MIND & BODY
Your Health is your most important asset. Treat it as an investment, not an expense!
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
A Touch of Comfort™ is now providing Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a gentle, specialized technique that moves excess fluid from an area that is swollen. This helps reduce swelling and discomfort. While often mistaken for a massage, It is not a massage, but a specific technique that can provide specific health benefits within the lymphatic system.
MLD is often used to manage lymphedema, a condition where excess fluid accumulates in tissues. Lymphatic Drainage can also be helpful for other conditions like chronic venous insufficiency, fibromyalgia, migraines, chronic fatigue and trauma.
How it works:
The lymphatic system doesn't have a pump like the heart, but rather it relies on body movement, muscle contractions, and respiratory actions to push the fluid along. Surgical procedures or injuries can directly damage the lymphatic vessels and nodes, or lead to scar tissue formation to those same vessels and nodes, which are responsible for collecting and transporting lymph fluid.
Radiation therapy, infections, and certain medical conditions can also contribute to lymphatic blockage and lymphedema.
The specialized hand movements of MLD promote the movement of the lymph fluid when it's not flowing efficiently due to injury, surgery, long stretches of inactivity, or specific health conditions. Lymphatic Drainage uses light pressure and specific hand movements to stimulate the lymphatic vessels and encourage lymph fluid to flow towards larger lymph nodes. These filter the fluid and return it to the bloodstream.
Benefits of MLD:
Reduce swelling and inflammation:
MLD helps move excess fluid away from swollen areas, reducing inflammation and discomfort.
Improve lymphatic drainage:
By stimulating the lymphatic system, MLD can help improve the overall function of the lymphatic system, which plays a role in the immune system.
Improves Circulation:
By stimulating the lymphatic system, MLD can enhance blood flow and nutrient delivery to tissues, potentially supporting healing and recovery. It encourages improved venous return and can help with CVI and PTS (Chronic Venous Insufficiency and Post-Thrombotic Syndrome).
Pain relief:
Swollen feet, legs or other body parts can be painful. Lymphatic Drainage can help reduce pain associated with those issues. Conditions like fibromyalgia, injury and CVI are improved because the smooth, gentle hand movements have an analgesic effect.
Relaxation and stress reduction:
The light touch hand movement techniques of MLD can have a calming effect on the body, reducing stress and promoting relaxation, which can help reduce blood pressure.
Conditions that may benefit from MLD:
Lymphedema: MLD is a common treatment for lymphedema, especially after any surgery that removes lymph nodes. It also helps with edema or inflammation caused by injury, medication and cosmetic surgery.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency: MLD can help reduce swelling and improve blood flow in the legs.
Fibromyalgia: Lymph drainage can help reduce pain and improve sleep in people with fibromyalgia and other autoimmune conditions.
Injuries and surgery: MLD can help reduce swelling and pain and promote healing after injuries or surgery.
Detoxification, Skin Health & Other Conditions:
A congested or clogged lymphatic system can manifest in several ways, including swelling (limbs especially), fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues and skin problems. MLD can help restore a healthy flow to the lymph system.
Other conditions: MLD may be used for other conditions like tension headaches and migraines, or lipedema, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
MLD should be performed by a trained / certified, experienced therapist.
There are some contraindications for MLD, such as severe heart failure, blood clots, and some particular infections.
It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting MLD, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
In summary, MLD is a valuable tool for managing swelling and improving lymphatic function. It can be helpful for a variety of conditions, and when performed correctly, can provide significant health benefits for patients.
MLD PRICING:
30 Minute Session - $40.00
45 Minute Session - $55.00
60 Minute Session - $70.00
90 Minute Session - $85.00
Call A Touch of Comfort™ to schedule Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) in our private room located in the Revive Center. Also available in your own home, care facility, or medical facility.
Comfort Touch™ Massage
Regular sessions of Comfort Touch™ massage are
medically proven to:
* Improve quality of sleep
* Support immune system function
* Increase blood flow
* Improve balance and flexibility
* Reduce the pain associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions
* Provides a sense of connection and feeling cared for
Comfort Touch™ is an essential element to physical and emotional well-being.
Comfort Touch™ is a Nurturing Specialty Massage for Relaxation and Pain Relief
Health is your most valuable asset. A Touch of Comfort's primary focus is to provide a sense of physical and emotional well-being using techniques that bring about deep relaxation and relief from pain.
Regular Comfort Touch™ therapy sessions can noticeably improve overall health and happiness, while invigorating your body and mind, one touch at a time.
The Flexibility of Comfort Touch™
Comfort Touch™ can be practiced in a variety of settings, such as a person in a wheelchair, a regular chair, a recliner, a hospital bed or a bed in the home or care facility. Because this technique does not require the use of lotions or oils, the client can remain fully clothed. Comfort Touch™ provides a nurturing form of contact with specific attention to the amount of pressure that is appropriate for the individual and individually adjusted to ensure a sensation that is soothing, yet invigorating.
COMFORT TOUCH™ PRICING:
30 Minute Session - $45.00
45 Minute Session - $65.00
What is Comfort Touch™?
Our sense of touch is the oldest of our senses. It is a primary means of connection, communication and comfort. From infancy to end of life, we are nurtured by touch.
Gentle, compassionate touch, with intention, works with the body to release the natural chemicals that affect how the brain perceives pleasure or pain. The body’s natural pain killers and endorphins are stimulated by the light pressure of Comfort Touch™, reducing feelings of distress, fear or anxiety.
Comfort Touch™ does not use deep thumb or finger pressure that could be painful or uncomfortable to the client or harmful to delicate skin and tissue . Rather the practitioner uses a slow, nurturing, full palm or finger pad touch which supports the wholeness of the individual.
Who Can Benefit from Comfort Touch™?
Comfort Touch™ is a wonderful service that has benefits for everyone, from birth to end of life.
No oils or lotions used and no need to undress.
Healthy people can use Comfort Touch™ in their overall wellness practice, for stress relief and relaxation.
Pregnant and perinatal patients adapt more easily to the changing needs of the pregnancy with Comfort Touch and find it provides valuable support during labor and delivery.
From birth, infant and mother can benefit because it can be a soothing, calming aid for any emotional or physical feelings of distress.
Comfort Touch™ is adaptable to the needs of children and teenagers. It can help establish a base for meaningful communication and help calm a child who is feeling out of sorts.
Autistic individuals, both children and adults, find the broad, direct pressure used in Comfort Touch™ is calming to their over-sensitized system.
Trauma patients and those with mental conditions can be aided from Comfort Touch™ as part of complementary care. Those suffering from a wide range of behavioral or mental patterns that cause distress, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and PTSD can benefit from this form of therapy.
People with acute illness or injury can experience relief with Comfort Touch™ and it helps facilitate a state of well-being during the recovery period.
Pre and post-surgical patients receiving Comfort Touch™ can feel more relaxed before surgery. After surgery, the simple use of touch can help to reduce or alleviate pain and contribute to the healing process.
People with spinal cord or closed head injuries can address issues of pain, insomnia and emotional support. From the acute phase of the injury through long term rehabilitation Comfort Touch™ can help support the physical and emotional aspects of the recovery process.
The chronically physically ill including anyone suffering from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pulmonary disease, kidney disease, MS, arthritis, Parkinson’s, ALS, HIV/AIDS and fibromyalgia.
The elderly. Comfort Touch™ is medically proven to assist with the physical and physiological changes of aging.
Those with dementia or Alzheimer’s can experience a greater quality of life. Comfort Touch™ can help with the primary symptoms of orientation confusion, restlessness and combativeness.
The terminally ill benefit through the physical and emotional support of Comfort Touch™ throughout the process as it addresses the changing needs of an individual approaching death.
Call A Touch of Comfort to schedule your Comfort Touch Massage in your own home, care facility or medical facility.
SOUND BATH / SOUND MEDITATION
A Sound Bath is a type of meditation, using sound and vibration to encourage you to turn within and leave the world behind. Sound Baths are created to inspire relaxation and tranquility at a profound level allowing your body to find its natural balance while creating space for insights and creativity.
What does a Sound Bath look like?
Many people lie down on a yoga mat or other soft pad, although some choose to sit in a comfortable chair. Eye pillows can be used to help you go deeper within and heighten your other senses, particularly hearing. The room is often dimmed and everything is in place to inspire a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. A Sound Bath lasts about an hour, which may include Mary Ann moving around at the beginning of the session with different kinds of musical instruments which are played over or near your body. These instruments can include tingshas, a rain stick, tuning forks, bells and/or a drum. The Angelic Therapy Harps, crystal bowl and a small gong are played from one place for the balance of the session. The sounds and vibrations from these instruments are particularly powerful.
The experience of a Sound Bath can be a healing session you can experience while resting in a safe and secure place.
Each Sound Bath is an experience that is unique to each person. As the instruments are played the results are waves of peace, heightened awareness and relaxation of the mind, body and spirit. Some people experience emotional healing, while others achieve remarkable insights into their lives. People are known to find resolution for emotional issues, a sense of coming home to themselves or true acceptance of themselves. Chronic pain can be lessened and a good night's sleep are other positive results.
For those who seek the benefit of improved focus, deep relaxation, rejuvenation and an acceleration of their inward journey for peace and acceptance, a Sound Bath can be an unforgettable experience.
Time is suspended as you enter the world of sound and vibration. Creativity is unleashed and individuals often feel truly, vibrantly alive. Your first Sound Bath is only the beginning.
The Sound Bath experience is offered throughout the Roanoke Valley, in a variety of locations, including homes, conferences, community centers, etc...
An indoors location is generally more effective, however, parks and other outdoor venues can be amazing experiences.
A Touch of Comfort™ Sound Baths are very popular at Festivals, Markets and Fairs, as well as Weekend Retreats and Conventions to set the tone for the event. A Sound Bath can be particularly powerful at the opening and conclusion of special gatherings.
Healing Groups
You can tailor a Sound Bath for special interest groups, friends from work, or a club of your choice and start with as few as five people. You can also host a Sound Bath in your own home or other pre-arranged location.
Special Celebrations
Commitment ceremonies, birthdays, house and land warmings, blessings for buildings or new projects, christenings, and weddings – contact me and I’ll be delighted to create a unique Sound Bath experience for you, your friends and your loved ones.
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
I first became acquainted with the practice of meditation early 1990’s. I had already been practicing a form of meditation in focus groups, which were designed to make you a more productive and successful Realtor. The groups also taught visualization which is another aspect of the practice. The founders of the groups understood how powerful our mind is and they taught the use of visualization or guided meditation as a tool to help us achieve our goals. Our motto was, “If you can see it, you can be it."
Think about an Olympic athlete. They visualize themselves standing on the winners' platform receiving the gold medal (silent meditation). They do this because it feeds their purpose, uplifts their spirits when feeling discouraged and because it is a tool to help create the outcome they desire. Or, a professional golfer who visualizes the course they are about to play and “sees” how they will play each hole.
Certainly, we’re not Olympic athletes or professional golfers, but we too have goals, situations or specific kinds of relationships we want to create in our lives. We want to be the best we can be. Meditation can be a way to quiet the chatter in our mind and give us the insight to achieve those goals. Meditation helps us handle life’s curveballs and expands creativity, clarity and perspective.
Meditation has been shown time after time to produce very positive effects, both in real-world examples and scientific studies. In my own life meditation has been very effective in learning how to rein in racing thoughts, deal with stress, calm anxiety, gain insight into life situations, set intentions, develop focus and gain a more peaceful perspective. Those are some pretty significant benefits, don't you think? If you experience a short attention span or are easily distracted, meditation can help you develop longer focus and a more mindful approach to daily tasks as well as specific projects.
There are many types of meditation. The most popular and well-known are:
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Silent Meditation
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Mantra Meditation
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Guided Meditation
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Sound Meditation or Sound Immersion
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Walking Meditation
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Movement Meditation with Yoga or Dance
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Transcendental Meditation
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Body Scan Meditation
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Visualization Meditation
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Loving Kindness Meditation
The following third-party link has some useful information regarding the meditation methods listed above:
One big advantage to meditation is you don’t need any special tools or equipment. It can be done almost anywhere, even in busy, noisy locations. In fact, those kinds of places are a great place to practice, because you train your mind to go within and disregard the noise and distractions. Just a minute or two of purposeful meditation can be as beneficial as relaxing on a big cushion in a quiet room for an hour.
Here are some third-party links to some helpful articles that describe in greater detail how meditation can be beneficial and how you can overcome some of the 'difficulties' you may run into beginning and developing a meditation practice.
Don’t get discouraged. It will take regular practice in the beginning, just as learning any new skill does. For me it’s definitely been worth the effort, particularly during those times when I want to go to sleep and my thoughts and emotions are spinning in my head. That’s when the habit of meditation helps rein in those thoughts and allow a more calm and relaxed feeling to take their place. What a relief that is!
Meditation Classes are available for groups and conferences. Contact me for more details.