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INJURY ∙ INFLAMMATION ∙ PAIN ∙ MASSAGE THERAPY

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MASSAGE AND ACUPUNCTURE DOES WONDERS FOR ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN

MUSCLE CRAMPS ∙ TRIGGER POINTS ∙ MASSAGE THERAPY & ACUPUNCTURE

If you’ve ever had shoulder pain, then you understand just how miserable it can be. Your shoulders carry heavy loads of your day-to-day activities. When faced with a miserable shoulder pain, your life changes. You could no longer perform your work. You could no longer enjoy your leisure time such as a round of golf, or even as simple as walking the dog. Sleeping could be seriously disturbed.

What could you do with shoulder pain?

I trust from my clinical experience, that massage could be the best solution to most shoulder pain. There are many causes of shoulder pain. But the most common causes are overuse injuries and chronic muscle inflammation associated with bad postures, extended hours of desk work, and stress. The structures mostly involved shoulder pain includes 3 muscles: infraspinatus, trapezius and lavator scapula. Infraspinatus pain could be extremely troublesome. It is very common with long hour mouse users.

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You may have shoulder pain all over the shoulder area- deep, achy, and traveling down to your arm. You may have difficulties with using mouse and keyboard, doing bra and even finding a proper arm position to sleep. Even worse, you do not know that all the troubles come from this mysterious muscle right covers the back of your shoulder blade! It is very often misdiagnosed by medical doctors. Trapezius is the second most troubling muscle causing your shoulder pain. Lots of people carry their stress over their shoulders. Trapezius is the key muscle which is affected in over-stressed conditions. Your shoulders may become extremely tight and painful. Trigger points in this muscle often cause bad neck pain and tension headache.

Lavator scapula is less troublesome. However, it is almost universal-every person may suffer from Levator scapula pain at varied time or severity. When it is affected, you may feel knots in the middle of your shoulders right at the upper corner of your blades.

It may also cause neck stiffness and neck pain.

Massage might be the best solution to shoulder pains associated with the injuries of the above mentioned 3 muscles, namely, infraspinatus, trapezius and levator scapula. Massage forces those muscles to relax and gives break time to the constant working muscles. Massage removes the inflammatory waste products from the inflamed muscles. Massage break down adhesions and scar tissues in the chronic inflamed structures. Massage does wonders. Miracles do happen quickly!

Written by Matthew Tian

Matthew Tian is a registered massage therapist, certified practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. He is the clinical director of Meridian Massage & Physiotherapy located in South Oakville Centre. Matthew was a neurologist before he immigrated to Canada. He was both trained in traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. He also earned a Master’s degree in physiology.