Massage Therapy and MLD

All massage therapy and Manual Lymphatic Drainage appointments are booked through Life Balance of Atlanta and will take place at Life Balance of Atlanta

CAMIAH IS A LICENSED AND INSURED MASSAGE THERAPIST (LICENSE #MT014017), SPECIALIZING IN ORTHOPEDIC MASSAGE, SPORTS MASSAGE, VOCAL MASSAGE AND MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE.
music for spa massage

Massage helps my singing clients gain greater vocal freedom and ease.

The voice is influenced by a complex system of muscles that help the vocal folds close against each other, open for breathing, bulk the vocal folds, thin the vocal folds, stretch for pitch control, lift the larynx, tilt the larynx, lower the larynx, and swallow. All of those muscles work together to produce your voice, but if those muscles have been overworked or injured then the voice is affected. You may feel exhausted after singing for just a few minutes or you may hear a raspy quality to your speaking voice. Frequently singers will feel as though their vocal range is suddenly limited. Some people may feel a tickle, itch or scratchiness in their throat. All of these are signs that the muscles of the shoulders, neck, jaw and larynx are out of balance and would benefit from massage, specifically laryngeal massage.

I offer 20-30 minutes of laryngeal massage within any voice session or singers can book an hour long laryngeal massage session if they feel that they need more focused time on the muscles supporting the voice. The results are immediate and long lasting. Singers report increased range, great freedom, less effort required in voice production (speaking or singing), more flexibility and greater tone quality. Spontaneous smiles and giggles are natural side effects of laryngeal massage!

While I love working with singers, I’m also highly skilled and experienced in helping other clients recover from injuries or surgery, address muscle imbalance or tension, achieve great flexibility, reduce pain and swelling and return normal function to joints. A few of my other specialties include sports massage, neuromuscular massage, trigger point release, deep tissue massage, fascia release, cold/hot therapy, kinesiology taping, and hip/knee/shoulder/neck/lower back pain. When clients book their session they can mention if they would like a specific modality used during their booked time or they can discuss their expectations and goals with me when they arrive. Clients may also request aroma therapy, castor oil cleanse and detox, cupping, and foot bath be a part of their appointment time. Indicate if you’d like any of those therapies added to your session when you book.

I also specialize in Manual Lymphatic Drainage with over one hundred hours of training and advanced classes in this remarkable modality.

The lymph system is your body’s waste disposal system. Lymph nodes are like your body’s collection centers for waste material where it is processed and eventually disposed through urine, the bowels, sweat, breath, etc. Delicate lymph capillaries span the body and collect this waste from all over the body then direct the waste to the lymph nodes to be processed. Manual Lymphatic Drainage stimulates the lymph nodes to prepare them for processing waste, then the therapist will use gentle, circular, pumping, stationary rhythmic movements to encourage fluid movement from the swollen/injured areas to the lymph nodes

lymphatic massage atlanta

MLD can be used to help clients recovering from illness, injury or surgery. Some clients notice immediate reduction in swelling, bruising and pain, while other clients may notice a gradual reduction in these symptoms over several days.

The speed of the results is heavily influenced by the amount of time the swelling has been present. For those clients experiencing significant symptoms injury or surgery, I suggest booking 1 – 2 sessions per week for two weeks and then reducing the sessions until normal comfort and function has been achieved.

Whether you are a singer or a massage client (or both!), I highly suggest doing the following to ensure the greatest results in your massage/MLD session:

  1. HYDRATE! Hydrated muscles are healthier, more flexible and respond better to manual therapy. Drink plenty of water before your session and after you leave, especially following an MLD session.
  2. Arrive 5 minutes early to your session so that you can talk through your symptoms and goals with me and I can ask any pertinent questions, so I can make sure that I’m focused on the correct issues.
  3. Always communicate with me about the level of intensity that you can tolerate. I never want anyone to suffer in silence. If you need me to reduce the intensity/pressure, I can easily do that. If you need more pressure or longer pressure on a specific sore muscle, please don’t hesitate to communicate that with me. I’m here for your health.
  4. I will usually recommend specific stretches to do at home in order to prolong the effects of the massage and to help you recover. I highly recommend incorporating the stretches into your daily routine. You will experience significantly better results when stretching is added.
  5. With prolonged muscle tension, I usually recommend that clients check their magnesium levels with their doctor and discuss adding a magnesium glycinate supplement to support muscle release. Always discuss supplements with your doctor first.
  6. Remove all jewelry before your session (even better, leave all jewelry at home).
  7. Motion is lotion! Movement is medicine! One of the most important things you can do to recover is to move your muscles. This is true for laryngeal massage, sports massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage alike. Movement encourages blood flow which in turn brings more nutrients to the tissues. I can recommend specific movements to incorporate into your daily routine based on your injury, your pain level and your specific goals.

I look forward to helping you achieve greater health and function! Let’s get started today!