Shalyn's Massage

Where have I been? 👀 learning something new!

I’m proud to say I’ve learnt it and walked away with the skills needed to use this machine to bring something new to my space to better help all my existing clients and new ones to come.

Subject: Why your back pain is so hard to point at

Preview: It's not in your head. It's in a layer you've never heard of.

There's a sheet of tissue in your low back that almost nobody talks about.

It's called the thoracolumbar fascia. Picture a broad, tough sheet of connective tissue spanning your lower back, tying your hips, spine and shoulders into one working system. Most people have never heard of it. It doesn't get the attention discs and muscles get.

It probably should.

Here's why. Researchers ran a study where they injected a small amount of salt water into three different tissues in healthy volunteers' backs: the muscle, the tissue just under the skin, and this fascia.

The fascia hurt the most. It hurt the longest. And the pain spread over the widest area.

Same needle. Same solution. Very different experience depending on which tissue it went into.

That tells us something useful. This layer is loaded with nerve endings. It is not a passive wrapper around the interesting parts. It is one of the most pain-sensitive tissues in your low back.

So if your back pain is broad and achy, and you can't point to it with one finger, that isn't vague. That's a very normal thing for this particular tissue to do.

Now, some newer research. Fourteen studies, around a thousand people. In people with low back pain, this layer tends to show up thicker and stiffer on imaging.

Here's the honest part: nobody knows yet whether the thickness came first or the pain did. It's a real chicken-and-egg question and the research isn't there yet.

But here's the part we'd like you to hear.

You don't need that layer to get thinner for you to feel different.

Because thickness was never really the point. The point is that this is a tissue full of nerve endings, and what matters is the signal coming out of it and how your nervous system reads that signal. Change the input, and the output can change too, while the tissue itself stays exactly as it is.

That's why things can shift faster than any tissue could possibly rebuild itself.

It also means something we say often, and mean: your pain is not imaginary. It is not "all in your head."
There is a real, richly innervated tissue involved, it responds to what you do to it, and that gives us something to work with.

If your low back pain is broad, achy, and hard to pin down, that's worth a conversation.

https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/symptoms-and-diagnosis-piriformis-syndrome?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUZIkVwZG9mAWZkaWQWUOmCX1JKM3Yu1F-hYyBsasrJebbEyGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR40cmk99XDWDbFrPWGBAIlhdIBDpx7Fz5A0nw3AMpyvFOhzPZDaL5kf-lSN_w_aem_aNnaoNGi2hgtirCLu-TGHg

Symptoms and Diagnosis of Piriformis Syndrome The symptoms of piriformis syndrome may range from mild discomfort to severe, debilitating pain in the buttock.

Hydrated vs. Dehydrated Fascia: Why Your Body Needs Water!

Have you ever wondered why some days you feel stiff and sluggish, while others you feel fluid and energized? The secret might be your fascia—the web of connective tissue that wraps around everything in your body!

Fascia needs hydration to function correctly, like a sponge needs water.

💭Here’s the difference:

Hydrated Fascia: The Happy Sponge
Think of healthy, hydrated fascia as a wet, squishy sponge:
Fluid Movement: Tissues glide smoothly, allowing you to move easily with less joint pain.
Stable Energy: Your body doesn't fight itself to move, keeping energy levels high.
Balanced Emotions: Linked to a calm nervous system, reducing chronic stress and emotional tension.
Strong Immunity: Excellent circulation of nutrients and waste removal keeps your immune system strong.

Dehydrated Fascia: The Dry Sponge
Dehydrated fascia is like a dry, brittle sponge—stiff, sticky, and ready to crack:
Stiffness & Pain: Restricts movement, leading to stiffness, muscle knots, chronic joint pain, and limited flexibility.
Low Energy & Stress: Movement becomes exhausting. It activates your body's stress response ("fight or flight"), leading to constant fatigue and high stress.
Weak Immunity: Impeded fluid flow means slower healing and a weaker immune response.

💡 The Takeaway:
If you want better movement, less pain, higher energy, and more emotional balance, you need to hydrate your fascia!
How? Drink plenty of water, move your body regularly with gentle stretching, and foam roll to keep that sponge supple! 💦

I have always said I have the best clients and I truly do. Most of the time no one will get the insiders and jokes that take place in the treatment room. This one, makes me smile and chuckle.

I appreciate you all more than you know.

Couple new bottles are in $45 each

Good Morning,

Saving you money by reminding you there are NO U-Turns in the school zone. If caught, the ticket is about $280 or so.

Please don’t get a ticket ☺️