Massage is one of the oldest healing arts dating back to the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and Romans who used it to treat medical ailments. Through the centuries, massage therapy has evolved, grown and diversified. Modern day market research and clinical studies have proven massage therapy has numerous health and wellness benefits.

Health Benefits of Massage Therapy:
All forms of massage can result in the following health and wellness benefits when regularly scheduled as part of a self-care regime:

• Improves Circulation: lowers blood pressure and reduces heart rate
• Boosts Immune System: moves lymph to help fight disease
• Reduces Muscle Pain: relaxes muscle tissue and releases knots
• Reduces Stress Levels: lowers Cortisol levels and improves sleep
• Improves Flexibility: increases muscle and joint range of motion

Treatment of Medical Conditions:
Massage therapy provides relief from acute and chronic medical conditions caused by injury, stress, and muscle over/under use. Ailments massage can address are:

• Back, shoulder, and neck pain from muscle strain, shortening and knots
• Hand, wrist and arm pain/numbing due to nerve entrapment in the brachial plexus
• Low back, hip and thigh pain from entrapment of the sciatic nerve
• Knee pain from an over tight quadriceps muscle or the IT Band
• Chronic tension headaches due to strained cervical or shoulder muscles
• Insomnia caused by excessive stress and tension
• Swelling and edema from injury, pregnancy and circulatory inefficiencies

Massage as a Complementary Therapy
Therapeutic massage is effective when used in partnership with other medical modalities like physical therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture. Therapeutic massage can:

• Support physical therapy to aide rehabilitation from orthopedic injury or surgery
• Increases the effectiveness of chiropractic care by releasing muscle tightness to ease an adjustment or help adjustments last longer.
• Work in partnership with acupuncture to reduce muscle and tendon pain due to nerve entrapment, inflammation or orthopedic problems

Lori Bremer, Nationally Certified Massage Therapist
Sonoma Valley Hospital, Integrative Medicine Department
347 Andrieux Street, Sonoma
Appointments: 707-227-4574

Lori is a nationally certified massage therapist (N.C.M.T.) credentialed by the Integrative Medicine Department at Sonoma Valley Hospital to provide on-site massage therapy services. Her business, Rejuvenations Massage Therapy, is focused on providing therapeutic massage to enhance client's health. She is trained in the following massage therapy practices: Swedish, Deep Tissue/Myofascial Release, Sports, Pre-natal, Hot Stone and Foot Reflexology. Lori specializes in working on client's with musculoskeletal ailments (chronic or temporary) as well as those recovering from surgery or injuries to reduce pain and rehabilitate normal muscle function.