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How do you treat yourself when you get shoulder pain or back pain.

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Hey Quincy,

Karina Braun started a great group about this at http://www.massageprofessionals.com/group/CreatingPeacewithYourHands

and Ariana Vincent has one at http://www.massageprofessionals.com/group/SelfCareAndBodyMechanics

Hope this helps!
I try to avoid reaching that point by recieving massages every other week and getting adjustments for not only my back but my shoulders, elbows, and wrists once or twice a month.
If I do feel pain that's more than the occasional stress from a hard day of deep tissue and I have a feeling it's not just going to go away, I bump up my massage and/or chiropractor appointment accordingly.
I also use therapeutic grade Peppermint essential oil along my neck and follow the traps down between the shoulder blades to decrease imflammation that might occur after a particularly hard day.
Stretching the neck and self massage of the neck by lacing fingers and working the thumbs down along the c-spine is helpful, along with using a tennis ball between the shoulder blade and spine while pressing/leaning against a wall to help relieve tension.
And never under-estimate heat/ice as well as the power of epsom salts in a warm bath.
Thanks for the replies these are really helping me. I really do need to watch out for myself more.
I do yoga stretches and try to get regular massages with trades from friends. This is my prevention. If I do have pain though, I use ice, stretch, and get a massage and/or chiropractic. Basically, I try to practice what I preach!
Ice, take Arnica (Arnica Montana) for soreness, swelling, healing.
I use a theracane. We get trigger points back-neck-shoulders just
like our clients. But we can't reach back to treat our own trigger points
there. A theracane has been a life-saver for me. It reaches where-ever
you need it to. Positioning can be a little awkward, but it works!
Never underestimate the power of regular massage! I hope you are able to find someone to trade with. I have a few people I trade with, so I get 1-2 massages per month, and could probably use more. Don't be afraid to ask your fellow therapists to trade, I know I'm grateful when someone asks. My trading partners and I always schedule different days to give and receive, so we get the full benefits.

I also use a theracane-like device for my stubborn trigger points (earned from a car accident long before my massage career), and second the Arnica (I use it topically) and Epsom Salt remedies. (I send Epsom Salts home with my clients, so, like Mona said, try to practice what you preach).
Remember, just like in the airplane, put your oxygen mask on before assisting others. In other words, take care of yourself first, so you can take the best care of others. :)

I hope you feel better!
I get a massage once a week for an hour and a half so I usually don't get back or neck pain. I also go frequently to a korean womens spa for infrared saunas and bodyscrubs. I started paying for those sessions too about 5 years ago and I will never do another trade again. It is so much better to just pay and have that time all for yourself.
Check this video out...some great yoga self care stretches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdmVIBdbFNI

And most of all , get worked on regularly!!! I can't believe how many tell me they can't remember their last massage. Oh no!
I have a toddler at home, so btw 12 sessions a week, and carrying her, my upper body gets quite a workout. I have become a big fan of Clair Davies TP books for self care. We learned TP work in school, but it wasn't until I began reading his books (the frozen shoulder one first, and now the TP manual) that I began having real success in treating my own TP pain. I use a tennis ball, my theracane, or massage star, depending on the location, and usually get quite rapid relief. An added bonus is that it has really sharpened my trigger point work in session, as well as giving me useful self-care techniques to share with my clients.
lol, Well I put a little bit of cream and then visit my friend who is Massage Therapy too. :-D

I worked part time, self employed at City Healing premises where I have been practising colonic irrigation and sports massage therapy for the last 4 years.On a number of occasions I have had a variety of treatments from colleague (Anthony Agius) and also treated him myself in what ever possible way I can.

When I started out originally with my Thai Massage career, I ended up with a nasty thumb joint infection from overworking it. It took me two years to totally get rid of it. During that time I learned how important it is to learn how to use as many body parts as possible to reduce the stress on thumbs and wrists, and I learned how to not work with muscle power and use body weight as much as possible to prevent shoulder problems. I made it a point to learn best ergonomic practices, and as a result I managed to stay relatively pain and problem free for the last 15 years. So for me the best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from happening. I had to learn it the hard way by doing it wrong first, but this painful experience taught me some of the most valuable lessons in my career.

Luckily I am married to a massage therapist and we work on each other all the time to reduce our aches and pains or keep them at bay.

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