Most of the food people eat is broken down
into glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream, and
is the main source of fuel for the body.
During digestion, the pancreas produces the
right amount of insulin to move glucose from
blood into the cells. However, people with
diabetes have a pancreas that works
inefficiently by producing little or no
insulin. The body loses large amounts of
fuel because the glucose increases in the
bloodstream, is released into the urine and
is passed out of the body.
The loss of energy is only one effect this
disease has on the body. Diabetes also
affects the eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves and
blood vessels. Most problems are a result of
damage to the blood vessels. Blood vessels
become thicker and less elastic. Moreover,
due to excessive glucose that attaches to
the proteins in the blood, it is more
difficult for blood to pass through.
The lack of blood flow affects other organs
in the body. With impaired circulation,
small cuts and infections are less likely to
heal; and nerves become damaged, affecting
the sense of temperature, pressure, texture
and pain on a person's skin. Most diabetics
develop a nerve disease called neuropathy,
which affects the feet and lower legs,
causing numbness and tingling.
Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death
in America. It is called the silent killer
because it is the most common undiagnosed
disease due to its subtle and vague
symptoms.
It is important for people with diabetes to
monitor their medication, diet, exercise and
stress level; these factors affect the
glucose levels in the blood. It is also
important for diabetics to be proactive in
their treatment and the control of their
disease.
Research has shown how massage positively
affects a person with diabetes. Massage can
affect the glucose level, energy level,
circulation, stress, myofascial improvement
and comfort level for the individual
suffering with this debilitating disease.
Massage releases endorphins, which calm the
nervous system. This, in turn, decreases
stress hormones and creates homeostasis in
the blood glucose level.
Massage and stretching will facilitate
mobility and elasticity of the tissue.
Diabetics experience thickening of their
connective tissue, which can be greatly
improved with massage techniques.
Administered properly,
hot-stone massage can
increase all the advantages of manual
massage for a diabetic client. It is
important to keep in mind the decreased
sensation of the extremities when performing
stone therapy; therefore, the therapist must
be in charge. Therapists cannot depend on
their clients to tell them if the stones are
too hot; they must be vigilant in checking
the color and condition of the skin. Stone
massage performed improperly and without
adequate training is unsafe.
It is important to implement an introductory
stroke, which sends a subconscious signal to
the brain that the therapist will be
incorporating a hot stone in the massage. It
is imperative to control the temperature
of the stones, which should be maintained
between 125 degrees and 128 degrees
Fahrenheit; too hot could burn the skin and
too cool is uncomfortable and ineffective.
A sufficient amount of pressure needs to be
applied when massaging with the stones. Some
therapists believe they should use light
pressure when massaging with hot stones;
however, the opposite is true. The therapist
needs to push the heat past the nerve
endings on the surface of the skin and into
the muscle tissue.
The severity of the disease should determine
if the client should receive a full-body
treatment or a spot treatment. If the
diabetes is controlled and is not advanced,
then a full-body, hot-stone treatment would
be indicated with caution. The therapist
must check in with the client and observe
his/her condition, and always listen to the
client's feedback. It is also a good idea to
have some orange juice, candy or pretzels
available if the client's sugar level drops
too low. If the client's diabetes is more
advanced, then spot treatments with the
stones would be suggested with caution.
Remember, extremes in temperature, whether
hot or cold, should be avoided.
Clients wearing an insulin pump need some
special consideration. It is necessary to
avoid the insertion site of the pump; do not
massage the immediate area with stones or
hands, and make sure the area is kept
sterile. It is not a problem for the client
to lie on the pump insertion site.
Additionally, it is of the utmost importance
that the stones be washed and the water
changed after each treatment. The therapist
cannot take a chance that a client with
diabetes could contract a skin disorder like
a staph infection. Due to a diabetic
client's reduced circulation, healing would
be impaired.
If a therapist is aware of these
precautions, hot-stone massage can be safely
offered to a person with diabetes. Stone
massage can greatly improve the
psychological effects to someone who is
living with this chronic disease. It is
important for the sufferer to strive to
balance a healthy lifestyle with proper
nutrition, adequate exercise, blood glucose
monitoring, appropriate use of medications
and stress management. It has been proven
that massage is effective for reducing
stress.
Please look for future
articles on
www.MASSAGEmag.com,
as I explore the exciting arena of stone
massage. I will write about safety issues,
contraindications, the expansion of stone
therapy to different modalities, the
evolution into cold-stone therapy with
marble stones and now the resurgence of
stone massage with the innovation of carved
basalt stones. I will also discuss accessory
products, such as massage oil, essential
oils, heaters, textiles, DVDs and seminars.
I look forward to an ongoing conversation
with you.
Pat Mayrhofer is
president and founder of Nature's Stones
Inc., an international massage-stone,
education and supply company. She is a
massage therapist with more than 16 years of
experience, having taught for 13 of those
years in Italy, Austria, the Dominican
Republic and the U.S. Mayrhofer and her
staff have created a comprehensive series of
live, hands-on training programs,
educational DVDs available for distance
learning and a line of associated stone and
textile products. For more information,
visit
www.naturestonesinc.com.
Diabetes
is a disease that results from the body's lack
of, or insufficient production of, insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the
pancreas. It allows the body's cells to convert
sugars, starches and other foods to energy,
which the body needs to perform daily
activities.
