The Royal Oasis Massage Center

This explains what is inflamation

🔈 INFLAMMATION: TISSUE RESPONSE TO INJURY

The inflammatory response is a natural defence mechanism that is triggered whenever body tissues are damaged in any way. Most of the body defence elements are located in the blood and inflammation is the means by which body defence cells and defence chemicals leave the blood and enter the tissue around the injured or infected site. Inflammation occurs in response to physical trauma, intense heat and irritating chemicals, as well as to infection by viruses and bacteria.

The inflammatory response:

1. prevents the spread of damaging agents to nearby tissues
2. disposes of cell debris and pathogens
3. sets the stage for the repair process.

The four cardinal signs of inflammation are redness, heat, swelling and pain. Many experts consider impairment of function to be the fifth cardinal sign of inflammation.

The inflammatory process begins with chemical “alarms” a series of inflammatory chemicals that are released in the extracellular fluid. Injured tissue cells, phagocytes, lymphocytes, mast cells and blood proteins are all sources of inflammatory mediators, the most important of which are histamine, kinins, prostaglandins, complement, and lymphokines.

Though some of these mediators have individual inflammatory roles as well, they all promote dilation of the small blood vessels in the vicinity of the injury. As more blood flows into the area local hyperemia (congestion with blood) occurs which accounts for the redness and the heat of the inflamed area.

These chemicals also increase the permeability of local capillaries. Consequently, exudates, fluid containing proteins such as clotting factors and antibodies, seeps from the bloodstream into the tissue spaces.

This exudate is the cause of the local oedema or swelling that in turn, presses on adjacent nerve endings, contributing to a sensation of pain. Pain also results from the release of bacterial toxins, lack of nutrition to the cells in the area, and the sensitising effects of released prostaglandins and kinins. If the swollen and painful area is a joint, normal movement may be inhibited temporarily in order for proper healing and repair to occur.

Although at first, oedema may seem to be detrimental to the body, it isn’t. The entry of protein-rich fluids into the tissue spaces helps to dilute harmful substances, which may be present, brings in large quantities of oxygen and nutrients necessary for the repair process, and allows the entry of clotting proteins which form a gel like fibrin mesh in the tissue space that effectively isolates the injured area and prevents the spread of bacteria and other harmful agents into the adjacent tissues. It also forms a scaffolding for permanent repair.

All of the organs in your body have specific muscles associated with them. For example, a knee muscle called the popliteus is related to the gallbladder. It's not uncommon for people with gall bladder dysfunctions, such as stones, to experience knee pain as a result.

Breathing and posture

🔈 REDEFINE YOUR SPINE - BREATHE INTO YOUR BACK

Most people do not pay enough attention to their daily posture and everyday movement habits, and it can have long-term health consequences if left unimproved. Your breath and posture are undeniably intertwined. Good posture cannot happen if the breath is trapped, restricted, or underused.

What’s more, your posture directly impacts the way your body breathes. Excess pressure on the body’s respiratory diaphragm and intercostal muscles alter the ability of those muscles to dynamically contract and lengthen to their fullest. Ever heard the term “chest breather”? This implies that a person is not fully using their diaphragm and has limited their breath’s movements to the rib cage, neck and shoulder muscles that kick in to help the body breathe when the diaphragm fails.

A chest breather’s posture will alter over time to accommodate the habit of “bad breath.” Bad posture follows you around like a shadow. It shows up in the way you stand while cooking breakfast, waiting in line, or working at your desk, in your form while you exercise, within your yoga routines and even in the way you sleep. Our physical structure begins to adapt to our inefficient position and over time we can develop chronic aches and pains that are directly related to how we carry ourselves in the world.

The spine is intimately connected with the respiratory diaphragm, and understanding their symbiotic relationship will help steer your posture improvement in the right direction. The diaphragm is a parachute-shaped muscle that lines the lower six ribs and the last six vertebrae of thoracic spine. (The thoracic spine has 12 vertebrae, all of which attach to ribs.) The diaphragm also hooks into the front side of most of the lumbar (low back) bones.

Organizing these bones and toning the diaphragm helps rearrange the tension patterns of the spine from the inside-out and provides a more efficient lattice for the diaphragm to elongate and contract upon.

The following exercise targets the back of the diaphragm and the spinal bones and joints that connect with this most important breath muscle.

RIB ROCK

1. Lie on your back and place two tennis balls along the left side of the spine in the mid-back region.

2. Breathe slowly into the ribs and rock from side-to side and allow the balls to massage in towards the rib joints. Do this for 1-2 minutes on left side of spine, then switch sides. Next, move the balls slightly lower or slightly higher along the thoracic spine and ribs and repeat.

HOW IT WORKS:

This exercise uncorks tension along the upper back and spine so that the spinal bones regain fluidity and mobility. This frees up trapezius, rhomboids, erectors and intercostal tension, mobilizes rib joints, spinal joints, and posterior diaphragm rib connections, and massages deep back musculature.

Great for swollen legs

🔈 VIPARITA KARANI POSE - FOR LYMPH CIRCULATION, KNEE PAIN, CONGESTED PELVIC ORGANS

HOW TO DO IT?

Stack a couple of folded blankets on top of a bolster near a wall. Put a block between the bolster and the wall and a blanket on the floor in front of the bolster for your head and shoulders.
Sit on the side of the bolster and roll your sacrum onto it, lifting your legs up the wall. Scoot yourself close to the wall so that the buttocks touch or come near the wall. Gently lower your shoulders and head to the floor. If you slide off the bolster, you can push yourself closer with your hands on the floor. Straighten your legs and press the thighs into the wall as you open your chest. Rest for 5 minutes. To come down, bend your knees, push your feet into the wall, slide away from the wall, and rest your back on the floor.

BENEFITS

When you put your legs up the wall with your pelvis elevated on a folded blanket, lymph and other fluids that can lead to swollen ankles, tired knees and congested pelvic organs flow into the lower belly; this refreshes the legs and the reproductive area (source: yoga journal).

This pose also gives blood circulation a gentle boost toward the upper body and head, which creates a pleasant re-balancing after you have been standing or sitting for a long time.

If you are stressed, fatigued or jet-lagged, this pose is especially refreshing. When you relax with your legs up the wall, you are practising the polar opposite of activity, which is receptivity. Some additional benefits include:

- alleviates headaches
- boosts energy
- soothes menstrual cramps
- relieves lower-back pain

It's worth giving a try. Enjoy.

Streches for neck and shoulder

Stretches

evolvingknowledge.org