Sharing the Toolbox Dear Readers, With so much information coming at us these days,it's more important than ever to understand what we can, from as many angles as possible, how our bodies work. Understanding as much as we can protects us from falling into the trap set by marketers or even well-intentioned people who, for some reason have bought into misinformation. As a massage therapist who has specialized in pain relief for over 16 years, I see people every day who hurt in chronic or acute ways. I’ve learned from those I have helped and from those who needed help beyond my scope, too. The key is to be curious and to never stop seeking answers. Indeed, curiosity and humility make up the fertile ground from which learning happens. My intention in continuing the articles on my blog is to enlighten the reader as to what is possible in pain relief and health, from my own unique experiences and reading. How do you know if your arm or hand pain is treatable without surgery or pain medications if that is all you are offered? How do you know what kind of doctor to see if your back really hurts after sitting or gardening too long? What is that terrible pain under your shoulder blade that you desperately want someone to push on? You know the old saying, “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” My tool in this case is my knowledge and experience with the musculoskeletal system. It is my bias and my main focus. But is it all I know? Not by a long shot. Massage therapists learn the anatomy and physiology and kinesiology of the human body to best know how to treat clients, but we also learn pathology to recognize when a client should be referred to their primary physician or a specialist, such as a dermatologist for suspicious skin symptoms, such as skin cancers. The opinions expressed on this website are those of Tracy Lloyd, LMT alone. They are not to be used to treat any illness or injury or replace medical care.
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Over the years I’ve had clients who had been prescribed opiate drugs years earlier for back pain, hip pain, headaches and more that still left them with the original problem plus a life-hindering addiction. I'll write more on this later. My aim is to educate and relieve pain before one turns to heavy pain medications for what are for us massage therapists, simple and common problems. It breaks my heart to hear how long people suffer needlessly in pain. Please check in from time to time for updates or subscribe below to receive email notices when I post new articles. Email me if you have questions. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll do my best to find it. Tracy |
