Neuromuscular Therapy, as the name suggests, deals with Nerve and Muscle Dysfunction.
Simply put, when muscles get tight, they entrap or impinge nerve tissues, which causes pain. The pain causes further muscle tension. In NMT, this cycle is referred to as the Pain/Spasm Cycle.
Neuromuscular Therapy aims to interrupt the pain/spasm cycle and restore normal function.
Symptoms of Neuromuscular dysfunction or entrapment:
- Pain (in muscles, connective tissue, or organs, including headaches and abdominal pain)
- Limited Range of Motion and Stiffness
- Restricted Blood Flow (Ischemia)
- Poor Posture/mis-alignment
- Pinched Nerves
- Weakness/Loss of strength and function
- Numbness and Tingling sensations
- Digestive problems
How NMT works:
- By releasing trigger points within muscle tissue. Trigger points are points of heightened neurological sensitivity in muscle tissue. They are the epicenters of a spasm. These ‘knots’ are built up throughout one’s life due to injuries, physical, mental, and/or emotional stress. During a session, focused pressure is applied to release trigger points.
- By improving blood flow. Restricted blood flow starves tissues of nutrients and oxygen – creating even more restrictions. This impedes the elimination of cellular waste materials. This further creates weakness, pain, dysfunction, and hypersensitivity.
- By restoring postural, structural, and bio-mechanical distortions. Overtime, muscles can become too short on one side of the body, while the opposing muscles become too weak to resist. This causes distortion and mis-alignment. NMT techniques are applied to relax the tight short muscles, and release the taut weak muscles to restore proper form and function.
How to prepare:
Clients may remain fully clothed, yet it may be easier for the practitioner to access tension areas if the client is appropriately draped and the necessary area of the body is exposed.
Drink plenty of water before and after as it helps to flush out the toxins removed through neuromuscular cross-fiber friction and trigger point deactivation.
Further Information
Neuromuscular Therapy is best combined with a relaxing style of bodywork like Swedish Massage, or Thai Massage, to help soothe and reset the nervous system.