Archive for the ‘ Other ’ Category

A Common Cause of Low Back and Sciatic Pain – The Piriformis

As a licensed massage therapist, I specialize in chronic pain and injury management using deep tissue massage therapy. Most of my clients come in with a common complaint: pain in the low back, hips (primarily on one side), and/or shooting pain or numbness down the back of the leg.

More than two million Americans suffer either from back pain or a form of sciatica that is often misdiagnosed and improperly treated. Many suffer from pain for months or years without a proper diagnosis. I work with these symptoms so frequently that I have noticed some common characteristics with this all-too-common pain complaint.

The most common characteristic I find are aggravated trigger points (TrPs) in the piriformis muscle. Piriformis trigger points are often confused for a herniated disc, sciatica, or other back issues, and many sufferers undergo unnecessary and costly tests, injections, and surgeries.

What is the piriformis?

The piriformis muscle is a small external rotator of the hip whose function primarily is to turn the knee and foot outward. It lies deep within the gluteal muscles, originates from the sacral spine, and attaches to the greater trochanter of the femur – the big bony “bump” on the outside top of the thigh. The sciatic nerve passes beneath through an opening called the sciatic notch.

Function

In non-weight bearing activities, foot unloaded and hip extended, the piriformis rotates the thigh outward. When the hip is flexed at 90 degrees it aids in hip abduction.

In weight bearing activities, foot loaded, the pirifomis is often needed to control rapid medial rotation of the thigh – for example, as the foot strikes the ground during walking or running, the knee turns inward.

Piriformis Trigger Points (TrPs)

Symptoms

The myofascial pain component includes pain in the low back, groin, buttock, and hip. A TrP may cause the muscle to compress and irritate the sciatic nerve, causing the pain to travel along the course of the nerve. The pain may radiate down the back of the leg and into the hamstrings, the calf muscles, and possibly the foot. The pain may initially be confused with a hamstring strain. Weakness, stiffness and a general restriction of movement are also quite common. Tingling, numbness, or shooting pains down the leg can also be experienced. Symptoms tend to be aggravated by prolonged sitting or by intense activity.

Causes

Piriformis TrPs are predominantly caused by a shortening or tightening of the piriformis muscle. Piriformis TrPs are commonly associated with sports that require a lot of running, change of direction, or weight-bearing activity. Piriformis TrPs can result from acute overload (as when catching oneself from a fall), from repetitive overload (as with the rapid internal rotation of the weight bearing experienced by walkers and runners with poor biomechanics), or from sustained overload (as when holding the leg bent and turned outward for prolonged periods while driving a car or working at a desk). Sciatic pain from piriformis TrPs is also a common complaint during pregnancy.

The piriformis muscle is responsible for the symptoms of pain by projecting pain from activation of the TrPs and by nerve entrapment upon the sciatic nerve. Once TrPs are activated, the piriformis muscle begins to put pressure on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs under (and sometimes through) the piriformis muscle on its way out of the pelvis. The piriformis muscle can squeeze and irritate the sciatic nerve in this area, leading to the symptoms of sciatica.

Could Your Computer Be Hurting You?

In today’s world we are hooked on computers, myself included. Most people spend their whole work day on the computer and then come home and play on it more for personal fun and social networking sites like one of my favorites, Facebook. The downfall of all this time on the computer is that we do not take the time to be aware of our posture using the computer, nor do we take a moment to step away and give our body and minds a much needed break, even if it is just for 5 minutes. With this, most of us find ourselves in a bit of pain from the all day use of the keyboard and the mouse. This pain could be in your upper shoulders, your forearms, wrists and for some in the fingers (ever feel that numbing sensation). Sometimes these muscle issues start showing up right away. Sometimes they may not be for years.

I’m sure if you take a good look at your computer set-up and your posture, you’ll quickly realize that things are not ergonomically correct. Yet there are some ways to help yourself have better posture and be more ergonomically correct. These simple measures can help deter you from compromising your body.

Receive regular massages

Acquire ergonomically correct products to support your wrists, arms, lower back and even for your legs.

Take breaks away from the computer. Even a quick 1 to 2 minute walk down the hall will refresh your body, get the blood flowing and even refresh your mind.

Bring the mouse and keyboard closer to your body so that your not reaching for either.

Take a few moments to stretch. Here are a few suggestions:
Doorway Stretch: Place your forearm against the frame of a doorway with elbow up. Step forward with the same leg that matches the forearm and lunge. Hold and gently come back. Switch sides.

Deltoid Stretch: Pull the right arm across the front of the body using the left arm. Make sure you stretched arm has the thumb facing down. Hold and then switch arms.

Tricep and Lat Stretch: Point your right elbow toward the ceiling, then lean the upper torso to the left. You may grab the elbow with the left hand for a further stretch. Hold and switch arms.

Wrist Stretch: Hold arm straight out with hand upside down. Gently pull down on the fingers to stretch. Switch hands.

I’m sure one of your first thoughts is how could I fit this into my day? Or I can’t do these, what if the boss sees me and thinks I’m being unproductive? Please realize that these simple things don’t take up much time and will help you be more productive. If your body is not in pain you will not be spending the time complaining about it, you will get more done and you’ll feel better. In the end it is your body and you only have one chance to take care of it.

Becoming An Effective Massage Therapist

Our body needs to be pampered right after a long and tiring day at work. You have to free your mind from several stress stimuli and be comforted by a therapeutic massage that promotes utmost rest and relaxation period. Pressures, tension and anxiety can be present anywhere. Therefore, you have to counter it with a touch of comfort in order to bring balance.

Being a therapist has a lot of things to consider. She must have the desire and willingness to do the job with a whole heart since kneading could greatly affect a client’s mood and general health condition. Body massage could be that simple but its health benefits are tremendous. Every pressure point has a definite equivalent to the body. Therefore, rubdown must be performed with care and delicacy. Once you’ve decided to become a therapist, an extensive training must be acquired. As mentioned earlier, each pressure point has an equivalent effect to the human body. That’s why it is very important to learn the dos and don’ts of this therapy. By undergoing necessary trainings, you will definitely improve your skills in rendering therapeutic care, eventually.

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There are different courses being offered in order to become a credible therapist. You can even choose a modality as to which area you want to specialize. The modality you’re going to use in rendering a therapeutic care would always depend on the physical condition and health needs of the patient. There are some techniques intended for relaxation while others are used for aiding body impurities and impairments. Keep in mind that the main goal of your job is to rejuvenate the body and be able to attain freedom from pain and stresses. For this reason alone, a therapist must really take necessary measures with enough knowledge in order to satisfy the needs of the client.

In using special techniques to delicate patients such as pregnant mothers, infants and stroke patients, adequate knowledge and skill is also a requirement. You cannot just give anything to the mentioned clients above. Remember that circulation and nerve endings are greatly affected in every pressure that is being introduced to the body. You have to make certain that acupuncture or other stroke movement is not contraindicated to your client so that complications will be avoided.

Health clubs and spa clinics require highly qualified personnel so that the treatment they would render to the clients are surely comforting. Be aware that a therapist who does not obtain enough skill could actually add to the stress that the patient feels. Therefore, as personnel who provide therapeutic care, be very sure to give comfort and alleviate the patient’s suffering and not to aggravate his condition. Ensure patient’s safety too and always aim for a good feedback.

Do not confuse yourself to physical therapists and massage therapists because they have different job descriptions. Physical therapists are more focused on previously injured or disabled patients. It requires thorough knowledge and a college degree in order to complete the course. You must also obtain the license to practice.

How Was Technology Incorporated To Massage Chairs?

In recent time, several electronic massage chairs had been introduced to the market in order to give optimum rest and comfort that would ease all your body pains and daily stresses in life. A lot of massage techniques had been incorporated to this type of equipment leading to its utmost popularity and efficiency. As technology continues to advance from time to time, new inventions had been made too. One of the latest and useful innovations done by experts is robotic and reclining chair massagers.

When you visit some shopping malls, hardware and even department stores, you would easily notice the different types of massage equipment with a lot of goodies to pamper every user. These recliners can offer so many health benefits to human beings. Its outside appearance might look so simple and ordinary but its features are actually amazing. This chair can give a complete body massage in a short period of time by just turning the settings on. Most of them are controlled by a wireless or hardwired remote so you won’t find it difficult to control in terms of duration, speed, strength and strokes. Its functions and operations are being displayed clearly in LCD.

There are manufacturers who preset the programs which make it automatic. There are also certain features in this hi-tech device that could be accessed only with the use of a remote control. Just by pressing a single button, you will definitely be able to experience an instant full body massage. There is no need for you to look for a good and quality spa and health clubs. This device has specific functions too. You can opt for a manual massage technique or a roller with kneading, acupuncture and compression and so on.

Upon looking to the product reviews, you will notice that the manufacturer was able to develop unique roller designs. Rollers re commonly used to give a back massage to the user. It usually targets the shoulder muscles, upper and lower back and the legs including the calf. Each type of roller has different mechanism of action. It will now vary according to the manufacturer’s design and purpose. In every mechanism, there is a particular movement. Rolling, tapping and kneading are the most common movements associated with these rollers. Therefore, upon purchase, you have to make sure that its function will surely meet your needs.

Another interesting high-end feature of chair recliners is the presence of body position sensors. It is not common to all massage equipment but some chairs have this kind of property. It enables the chair to determine where you are while lying or sitting in a recliner. Once you will about to move, the sensor will able to detect it and the program will change automatically. This is actually great but the cost can be expensive. Having a massage chair at home is really wonderful especially if you have the latest model. You can easily avail a therapy any time of the day as long as you have vacant schedules.

Get a Job As a Massage Therapist: Learn Massage Therapy

If you are like many people who have been to a massage therapy spa, you’re probably wondering what it’s like to be a masseuse (massage therapist). Most likely, you’re also receiving treatment from a massage therapist who enrolled in college to be just that – a massage therapist.

That’s too bad for us, right? We don’t have the money, time, or whatever else to dedicate to getting a degree in massage therapy or something similar. Thankfully, there seems to be a new way to fulfill your dream of becoming a massage therapist after all – learning from home!

With this new program to learn massage therapy from home, you can -

Go to “school” in your pajamas
Learn how to be a real massage therapist
Learn marketing techniques that can make you money
Learn how to open your own parlor
Discover how to get certified with the knowledge you now possess!

Sounds too good to be true, right? I know it. And that’s precisely why a lot of people don’t go down this route – they feel it’s “scammy” and so they go the more traditional (and expensive) route of going back to college. Or, even worse, they give up on their dreams of becoming a masseuse all together!

So what can you gain from becoming a massage therapist?

Satisfaction
A nice salary
Being your own boss if you open your own parlor
Happy customers
An expanding client base
Experience
Recommendations
A track record that could get you into the massage therapy “big league”
Strength

Seems worth it, doesn’t it? It is. Massage therapy is becoming increasingly popular in America, most likely due to the rise in economic crisis and other political and social factors that make people feel tense and uneasy. We all know that a good massage can get rid of tension!

Regardless of why it is that you choose to be a masseuse, you’ll find a good home in a parlor where people are relying on you to make their day. It’s a very interactive job, and it can really make you feel good to talk to a stranger and, by the end of the appointment, feel like they’re a friend. Then again, there are some parlors where you don’t talk at all – the choice is yours!

Now that you know you really do want to be a massage therapist, check out the resource box for more information on how to do it from home!

How to Treat Trigger Points in Shoulder

Trigger points can be a major cause of pain in the shoulder. They can also cause stiffness and loss of movement. There’s some good reasons why we get trigger points in the shoulder, and understanding how this joint works will help with successfully getting rid of shoulder trigger points.

The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in the human body. It has an incredible range of motion – and is vital to how we function as human beings.

The way that the shoulder gets this great flexibility comes from the way the shoulder joint is constructed.

In most joints, there is a socket and ball arrangement, where the bone end has a smooth rounded ball-like end, covered with cartilage, and this fits into a rounded bowl or socket in the other bone. The ball rotates neatly inside the socket and that is how the joint moves.

The shoulder joint is slightly different though. Because it is so mobile, a deep socket for the humerus (the bone of the upper arm) to fit into would restrict its movement. So the shoulder has a very shallow cup, and the humerus keeps minimal contact with this cup as you move your arm around.

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So – how does this joint get stability and strength? This is where the muscles of the rotator cuff come into the picture. These four muscles (the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) do a subtle and difficult job.

As you go through a vast range of movement – from swinging a baseball bat to typing, they work together to balance the humerus in the joint. They need to constantly adjust their tension so that your arm bone will always sit in the joint socket at the optimum angle – even when you’re moving through a 200 degree movement.

So, once you have this picture in your mind, it’s easy to see why the shoulder joint can get so many trigger point and muscle problems.

Let’s recap – you have a series of muscles that need to do complex and difficult tasks. They’re working throughout the day. They need to compensate for very fine as well as very powerful movements (think writing vs. pressups.)

And when you combine this with the fact that a lot of us have bad posture it’s obvious why trigger points in the shoulder are very common and cause pain in many people.

So what can you do about shoulder trigger points? There’s two main areas to look at:

treating the triggers themselves. And
treating the underlying causes.

Let’s look at these in a bit more detail. Supposing you had a fall. You saved yourself by throwing out your arm and catching yourself just above the ground. That quick movement saved yourself from hitting your head, but the wrenched at your arm. This set off trigger points and pain in your shoulder. Figure out how to treat those trigger points and you’re cured.

Now, let’s look at a slightly different scenario. Supposing you work in an office. Every day, you sit for 8 hours in front of a computer. And as the day goes on, you start to slump forwards. Your spine is in an uncomfortable curve, and you compensate by hunching your shoulders and leaning your neck forwards.

You have pain in your shoulders, and when you examine them more closely, you find many trigger points in your upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. Now, you can and should go ahead and treat these triggers. But unless you look at the underlying problem and do something about it (like get a different chair, or a back rest, or take frequent breaks to adjust your posture) you’ll continue to get trigger points. They may go away for some time, but they’ll always come back.

How The California State Massage Certificate Helps Los Angeles Corporate Massage Therapists

Before 2008 and the creation of California’s statewide massage therapy certificate, life was difficult for corporate massage therapists in the greater Los Angeles area. Indeed, because the different municipalities of L.A. county required a municipal massage therapy license to practice legally, corporate massage therapists – who travel to offices (often located in separate municipalities) to provide onsite chair massage therapy – were limited in the areas they could work.

The creation of the California state massage therapy certificate in 2008, therefore, was a true game-changer – and lifesaver – for businesses and therapists in Los Angeles, as it ensures a simple, reliable verification of training, professionalism and legitimacy for area therapists, no matter their location in the state. In this way, the certificate is especially helpful in Los Angeles given L.A. county’s tremendous size; it is the most populous in the country, with an area larger than the size of some small states, and a population that would make it the eighth most populous state in America. Moreover, there are more than 88 incorporated cities in the county, meaning that before 2008 there was the potential for 89 (including the county) different massage licenses and professional qualifications for the therapists of L.A. County!

This made working in new areas difficult for corporate massage therapists as, if companies wanted massage at a different office location within the L.A. metropolitan area, therapists at one location would not be able to work legally at the other if it were located in a different municipal jurisdiction.

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Beside the legal aspects, the different licensing authorities in L.A. County made it difficult for therapists to prove their professionalism to new clients as often times different municipalities had different professional standards. For example, the massage technician permit in Long Beach requires a therapist to have had 500 training hours, a respectable number. In Glendale, however, the number required is a more paltry 150 training hours. Moreover, the qualifications and training requirements for therapists in many of the other cities in Los Angeles County, including L.A. itself, are very difficult to come by, making it difficult for employers to verify a therapist’s professional qualifications and for therapists to prove their sufficient training and skill.

Which is why having a statewide massage certification for therapists in California has made being a Los Angeles corporate massage therapist much easier. Indeed, the professional qualifications a California state certified therapist must have is clearly outlined on the California Massage Therapy Council’s Website and should serve as a clear and clearly accessible way for therapists to work legally and demonstrate their competency in the many municipalities of Los Angeles.

Learn Massage in 3 Easy Steps

Apply enough oil (or moisturiser if you don’t have oil) so that flat hands can just slide over the back.

Note: Make sure you NEVER MASSAGE THE SPINE. You can massage the muscles just next to the spine but never put pressure on the spine itself.

Level 1 strokes are the lightest. They are designed to warm up the muscles, ready for the deeper strokes. Level 2 is a bit deeper, designed to warm further and knead out tight spots. Once the muscles are warmed up, Level 3 is designed to really iron out knots and release tension in really tight muscles.

When you are doing level 3 strokes, ask the person how hard you can press remembering that different muscles are more sensitive than others. For example the muscles supporting the spine can handle quite deep level three where as you will need to press a lot lighter on neck muscles.

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1. Level 1

Start by using flat hands and applying level 1 pressure. My favourite stroke is figure of 8 stroke. Stand on one side of the body, place two hands side by side on the lower back. The two hands follow each other in a figure of 8 motion. Do this up the body to the shoulders and then back down. Repeat 8 or so times. This stoke is hard to master so practice on your leg or on a pillow!

2. Level 2

I will explain two different level 2 techniques. 1. Using the heel of your hand. Place a flat hand on the back, knead tight spots with the heel of your hand up to where up to where your fingertips are. Don’t apply any pressure with your fingers, just use them to stabalise your hand or you will pinch the skin and muscle. 2. Pick up and knead tissue between your thumb and the rest of your fingers in a wipe on, wipe off motion. Don’t let your thumb and little finger touch as this will pinch the skin or muscle. This stroke will take some practice.

3. Level 3

For this stroke, use the deepest pressure the person can take. Position your body high enough above the person that you can extend your arm from the shoulder straight down. Extend your thumb in line with your arm. You use your thumbs to apply the deep pressure, using your body weight rather than tiring yourself out. You use this stroke for knots and muscles that support the spine.

Happy massaging!

Is Massage A Healing Art For Everyone?

Massage has already been considered as a healing art in the past and even at present. There are people who get regular massage just to do away with stress and tension from work while some consider massage as a way to relieve themselves from severe pain caused by arthritis and other conditions. Massage is really beneficial and helpful to a lot of people. This is regardless if the massage is performed by a professional massage therapist or a massage recliner or massage chair. The quality, strength and intensity of the massage may not be identical, but it is closely similar. All you have to do is decide on which option works best for you. But is massage for everyone who wants to enjoy all its benefits? Despite of all the good things that it offers, massage is not a healing art for everyone. There are some instances when you should not consider getting a massage.

For instance, when you are suffering from fever, it is best that you should refrain or even avoid getting a massage for the time being. This is because when you have a fever, your body is already in the process of dealing with the toxins that cause the high temperature. Your body is already doing everything just to get back to its normal condition. Now, if you visit a massage parlor or a spa for a massage, more unwanted toxins will be released inside the body and this makes it harder for the body to do its job. Therefore, you have to wait for the fever to be gone before you can consider getting a massage.

When you are suffering from an inflammation is another situation when massage therapy should be avoided. In the event that pressure during massage is applied on the inflamed area, it may worsen the inflammation and cause a more serious problem. Massage may cause the spreading of the infection to other parts of the body.

Osteoporosis and bone fractures are also among the conditions when massage should be avoided. Most of the time, elderly people are the ones who are experiencing osteoporosis which means that the bones have already become weak and fragile. So if you already have this kind of condition, you should refrain from getting a massage or perhaps only get light massage. The same idea applies when you have a bone fracture or a broken bone. Massage is definitely not the best option that you should choose when talking about mending the bones.

Aside from these conditions, there are many more conditions that are considered to be massage contraindications like having skin diseases, hypertension, varicose veins, cancer, epilepsy, infectious diseases or if you are pregnant. Therefore, you should speak with an expert first before getting a massage. You should determine if you have any of these said conditions to avoid your problems to get worse. Even if you are perfectly fine, there is a need for you to seek the advice of your physician first and find out the best massage technique for you.

About Carrier Oils

Significant role to play

Carrier oils play a far more significant role in aromatherapy than many people realise, and in comparison to the essential oils some people feel they are of little importance. To believe this would be a mistake though, ecause they offer a wealth of health-giving benefits of their own. They contain vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, and many of them soften and improve the condition of the skin. Some of them are also highly effective in treating irritated, sensitive conditions such as eczema and psoriasis as well as helping to reduce wrinkles and scar tissue. And in case you hadn’t already done the mathematics; carrier oils make up 98% of a typical aromatherapy treatment. Think about it. Technically classed as ‘fixed’ oils because they do not evaporate, carrier oils are also known as base oils and vegetable oils. They are largely derived from nuts and seeds, although there are a few exceptions to this generalisation. For example, coconut oil is extracted by a special process from the white flesh which is known as ‘copra’, and jojoba oil is extracted from a leathery-leaved shrub and is actually a liquid wax rather than an oil.

 

Extraction methods the oil obtained from nuts and seeds is usually extracted by one of two different methods. The first process is known as ‘cold pressing’ and is restricted to relatively small-scale production these days due to the higher cost. The nuts or seeds are placed in a horizontal press with a rotating screw known as an ‘expeller’ and the oil is literally squeezed out. Despite the processing name, a certain amount of heat is produced during the process due to friction, but this rarely exceeds 70° or 80° c and causes little damage to the oil. The oil is then filtered and sold as a finished product. Large-scale industrial production uses a method called ‘hot extraction’ and uses a similar process, but tremendous heat is applied during the process to increase the yield of oil, and temperatures used can reach up to 200° c which destroys the important vitamins and fatty acids. The waste product from both methods of extraction, known as ‘cake’ is often re-processed using solvents to extract even more oil. This oil is re-heated again, refined, deodorised and the colour is bleached out. Finally, artificial colour, preservatives and vitamins are added back. These highly refined, solvent extracted oils usually end up on supermarket shelves for use in cooking and are therefore totally unsuitable to use in aromatherapy. All the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids have been destroyed during the extraction process and they are a ‘dead’ product. You should always buy cold pressed oils for aromatherapy and your skin will be sure to feel the benefits. Regrettably, grapeseed oil cannot be produced by cold pressing since a realistic yield of oil cannot be produced without applying heat.

Refined or unrefined?

Some oils like avocado, coconut and wheatgerm are available in both a ‘refined’ and ‘unrefined’ form, and where you have the choice you should always choose the unrefined oil. Unrefined coconut oil is impossible to use since it sets like butter, and is therefore made available in the form of a ‘fractionated’ oil and is very useful in

aromatherapy. Unrefined avocado oil is a dark green colour and has a very strong odour which is not to everyone’s liking, but nonetheless is rich in lecithin and vitamins a and d. Likewise, unrefined wheatgerm oil is a dark orange colour with a strong fragrance typical of the cereal, and contains high levels of essential fatty acids and some vitamin e. The cosmetics industry prefers refined oils since the darker colours and heavy odours can have an adverse effect on the final product. Because of this, unrefined oils are often only produced in much smaller quantities and can be a little more difficult to find – especially if you only buy from health shops. Fortunately, most reputable aromatherapy stockists will normally offer a selection of unrefined, cold pressed vegetable oils. How to choose a carrier oil there is a wide range of carrier oils to choose from, plus some other infused or macerated oils such as calendula and st john’s wort. The variety of vegetable oils available to a newcomer can seem a little bewildering at first, since there is very little written on this important subject in many books. But choosing which one is for you is not really complicated at all.

Choosing a carrier oil is exactly the same as choosing an essential oil really, you choose one with the properties that you need for your particular needs. You just need to know some basic facts about the properties, actions and viscosity of vegetable oils, and then choosing becomes easier. Our simple reference chart here ill help get you started. All of these vegetable oils are the very finest that you can use for intensive facial treatments and body massage, and they can be combined to suit your particular requirements. Experiment with Your oils until you find what works best for you – that’s one of the keys to success with aromatherapy. Sweet almond, peach and apricot oils are highly versatile and can be used for both body massage and facial treatments since they are light and easily absorbed. If you are concerned about the possibility of nut-allergy reactions then sunflower is a perfect body oil since it is extracted from seeds, and the same applies to grapeseed. Black seed, borage, evening primrose, jojoba and rosehip oils all deliver outstanding results in facial treatments, but may need diluting with another lighter oil if you want to use them in body massage. None of these oils are extracted from nuts either. Unrefined avocado and wheatgerm are perfect for nourishing the skin in an overnight treatment, but are a little too heavy to use in body massage.

They have a strong odour that some people do not like, but please don’t let that put you off! They are excellent, deep-nourishing oils that will provide essential fatty acids and nutrients to soften your skin. If you want to use these richer oils in body massage or facial treatments just add them to a lighter oil such as almond, apricot or peach oil at around 15-20%, then you can enjoy all their therapeutic benefits without the odour. Of course you can do the same with any of the other deepnourishing oils – and it helps keep the cost per treatment down too. To complete your massage or facial oil, simply add 1 drop of pure essential oil to every 5mls of carrier oil that you use. If you are having a facial treatment, remember to avoid the delicate undereye area and don’t apply too much oil – a little goes a long way. Gently work the oil into the skin until it has all been absorbed, and your skin will be left feeling soft and silky smooth.