acute conditions including the obvious, such as fever, skin infection or contact dermatitis, and systemic infection such as a cold or virus that would need to be cleared up before massage. (Adapted from Trigger Point Therapy Workbook 2013).

Amber is a certified myofascial trigger point therapist with a license and foundational background in massage therapy. She also studies and practices orthopedic massage and neuromuscular massage techniques but is not certified in those modalities. So that means she tries to figure out the big picture behind WHY you have pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction, then tries to solve it. You can also expect some homework in the form of self-treatment techniques. The dentist requires you to brush and floss your teeth doesn't she?

Lynne practices trigger point therapy and provides a deeply relaxing and therapeutic blend of Swedish, deep tissue, and trigger point massage, alongside intuitive energy, and various stretching techniques. Think, ‘very yummy’ that lasts. Click here to see full bios for Amber and Lynne (Lance: Please make the words Amber & Lynne the link to the Our Team tab and their specific bios). Visit our ‘Treatment’ tab for information on services offered and pricing.

Self-treatment allows you to treat your own body using tools such as a rubber ball against the wall. Did you know that you can massage your own back with a tennis ball? Self-care allows you to benefit from multiple daily treatments wherever you are, without appointments, expensive equipment or time off work. This means that you can have pain relieve whenever and wherever you need it.

That depends! First, it depends on the type of massage you get and the goal. Swedish massage, which is the most common type of massage, is more superficial on the skin. It feels very soothing, relaxing and is great for stress relief. Massage should feel good, or even better, what we call “therapeutically delicious”. It should be as much pressure as you want, no more or no less. This is not “no pain, no gain”. When it comes to treating pain, it seems that less is more. For most people it works well to calm the over-stimulated nervous system while treating the soft-tissue. It is important to listen to your body and your intuition. Your body is smarter than any expert you will ever meet. It is important to give your therapist feedback during the massage. The massage therapist won't know if it's too much or too little unless you communicate.

No, it is more important that you feel comfortable and relaxed. If you prefer not to disrobe we recommend that you dress comfortably in loose fitting clothes such as yoga or sweat pants and a t-shirt, if possible. Sometimes the therapist will prefer you to be clothed to make stretching and changing positions for treatment easier. Some massage therapy techniques feel more relaxing skin to skin. Many people take off their shirts, bras, and pants but leave their underwear on.

No, you will disrobe in private in the treatment room.

Yes. The massage table will be outfitted with clean sheets for you to be comfortable and warm. It is out of our scope of practice as licensed professional massage therapists to engage in any kind of sexual activity - ever (just kidding – you know, at work as a massage therapist). A level of modesty is required. To treat areas such as the inner thigh or abdomen the top sheet (or sometimes a towel) will be draped appropriately to cover areas usually covered by your bathing suit.

Welcome to the club. Come for treatment anyway. New Day Myopain Center is for real people with real bodies just like you. All are welcome.

Most people experience immediate relief that lasts at least a few days. It depends on your individual pain situation. Ideally you will feel great after one session. Chronic pain often takes longer to unravel but you should have increasing levels of relief with each session. If you only have relief for 10 minutes or a couple of hours then it’s possible the root of the problem was missed. We’d rather figure out the right level of treatment for your individual body rather than make you worse by being too aggressive at first.

You may feel some soreness to the touch in the areas that were treated. New pain or worse pain is not so good but can happen even if the treatment felt right at the time. In this case, it is helpful to ice the inflamed area for 10-15 minutes every few hours or until the pain subsides. It is possible to flare up latent trigger points but ice will usually calm them down quickly. If you don’t have a good response, please let us know, we can often help or at the very least learn from the experience. And stay calm, the worst case scenario is that an unexpected flare up will last a couple of days at the worst. Muscle responds to stress. Working on staying calm is always a good solution.

Each person is unique and it’s not easy to determine a treatment plan until you have an assessment and give the treatment a try. In every session, we will look at the progress that has been made. We are continually asking “What else?” If we can’t help you, we will tell you and suggest another practitioner if appropriate. People with less complicated or more acute conditions may only require a couple of treatments while others who suffer from chronic pain will need a longer term treatment plan. It’s a process. You probably didn't get into pain overnight and it won’t go away overnight either. That’s where the self-treatment education really makes a difference.

As a part of your treatment plan, we will teach you self-treatment so you can have therapy every day and get better faster. Daily self-care really makes a big difference. Here is an example, how healthy would your teeth be if you only brushed once a month? Not so pretty, huh? Same thing with your muscles and we are the muscle experts.

Of course! We welcome family and friends. Often spouses and other close relations provide important details or observations clients leave out or forget. If it makes you feel comfortable, they are welcome to be in the room during your treatment.

Yes. Amber treats children old enough to communicate verbally. I can also teach parents how to treat their children.

Unfortunately we do not accept insurance. If you have a prescription for massage therapy from your physician we will be happy to provide a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Our regular rate is $80.00 per session. A session lasts 60-75 minutes. We also offer specifically tailored treatment packages on an as needed basis. Visit our Treatment tab for more detailed information.

We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and AMEX.

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