Earthley Product Update part 2: Postpartum

Here is the list of our new postpartum products, these are products I have been personally using myself and getting some great benefits from them! If you buy 3 at the same time, get a 10% discount! 

 Teeth Tamer 2oz: 

Teeth Tamer naturally soothes pain, drooling, and irritability due to tooth pain. Instead of using harmful medications or synthetic gels with unsafe ingredients and potential side-effects, experience the relieving power of herbs. Whether you’ve got a toothache or a teething baby, Teeth Tamer is the best natural solution!  Made with whole organic cloves, absolutely no essential oils.

Key Herbs:

• Whole Cloves — Anti-inflammatory, pain relieving

• Catnip — Calming, rich in B vitamins

Teeth Tamer is also great for molars, losing teeth, and general toothaches — not just for babies!

Baby balm Herbal Salve .5oz:

Baby Balm is our natural diaper cream that shields your baby’s skin from irritation while nourishing the skin to soothe away diaper rashes. Safe for cloth diapers, this salve is made to help those diaper rashes as well as minor burns, cuts, and scrapes.

This is a great all-natural alternative to those mainstream rash creams that are full of chemicals and unwanted ingredients. Baby Balm is made with soothing lavender, chamomile, and calendula in a base of olive oil, castor oil, and candelilla wax. Throw out those conventional diaper creams for our all-natural Baby Balm!

Key Ingredients:

• Lavender Buds – promotes wound repair, anti-inflammatory

• Chamomile – soothing, may ease pain, anti-inflammatory

• Calendula – anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, soothes skin

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – softens and nourishes skin

• Castor Oil – softens and nourishes skin

• Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Breast Balm Herbal Salve .5oz:

Breast Balm is an all-natural, herbal salve created to help soothe sore nipples to relieve pain associated with breastfeeding. It also contains anti-fungal properties to help fight symptoms of yeast. Since it’s edible and safe for babies, there’s no need to wipe it off before nursing!

Our Breast Balm can also be used as lip balm, for diaper rash, and to help any skin rash or irritation you have!

Key Ingredients:

Apricot Oil – soothes skin, anti-inflammatory

Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Calendula – soothes chapped and broken skin, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal

Milk Flowin’ Salve .5oz: 

Milk Flowin’ Salve is an all-natural, herbal salve created to help relieve clogged milk ducts. This salve helps keep lymphatic fluids and milk moving to work out any existing clogs. Since it’s edible and safe for babies, there’s no need to wipe it off before nursing.

Massage our Milk Flowin’ Salve into the breast and nipple area to help release clogged breast milk and find relief!

Key Ingredients:

• Castor Oil – Promotes milk flow, promotes lymphatic flow

• Rosemary Leaf – anti-inflammatory, antibacterial

• Lavender Buds – promotes wound repair

• Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Mama’s Magic Milk Boost 1oz:

Mama’s Magic Milk Boost is an herbal tincture created to help increase milk supply with all-natural ingredients. Not only is this product high in vitamins and minerals to nourish the body, but it also contains herbs to soothe baby’s tummy. Made with the highest-quality ingredients, this tincture supports both mom and baby on their breastfeeding journey. 

Key Herbs:

• Fennel Seed – promotes breast milk supply, decrease colic in infants

• Red Raspberry Leaf – antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

• Marshmallow Root – soothes the digestive tract

• Alfalfa – high vitamin and mineral content

• Blessed Thistle – milk boosting properties

Postpartum Balance 1oz:

There’s nothing quite like the major hormone surge you get right after having a baby. You’re flooded with oxytocin and you are so happy to have this baby, but it can be overwhelming! Postpartum Balance is formulated to help mamas break down no-longer-needed pregnancy hormones, balance your hormones, and to help lessen bleeding for an easier fourth trimester.

It is a must have for every new mom!

Key Herbs:

• Turmeric – antioxidant, anti-inflammatory

• Black Pepper – promotes nutrient absorption, promotes gut health

• Dandelion Root – supports liver health, promotes detox

• Alfalfa Leaf – rich in vitamins and minerals

• Catnip Leaf– antibacterial properties

Summer Massage

The weather has been PERFECT this week! Nothing makes you want to get outside and be active like low humidity and sunshine! With the warm weather comes all the fun summer activities we love. However, sometimes we forget that we haven’t done these activities since last summer so our bodies are a little rusty. Make sure you are ready for your summer sports and activities by doing some regular cross training in the off season, warming up very well before the events (even yard work/gardening!) and keeping your muscles healthy with regular massage! Massage is beneficial in many ways. It helps you keep track of how your body is feeling and if there are any tension spots you weren’t aware of. It helps to keep your muscles loose by increasing circulation. It can help you to recover as you get back to doing what you love and have sore muscles. Massage is not benign. It absolutely feels great just generally, but it can also be a great tool to keep you doing the things you love!

Email or call today to schedule your next appointment!! 919-322-8382!

Package Pricing

At Oak City Massage, we understand the benefit of receiving regular massage, of course. We also understand that this can be a financial burden on some folks! While getting regular massage can help you to avoid injuries, lower other health costs and keep you in the activities you love, it can still be hard to justify. With this in mind Oak City offers some great package pricing to help lower your overall cost of massage therapy. Our packages do not expire and you are welcome to use them as frequently as you would like. We also allow you to share your package. 

Check out our package pricing before your next session! 

A package of 3 massages is 5% off (60 minutes are $95/session, 90 minutes are $137.75/session)

A  package of 6 massages or more is 10% off (60 minutes are $90/session, 90 minutes are $130.50/session)

Email or call to schedule today!! 919.322.8382

Announcement!

Hey Everyone, I hope you are all getting into the holiday spirit, but also taking time to relax this season! 

Many of you already know, but I wanted to officially share that my husband and I are expecting our second child! We are so excited to be adding to our family and are so looking forward to meeting our new baby girl at the end of January! 

I am hoping to work until delivery, unfortunately it’s just an estimate so we’ll see when that actually happens. As of right now I am stopping scheduling the week of January 22nd and may pick up some same day appointments that week if I’m still not delivered and feeling well. If anything happens before that time all of my scheduled clients have contact info easily accessible and myself, Amanda or Alanna will reach out to you and help you get rescheduled. I will be returning to work sometime in late spring.

We are so excited and look forward to this next chapter of our lives. Thank you for all your support and congratulations!

Give the gift of massage this year!

It is always so difficult to decide what gift to give a loved one. More and more folks are more interested in experiences than things. Receiving the gift of massage and relaxation is always appreciated! Any regularly priced Christmas gift card will be 10% off for the month of December. To purchase a gift card, please email or give us a call so we can schedule a time for you to pick it up or have it emailed to you. 919.322.8382 or oakcitymassagetherapy@gmail.com

Stretching for Pain Management

Clients often ask their massage therapist how to manage the pain and discomfort they are experiencing whether acute or chronic. One of the best things anyone can do to help with muscle tension and joint pain is to stretch. Really, taking the time to do a full body stretch would give you many of the same benefits as a full body massage. Of course, not everyone has that kind of time these days. Still most folks can find time to stretch a little bit each day. However, I do hear clients tell me that even though they are stretching daily, they are not noticing any long term benefits from this. So, let’s discuss how you can stretch so that it actually helps reduce muscle tension and joint pain. 

The key thing to remember here is that until you stop whatever activity or incorrect movement pattern is causing the discomfort in the first place, it will be extremely difficult to fully get rid of it. Another thing to keep in mind is how long and often you are stretching compared with how long you are involved in the offending activity. Often the culprit of back, shoulder and neck pain is coming from a repetitive movement or non-movement (like at a desk job) for many hours a day. Stretching for 30 seconds once per day can hardly compete with 8+ hours of sitting at a desk or standing up all day or any other repetitive movement. My suggestion is to stretch many times per day while holding each stretch for at least 45 seconds. Taking breaks often when you have to be in the same position all day can make a huge difference. It’s also helpful to be sure you are sitting at an ergonomic station. Not holding the phone between your shoulder and ear and not crossing your legs are also some changes that can make a big difference. 

Seeing a massage therapist can help with muscle and joint pain, but it’s only one piece of the “puzzle”. Taking time to stretch throughout the day to limit offending activities is really what will make the biggest change.  

If you are looking for relief from chronic or acute muscle or joint pain, email or call today to schedule a massage! 919.322.8382

Welcome Back!

We are excited to announce that Amanda will be joining our team again. Check out her bio below and email or call to set up your next appointment today! 919.322.8382

Amanda Beresic NCLMBT # 14256

Amanda became a licensed massage therapist in 2011 after attending Palm Beach Academy in Lake Park Florida.  Prior to this, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University in 2006.   Her passion for Massage Therapy started when a physical therapist recommended massage to help with pain she was experiencing from a neck injury.  She realized that whether for pain management or relaxation, massage has so many amazing benefits. 

Amanda strongly believes in the benefits of prenatal massage.  Having two children of her own, she realizes how one of the happiest times in your life, can also be the most stressful.   Pregnancy brings on so many changes, physically and emotionally.   The mother is naturally concerned about the baby, but it’s important that she care for herself as well.   (Bonus – massage can be beneficial for the mother and the baby!)

Along with prenatal massage, Amanda also does various modalities including swedish, deep tissue and sports massage.  Her goal is to make sure your problem areas/concerns are addressed to the best of her ability.  She upholds the highest levels of respect and integrity to each individual client.  

Welcome Alanna!

Hello my name is Alanna Harley. I was born in Frankfurt, Germany and moved around places in Europe as an army brat growing up. I’ve always been interested in a career that involves healing whether it’s with the mind or body work. At a young age in middle school I thought it would be interesting to have a career in counseling. My father discouraged me on that path but years down the road I realize a touch can be a very healing experience for somebody. My sister who has been in the spa business for around fifteen years encouraged me to look into massage and I decided to pursue it. I graduated in 2018 from Wake Tech Community College, Raleigh, NC. My interest leans towards the medical & sports aspects of massage. As an athlete myself, a kickboxer that likes to travel to Thailand every other year or so, in pursuit of the sport of Muay Thai- I find that massage is a wonderful tool in recovery. I also enjoy Thai massage which I studied in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2020. This inspires some of my work- acupressure, compressions & passive stretching. I also like to incorporate some trigger point therapy in my session if needed although it may not be too comfortable! I do a range of techniques; Thai, trigger point, medical & sports massage plus a few more modalities are all a part of my style. I like to continue learning techniques and staying on top of my anatomy reviews & studies. It’s been a rewarding experience as a bodyworker. I see the muscular body as a puzzle when it comes to pain- it can take a bit of time to solve but it is all connected.

Please call or email to schedule with Alanna! 919-322-8382

Returning Therapist

Hey Everyone! We are pleased to announce that Amanda will be starting again at Oak City Massage! Amanda was working with us before the pandemic, and she is excited to get back! Amanda has always been a great addition to our team and we are so glad she will be returning! If you have any questions or would like to schedule with Amanda please email or call us today! 919.322.8382

Amanda became a licensed massage therapist in 2011 after attending Palm Beach Academy in Lake Park Florida.  Prior to this, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University in 2006.   Her passion for Massage Therapy started when a physical therapist recommended massage to help with pain she was experiencing from a neck injury.  She realized that whether for pain management or relaxation, massage has so many amazing benefits.

Amanda strongly believes in the benefits of prenatal massage.  Having two children of her own, she realizes how one of the happiest times in your life, can also be the most stressful.   Pregnancy brings on so many changes, physically and emotionally. The mother is naturally concerned about the baby, but it’s important that she care for herself as well.   (Bonus – massage can be beneficial for the mother and the baby!)

Along with prenatal massage, Amanda also does various modalities including swedish, deep tissue and sports massage.  Her goal is to make sure your problem areas/concerns are addressed to the best of her ability. She upholds the highest levels of respect and integrity to each individual client.

AManda beresic nclmbt # 14256

Spring is almost here!!

As we start to see more and more sunny days with warmer temperatures, it’s important to take care of ourselves and not over do anything.  Warming up before a workout or activity you have not done in a while is SO important along with stretching afterwards. It’s easy to get carried away when the weather finally makes a turn for the better! Another way to help reduce the risk of injury when starting new activities is, of course, massage therapy! Massage can help loosen tight overworked muscles and help them stay healthy. Massage is also great as it gives us an idea of what is going on in our body. Often our clients are surprised that a specific muscle was tight and they hadn’t noticed. It’s important to be aware of what is going on in our bodies so we know when things are getting overworked or stressed. Regular stretching and massage are great tools to keep our bodies in check as we start new routines with the warmer weather.

We are still accepting new clients and would love to have you at our office. New clients receive a 20% discount off their first one-hour appointment! Call today to schedule your next appointment 919.322.8382 !!

Now offering Aromatherapy!

We are now offering aromatherapy at Oak City Massage Therapy! For $7.00 you can choose from one of our three specific blends below to add to your next massage!  

Seasonal: Autumn Spice, this blend utilizes the warming effects of ginger, cinnamon leaf and tangerine to relax sore muscles. The ginger also increases circulation to help reduce inflammation. This spicy sweet scent is sure to get you in the spirit of fall!

Cinnamon Leaf, Ginger, Tangerine, Vanilla

Muscle and Joint Pain: Plai, ginger and lavender all help to reduce inflammation. While each of the oils help with sore muscles. Frankincense helps specifically with tension headaches, and lavender helps with general relaxation. If you are dealing with muscle knots, tension or injuries, this is the blend for you!

Plai, Ginger, Frankincense, Tangerine, Lavender 

Relaxation: Ylang Ylang and fragonia promote and support sleep. Chammomile Roman, lavender, ylang ylang and patchouli all help to reduce stress. All of these oils also help with muscle soreness. So if you really need to destress, but are also experiencing  some muscle pain and soreness try this oil with your next massage! 

Chamomile Roman, Lavender, Fragonia, Ylang Ylang, Patchouli

Add any of these blends to your next massage for an extra $7.00

Postpartum Massage

One of the best thing a new mom can do for her baby is take care of herself. In our culture the well being of the new mom is sometimes overlooked due to concern for the baby, and mom's are usually more guilty of this than anyone else. The truth is, though, that we cannot give our children the best care if we are not 100% ourselves.

 Taking care of our bodies is so important. A new mother has just completed a marathon of the hardest work her body may ever do! It's only logical that her body will need some TLC! Getting as much rest as possible, eating well, exercise and of course massage therapy are all great ways to recover after childbirth. A woman's body has 9 months to adjust to her pregnancy, while her body goes back to “pre-pregnancy” in just 6 weeks. That is so much change in not a lot of time. Postpartum massage can be a big help in dealing with all of these changes. Not to mention relieving tension and muscle stress from labor and delivery. Many new mom's we see at Oak City massage are also experiencing aches and pains from the new positions of nursing and holding a newborn and then sitting on the floor with baby. All of these things can be relieved with the help of different stretches, exercises and massage therapy.

 If you or someone you know has recently had a baby, it's time for a massage! Call or email to schedule an appointment! 919.322.8382

We are back!

Hi Everyone! I wanted to give a little update, the baby is doing great! She is now 5 months old, which is so hard to believe!! I am now back to work part-time. My current schedule is every Monday and Wednesday from 10am-3pm and every other Saturday from 9am-3pm. My schedule does book up quickly so, if you know ahead of time when you would like to come in, please message as soon as possible.

I am also very excited to announce, we are adding another therapist to our team! She is very talented and will be a great addition here at Oak City Massage! She will be working on Thursdays from 1pm-7pm. Check out her bio below!

Diantha Lee NCLMBT # 10984

Diantha’s journey in Massage Therapy began in 2008 when she graduated from the Cleveland School Of Massage & Advanced Bodywork Institute. In 2010 she completed the Massage Therapy program at ECPI in Raleigh. While focusing her work on breaking muscular adhesions, Deep Tissue massage tops the charts as Diantha’s most used massage modality. Other ways she helps clients with daily mobility include Trigger Point, PNF Stretching, and Reflexology.

With most of her focus around the more rehabilitative aspects of bodywork, Diantha also has a great respect for the power of a relaxing Swedish massage. Listening to what a client says, so that she can tailor make each session, is the most important aspect of any treatment in her mind.

Diantha grew up learning about the patterns pain and tension can produce in the body from her mother being diagnosed with fibromyalgia many years ago. Now, having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia as well, she has a uniquely sensitive understanding of the way muscle and fascia work together and sometimes stop working together. Using her first hand knowledge of the ways muscles can sometimes misbehave, every treatment she provides has the same end goal of helping every client to feel as pain-free as possible.

Call or email today to schedule your next appointment!! 919.322.8382

Temporary Changes at Oak City Massage

Hey Everyone! I am very pleased to announce that my husband and I are expecting our first child in August of this year! We are so excited and can barely wait for these next three months to go by! 

I am also happy to announce that while I am out (I am planning to return!!! ) I have found a wonderful therapist to come in and work at the office a couple of days a week. Her name is Amanda Beresic and you can check out her bio here! There will be more blog posts to update you on her official schedule as that time gets closer. She will be starting a couple of days a week in June. I have known Amanda for a few years now and she is one of the therapists I go to for my own massages. I am confident in her abilities and I think she will be a great fit for this office. From now until the end of July, if you have been to Oak City Massage before,  your first visit with Amanda will be like a new client visit and 20% off.

Though she is starting in June, I will continue to work as long as possible, unfortunately it is difficult to say exactly how long that will be at this point. Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you for your understanding during this time of transition for my family and business. You are all awesome!! 

Amanda beresic nclmbt # 14256

Amanda became a licensed massage therapist in 2011 after attending Palm Beach Academy in Lake Park Florida.  Prior to this, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University in 2006.   Her passion for Massage Therapy started when a physical therapist recommended massage to help with pain she was experiencing from a neck injury.  She realized that whether for pain management or relaxation, massage has so many amazing benefits.

Amanda strongly believes in the benefits of prenatal massage.  Having two children of her own, she realizes how one of the happiest times in your life, can also be the most stressful.   Pregnancy brings on so many changes, physically and emotionally. The mother is naturally concerned about the baby, but it’s important that she care for herself as well.   (Bonus – massage can be beneficial for the mother and the baby!)

Along with prenatal massage, Amanda also does various modalities including swedish, deep tissue and sports massage.  Her goal is to make sure your problem areas/concerns are addressed to the best of her ability. She upholds the highest levels of respect and integrity to each individual client.

What to expect at your first massage

Massage can be helpful for so many things including muscle pain, headaches, anxiety, trouble sleeping, sport training, pregnancy aches/pains, as well as many more! So why do people opt for medication and expensive treatments before trying massage? I think one of the big reasons is they are unsure of what to expect when they get a massage.  I  think knowing what to expect at a massage will give some folks a peace of mind and help them to be more open to this treatment option. So, today we are going to discuss just exactly what to expect at your first massage. 

At Oak City Massage Therapy, we do our best to be as professional as possible. Our main goal is that you feel you are getting the best treatment possible and leave feeling better than when you came in. Knowing exactly what to expect when you come in will only give you a better experience at our office.

The first thing that will happen when you come into the office is you will be greeted and given a health history form. This form gives the therapist information that may pertain to your injury whether it is the cause, making it worse or not effecting it at all.  It is helpful to look at past injuries and surgeries and deduce whether they may be playing a part in your current situation.  It is also important for your therapist to know of any known allergies as well as medications you are taking as these may affect the treatment.  Next, your therapist will discuss your form with you as well as what you are specifically hoping to accomplish during your session.  This is very important as it will shape the entire session. We will use techniques that will best suit each complaint. While we do our best to listen to our clients, we will also explain why some things we do may seem pointless, but will address the probable cause of the pain rather than only the symptom.  After going through the treatment with you, we will then step out of the room for you to undress to your comfort level. To your comfort level means if you would rather leave your clothes on, that is completely fine. If you do prefer leaving your clothes on we may suggest wearing comfortable shorts and t-shirt/tank top for your treatment. You will then get onto the massage table underneath a sheet and blanket. You will be completely covered during the entire session, we will only uncover each area as it is being worked on. During the session, your therapist will check in with you to confirm the pressure with you. It is extremely important for you to let your therapist know if something is painful, you are getting a massage to reduce pain not add to it. It is also important for you to let your therapist know if you feel like you need more pressure in an area. At the conclusion of your massage, your therapist will let you know that the session has ended and you may take your time to get up and dressed and meet them out front. At this point your therapist may offer some suggestions based on what they found during the massage, whether that is some stretching that may be helpful or setting up a return visit to continue working on an especially difficult area. 

It is important to note that one massage is not going to be a cure all.  Chronic pain, which is usually a result of everyday stress on your body takes time and a change of habit to truly feel better. Though massage will give a temporary relief, if you continue in habits which cause the pain in the first place it will certainly return. In some cases massage is not the answer and your therapist will do their best to refer you out the best practitioner for your complaints. 

We hope this helps and look forward to working with you soon!! To schedule your appointment email or call 919.322.8382

What to expect at your first massage (Copy)

Massage can be helpful for so many things including muscle pain, headaches, anxiety, trouble sleeping, sport training, pregnancy aches/pains, as well as many more! So why do people opt for medication and expensive treatments before trying massage? I think one of the big reasons is they are unsure of what to expect when they get a massage.  I  think knowing what to expect at a massage will give some folks a peace of mind and help them to be more open to this treatment option. So, today we are going to discuss just exactly what to expect at your first massage. 

At Oak City Massage Therapy, we do our best to be as professional as possible. Our main goal is that you feel you are getting the best treatment possible and leave feeling better than when you came in. Knowing exactly what to expect when you come in will only give you a better experience at our office.

The first thing that will happen when you come into the office is you will be greeted and given a health history form. This form gives the therapist information that may pertain to your injury whether it is the cause, making it worse or not effecting it at all.  It is helpful to look at past injuries and surgeries and deduce whether they may be playing a part in your current situation.  It is also important for your therapist to know of any known allergies as well as medications you are taking as these may affect the treatment.  Next, your therapist will discuss your form with you as well as what you are specifically hoping to accomplish during your session.  This is very important as it will shape the entire session. We will use techniques that will best suit each complaint. While we do our best to listen to our clients, we will also explain why some things we do may seem pointless, but will address the probable cause of the pain rather than only the symptom.  After going through the treatment with you, we will then step out of the room for you to undress to your comfort level. To your comfort level means if you would rather leave your clothes on, that is completely fine. If you do prefer leaving your clothes on we may suggest wearing comfortable shorts and t-shirt/tank top for your treatment. You will then get onto the massage table underneath a sheet and blanket. You will be completely covered during the entire session, we will only uncover each area as it is being worked on. During the session, your therapist will check in with you to confirm the pressure with you. It is extremely important for you to let your therapist know if something is painful, you are getting a massage to reduce pain not add to it. It is also important for you to let your therapist know if you feel like you need more pressure in an area. At the conclusion of your massage, your therapist will let you know that the session has ended and you may take your time to get up and dressed and meet them out front. At this point your therapist may offer some suggestions based on what they found during the massage, whether that is some stretching that may be helpful or setting up a return visit to continue working on an especially difficult area. 

It is important to note that one massage is not going to be a cure all.  Chronic pain, which is usually a result of everyday stress on your body takes time and a change of habit to truly feel better. Though massage will give a temporary relief, if you continue in habits which cause the pain in the first place it will certainly return. In some cases massage is not the answer and your therapist will do their best to refer you out the best practitioner for your complaints. 

We hope this helps and look forward to working with you soon!! To schedule your appointment email or call 919.322.8382

Massage Special- Bamboo Massage

We are finally getting a break from the cold weather, thank goodness! For the rest of January all Bamboo massages will be $10 off at Oak City Massage Therapy.  Here are a few things that make bamboo massage stand out and why it is a good option for all clients.

In bamboo massage, we use warm bamboo ratan tools. These tools are very firm and come in varying sizes. The bamboo is used similarly to hot stones, the therapist holds the bamboo and uses it to massage the muscles instead of their hands. The therapist can use the leverage from the bamboo tools to offer a much deeper pressure than with hot stones, or their hands/elbows. Bamboo massage originated in south Asia. Though it is unclear who originally started using bamboo for massage, many therapists across the world have adopted this technique.

Bamboo massage is beneficial for many reasons, we are going to discuss just a few of them.  The heat from the tools starts to relax your entire body, it will also help to loosen each muscle individually. Once the heat has loosened the body and muscles, the therapist can take full advantage of the leverage from the bamboo. The therapist can use deep pressure now that the muscles are in a more relaxed state, this allows the deep pressure to be comfortable and much more effective. With increased mental relaxation from the heat, and physically with the deep tissue massage, the client can get so much more out of their massage. Most people coming in to get a deep tissue massage are preparing for pain and discomfort, with a no pain no gain attitude. In this treatment,  you get all the benefits of a deep tissue massage without the pain.  

Bamboo massage sounds nice, but why is it the best option for you? It is a deep tissue massage with the added relaxation similar to a Swedish massage. If you are looking for a deep massage that won’t cause more pain then you were already in, this is the treatment for you. Similarly, if you are more interested in the relaxation you get from massage, bamboo massage gives an extra element that only increases the benefits.  

Call today to schedule your Bamboo massage! 919.322.8382 !!

Christmas Gift Cards

Hey everyone! Having trouble deciding on what to gifts to get for family and friends? Why not give the gift of pain relief, stress relief, increased mobility, relaxation, faster recovery, injury rehab, and the list goes on! We offer deep tissue massage, medical massage, sports massage, relaxation massage, pregnancy massage, kinesio taping, massage cupping and bamboo massage! 

Christmas gift cards will be on sale starting tomorrow December 1.  All one hour gift cards will be $64. Gift cards for a one hour pregnancy massage will be $55 and gift cards for one hour bamboo massage will be $85. 

Gift cards can be picked up in person (please call to schedule your pick-up) Sent by email, or sent in the physical mail. 

Please email or call with any questions! 919.322.8382 

Merry Christmas!! 

** there is no limit on how many gift cards you can buy, however you may not purchase gift cards for yourself**

Shoulder Pain

With the dog days of summer upon us, everyone’s training is in full swing. The latter part of summer is definitely the active season for most folks which means the risk of injury is increased. Many summer activities including swimming, tennis, baseball, golf, crossfit, spartan/warrior type races, and many more can be very tough on the shoulders. Most of the time clients with shoulder injuries had great intentions for getting into shape and ready for their sport or activity, but then life happened and it seemed to just sneak up on them. When you do not properly ease into training, your body is at a very high risk for injury. The shoulder has such a variety of range of motion which makes it very vulnerable to injury. When we start an activity at the level we stopped at last year, we  are asking for trouble. Jobs that require we sit at a desk all day only make the risk higher. Our shoulders are stuck in a forward position most of the day and the muscles get used to this, so when we try to get them into new positions with our sport/exercise they will not be moving efficiently.

Shoulder pain and tension can be bad enough, but the truth is a lot of other injuries can come from the shoulders and neck area as well. Having tight chest muscles from sitting at a desk and then exercises that strengthen the chest cause a serious forward posture. This can lead to numbness and tingling in the arms and hands, upper back pain, neck pain, as well as low back pain. It is important to take time throughout the day to stretch and just be in a different position. Making sure you strengthen your upper back is crucial for anyone that is working at a desk, driving all day or any other job that is keeping your arms/neck/head forward.

When you come in for a massage, we will focus specifically on getting your body back in balance. We ask questions about your daily life and any random events that have taken place that could have had some effect on you. Our goal is to find and treat the CAUSE of your pain, not only the symptoms, so you can avoid the same injury in the future and move more efficiently in general.

If you are preparing for a competition, or are experiencing acute or chronic pain, call today and schedule your appointment!  919.322.8382

Four Causes and Solutions to Low Back Pain

One of the most common complaints I hear about in my office is low back pain. Though a lot of my clients suffer from this, there can be a variety of causes. Today we are going to discuss a few of the causes I see most often (outside of structural differences, specific injury, and disc degeneration) and some solutions for them. **Please note that if you are not sure if you are injured it is important to see a Doctor before trying massage or a new exercise, so that the problem is not made worse**

1. Tight quads and hip flexors.

Sitting at a desk all day is a huge contributor to low back pain. The hip flexors and quads are flexed all day, making it difficult for them to fully relax when standing. This puts a forward tilt on the pelvis. The quads and hip flexors pulling the hips forward would cause the torso to lean forward, and the righting reflex is to arch the back so the upper body is upright. Arching the spine like that puts a lot of stress on the muscles and pressure on the lower vertebrae which leads to lower back pain.

What can we do about this?

Take breaks from sitting during the day. Some of my clients attempt to drink extra water during the day which causes them to get up and use the restroom more often. Another great thing to start adding to your daily routine is stretching the quads and hip flexors at least twice a day, more if possible. The hip flexors get extremely hypertonic after years of sitting and driving, getting orthopedic massage specifically focused on the hips may be necessary to help undo the tight muscles in this area. No need to cringe at the thought of psoas/iliacus massage. At Oak City Massage, we are trained to slowly work into these muscles, in fact our goal is that you would not experience any pain during this treatment, as that will increase the effectiveness tenfold.

    2. Inefficient Glute Muscles

Another side effect of sitting all day is that your glute muscles stop working properly, they forget what to do. When this happens the next muscle in line,  the low back starts to work overtime. This obviously leads to overworked muscles in the low back, which leads to pain.

What can we do about this?

It’s not that the glutes are weakened, they have just stopped working, or gone to sleep. We simply need to wake them up. Before going walking or exercising after work, do a few squats, lunges or resistance band side steps. These exercises can activate the glutes so they actually do their job when they are supposed to. Getting a medical massage can help with this as well. Your therapist can test your glutes and see if they are truly the problem, there are techniques to activate the glutes during the massage as well.

    3. Leg Crossing

When the legs are crossed, the length of the muscles change. Sitting cross legged for long periods at a time causes one side to become chronically tight, while the other side is chronically overstretched. This type of unbalance can cause a lot of problems. When the low back is unbalanced, it can cause the hips to be cockeyed. This will change the gait pattern and cause a ripple effect all the way to the neck and down to the feet. It will also put unnecessary stress on the hip joints and knees.

What can we do about this?

First of all stop crossing your legs! Sitting with your legs straight out infront of you is ideal, you may also need a lift/stool under your feet if the chair you use is too tall to have your feet flat on the floor.  Getting a massage can be very helpful in this situation. In orthopedic massage, your therapist will do a postural analysis as well as feel which side is shorter and which side has been overstretched. This is important because it will determine the work that will be done. If the two sides have different issues, you should not treat them the same.

    4. Weak Core

The last big cause of low back pain we’ll go over today is a weak core. Almost all of my clients have heard that this can help their low back pain. The core includes your abdominals, obliques, lower back and goes as far down as the glutes  and as high up as the mid back. These muscles hold the body upright and keep you stable while moving. If any of these muscles is weak, it causes the other muscles to overwork to the point of pain.

What can we do about this?

Strengthening the abdominals is generally the first thing people try to do. This is great, but it is also important to do core exercises that include all of the muscles, planks and bridges are two great examples. I would recommend Pilates to anyone that is trying to strengthen their core to help with low back pain, whether from a youtube channel, at home DVD or a class at a gym I have found these classes to be extremely safe and core strength based. However, it is always important to discuss this with your doctor if the pain in your low back is severe. If any exercise causes an increase in pain or doesn’t feel right, stop it immediately and try a modification or skip it all together. Getting a massage will not strengthen your core, though it will help alleviate some of the soreness from the new exercises you may try. Massage can also help by loosening the muscles that have been tight and overworked.

If you are experiencing low back pain, and feel it is caused by one of these issues, call us today to schedule your appointment! New Clients receive %20 off their first hour! 919.322.8382

Convenient to Cary, Morrisville, Apex, and Raleigh for Medical massage, Sports massage, Prenatal massage, and Relaxation massage.

Oak City Massage Therapy