GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING  Ideas for comfort that don’t have to be plugged in!
by Karen Kowal, R.N., NCTMB, President/CEO 

Pain can interrupt the best of times. Just about everyone has experienced aches and pains or they may have a loved one living with pain on a daily basis. A recent random survey of over 5000 adult patients from 29 general practices revealed chronic pain (three months or more) is reported by over 57% of those in the age group of 55-64 years of age. Holiday times are no different. Remembering this can be a key to gifts that keep on giving throughout the year. Give a loved one…or yourself, a unique gift that offers benefits and won’t be tucked away or soon forgotten.

The most common approach we have for dealing with aches or pains is reaching for a pill from the medicine chest. But there is an increasing awareness that there are options and choices. For many, there are unpleasant side effects of medicine taken by mouth. For others, it is a choice of looking for a way to affect the cause of the pain, rather than the symptoms. Increased awareness of using natural or alternatives to medicine is being rapidly embraced by those looking for more proactive measures.

For new symptoms involving pain, the first place to go is to your health practitioner. For long-standing problems like arthritis, fibromyalgia, repetitive stress, difficulty relaxing or sleeping, headaches there are a number of solutions that can lead to loving gifts that will keep the gift-giver.

HOT AND COLD…a simple surprise!

Long used for comfort or pain reduction, these simple approaches are often overlooked. In a survey directed by Nurse Practitioners in rural Michigan on older patients, it was discovered that patients they interviewed with chronic pain ONLY saw medication as their option for relief. The second year of the study, the Nurse Practitioners taught a control group of this same group how to use hot and cold Herbal Flax packs to relieve common aches and pains. This not only saved money and potential side effects from medication were avoided. The results confirmed that the use of heat and cold can offer options to medicine…and offered the patients safe and effective solutions for pain they could safely control.

Flax and Herbal pillows offer warmth and deep penetrating heat. Available anytime night or day, these provide many shapes and sizes to relieve wide variety of recurring aches and pains. Warming in the microwave for seconds or minutes will activate the aromatic herbs and spices (they also come unscented) for soothing aromatherapy that immediately relaxes the muscles and mind. Lavender, blended with other spices and herbs, can help headaches, relaxation, pain and sleep.

The immediate comfort and pleasing aromas of herbs help provide a memorable comfort for shoulders, necks, backs, knees, hands or feet. Eye Pillows come in handy at bedtime or when unpleasant sinus or migraine headaches occur. Pains and aches become easier to manage and each use is a reminder of the loved one who gave this as a present! Special designs for shoulders, aching hands or feet, neck, low back, knees, ankles and hips. Flax pillows can also be chilled to provide therapeutic cold for strains and sprains or to relieve some types of swelling.

MASSAGE…not just a luxury!

Massage certificates can open a new door for pain and relaxation management for many conditions. A gift as first experience can lead to discovering an effective method of relieving and managing long-standing tension and pain. Massage is used for relaxation and stress reduction, for decreasing chronic pain, for speeding recovery after certain health conditions and can reduce edema or swelling. Massage can help lower blood pressure and increase sedation or help increase range of motion and ease of movement by reducing stiffness. Massage can also be beneficial if any of the following exist; back and neck pain, insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure circulatory disorders, anxiety and depression or for pain in the musculoskeletal system. Check with your health care provider if you have questions about the effectiveness of massage for you.

For those of you who have not yet tried massage, here are some of the things that will help you become more comfortable with a healthy new experience! Massage therapy is now regulated in the state of Missouri to assure you of professional and safe therapists. A therapist who is a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) will have met the minimum requirements of 500 hours of training and education in our state. These new guidelines require the therapist obtaining continuing education credit to maintain licensure.

You may note that the therapist you visit may indicate he or she is an AMTA (American Massage Therapist Association) member. This means they meet the standards for belonging to this national professional organization. When you see ‘NCTMB’ by a therapist’s name, this verifies they are a Nationally Certified Therapist of Massage and Bodywork and required criteria and testing standards have been achieved. Many therapists may specialize in certain styles or techniques of massage. Talk to any massage therapist and feel free to ask them about techniques they use…they will be happy to explain! For special conditions, feel free to ask how long a therapist has been in practice. Try several therapists over time to discover the style and outcome you desire.

Your session will be private and respectful. Your massage should never feel painful or uncomfortable…make certain you speak up if the therapist touch is more than you find relaxing for your first massages. You will learn that pain is measured in a 1-10 manner. The good therapist listens to your needs and does not go deeper than you can tolerate. As you become more accustomed to massage, certain techniques will be better tolerated and cause less tenderness. Work with your therapist and understand the goals for more intense or deeper bodywork.

Your privacy is respected. Your body will be covered except for the portion that is being worked on. For instance, the leg only is undraped as that extremity is massaged. The rest of you is toasty warm and covered. There are some types of massage that do not require removal of clothing. Just ask! Music, Essential Oils, warming treatments and spa treatments may be included…find the level of therapy and the cost you desire… and then simply enjoy! Just a reminder… more insurance plans are beginning to cover medical massages. Don’t hesitate to ask your health-care Practitioner or therapist so they can work as a team for your benefit.

PURE ESSENTIAL OILS…therapy from plants!

The use of concentrated oils from flowers, leaves, roots, seeds, resins for health and relaxation is an ancient science and art known as Aromatherapy. Evidence shows distilling plants for the natural oils traced back several thousand years before Christ. A French chemist coined the word ‘Aromatherapy’ less than 100 years ago.

Concentrated liquids (Pure Essential Oils) from the plant life are distilled, cold-pressed or obtained in other manners to offer specific liquids that can effect the emotions, skin, used for relief of pain, for relaxation and for other conditions. The oils affect the brain where emotions are triggered as they are inhaled. The minute particles can be absorbed through the tiny blood vessels in the lungs and absorbed through the skin during topical application. Oral intake is to be avoided unless directed by a physician or experienced Professional Aromatherapists. More advanced and popular in Europe, there is increasing research being done on the effects of Pure Essential Oils, especially in England.

Though an age-old approaches, we are seeing an increasing study of the true science of Aromatherapy, use and application in the USA in the past few decades. Aromatherapy is the application of these oils, each with their specific aroma and profile of therapeutic properties for a wide range of uses. Care should be taken to use these concentrated liquids in safe ways. Select the oils for the properties you desire. Look for information about the safety and application of the Essential Oils.

Essential Oils rarely are used alone for topical application. They should be added sparingly to natural oils such as almond, grapeseed or virgin olive oil for massage. Essential oils can be added to bath, dabbed on tissue, dispersed in a diffuser, or add to massage oils as mentioned. Find quality oils in your specialty stores where you can also find supportive information. A few more common Essential Oils for aching are listed here. Add 1-3 drops to a teaspoon of carrier oil for massage for muscles or joints.

Look for the type of oil and the Latin name for the plant that the Pure Essential Oil is obtained from. These fine oils will always very in price from oil to oil dependent on availability, quantity or plant life required for it’s oil and methods used. Certain Essential Oils such as Lavender (lavendula angustifolia), Eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus), Clary Sage (salvia sclarea), Peppermint (mentha pipenta) and Marjoram (origanum majorena) are more easily used and effective for massage and beginners to use.

A diffuser and a few small containers of Pure Essential Oils create a unique gift that lingers and can be enjoyed for a long time. Be aware that ‘fragrance oils’ are NOT Essential Oils and do not carry forth any form of therapy.

YOGA, T’AI CHI, …the stretching that really counts!

Moving the body using age-old techniques using stretching, improving balance, breathing and releasing tension will often decrease pain and aching. Most importantly, these techniques increase range of motion, improve circulation and decrease problems with balance. There are different skill levels and it is important to inquire about level of ability needed. A gift certificate for classes is a welcome gift. Look for established classes at Yoga Centers locally or check your athletic or community center. These movement techniques for reaching optimum health are as effective as they were thousands of years ago and are now being recommended by increasing numbers of health professionals.

Gifts of health can be those special touches that open new doors. Join your friend or family member as you explore new options. Bookstores, health food stores, your yellow pages and local magazines can lead you to new opportunities and options for gifts and exploring new interest areas. Alternative and natural solutions are often the most gentle methods for improving health and prevention of increased aches and pain…and most enjoyable!

Karen Kowal, RN, NCTMB is president of Mother Earth Designs, Inc. and designer of Mother Earth Pillows® and devoted to offering options for natural health maintenance.