Friday, August 27, 2010

How to Reduce Pain Through Structural Integration

How to Reduce Pain Through Structural Integration



Many people suffer from bodily discomfort related to back pain, repetitive motion injuries or advancing age. The cause for much of this discomfort is due to a stiffening and rigidity of the connective tissue called fascia which surrounds muscles and organs. Structural Integration is a body therapy technique that loosens the fascia through deep tissue manipulation, thereby giving your muscles and organs the range of movement they need which in turn can reduce pain.







Things You'll Need:





Computer with Internet access




Telephone




Structural Integration practitioner







Learn About Structural Integration




1


Learn how Structural Integration was created by Ida Rolf, Ph.D. The technique was developed in 1930 when Rolf sought to relieve her sons' disabilities, as well as her own. Rolf's body therapy technique was an amalgam of other techniques at the time. By 1960, Rolf's technique was officially called Structural Integration and subsequently nicknamed Rolfing.





2


Educated yourself on how Structural Integration treats pain. Practitioners will lengthen and open the patterns in the fascia surrounding your muscles which helps make the tissue soft and flexible and gives the muscles and joints greater movement. Rolfing restores the balance in the tissue, thereby reducing the pain associated with constricted connective tissue.





3


Discover what Structural Integration session plans entail. Typically, new patients of Structural Integration undergo a uniform first 10 sessions. The first session introduces the patient to Structural Integration and allows the practitioner to evaluate the patient's posture, movement and areas in which to reduce pain. From there, each successive weekly session builds on the last.





4


Learn more by visiting Web sites like The Guild for Structural Integration (see Resources below).



Find a Practitioner and Reduce Your Pain




1


Locate a Structural Integration practitioner by searching online. The International Association of Structural Integrators has a comprehensive listing of practitioners in the United States and abroad, complete with phone numbers and email addresses (see Resources below).





2


Make sure the practitioner you select is certified through an accredited Structural Integration school like the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration.





3


Contact your practitioner of choice and enroll in your first 10 sessions. Make sure to inform your practitioner that your goal is to reduce pain.





4


Ask the practitioner to recommend complementary therapies to treat your pain. He or she may suggest icing, heat pads, hot baths or massage as complements to Rolfing.








Tips & Warnings










Practitioner fees for 1 session are moderate. Check with practitioners in your area for current rates.








Speak to your physician before undergoing Structural Integration treatment for serious or potentially serious health issues. Additionally, Structural Integration should not be the only therapy through which you combat disease.








Visit an ER right away if you are bleeding heavily.








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners are licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider and keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2033179_reduce-pain-through.html

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