Massage Benefits Women

By Karen E. Mortenson, C.M.T.
Advance Health Massage Center

When I became concerned about my health, I researched appropriate medical and massage interventions. As a middle-aged female, I suffer from symptoms of menopause, bone-loss, fatigue and allergies. Doctors and medicines offered me little assistance. Massage became the healthiest way for me to have quality of life again.

To achieve my goals, appropriate massage modalities had to be identified. Using one modality, such as Swedish massage, can achieve healthful relaxation, reduction in heart rate, respiration and metabolism as well as lower blood pressure, but the modality may not be vigorous enough to address more involved health problems.

Deep tissue massage, or neuromuscular therapy, stimulates oxygen and blood and eliminates waste products. It eases tense and knotted muscles, stiff joints, and improves mobility and flexibility. However, like me, most of my clients couldn’t tolerate the discomfort caused by the treatment. Frustrated, I developed a way to use deep tissue massage without the intolerable pain and my clients and I have reaped the healthful benefits.

“Prior to meeting Karen I suffered a life-time of debilitating back pain and was wheel-chair bound,” reports Jan Richards of Westfield. “When I heard Karen speaking about her new approach to deep tissue massage, I expressed skepticism. Karen challenged me to try a session. Since then we have worked regularly and I am now able to walk longer distances, my pain decreased and last summer I walked in sand. Karen’s skill gave me quality of life and her reasonable and flexible fee arrangements made it possible for me to afford health. What more can any of us ask for?”

Advance Health Massage Center, 854 Mountain Ave., Mountainside, NJ; 908-389-0737

A Simple Mammogram Can Save Your Life

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately all women are at risk for getting breast cancer and as you get older, your risk increases. This year more than 211,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States. Breast cancer is also the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55. Early detection of breast cancer saves many thousands of lives each year. That is why it is very important for women to take advantage of breast cancer screenings that are available today.
Screenings refer to tests and examinations used to detect the disease in women who do not have any symptoms. Some screenings used for early detection of breast cancer include:

• Monthly breast self examinations beginning at age 20. Look and feel for any changes in your breasts;
• Clinical breast examinations every three years from ages 20-39, then every year thereafter;
• Mammogram every year for women 40 and older.

There is some good news, thanks to Mammograms, which are low dose X-rays. Mammograms can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt. Finding breast cancer at an early stage greatly improves the chances of successful treatment. When breast cancer is found early, the five year survival rate is 96
percent. More than two million breast cancer survivors are alive in America today because of early detection of breast cancer.

Garden State Imaging accepts all health insurance plans and offer reduced rates for uninsured patient. Everyone at Garden State Imaging would like to remind all women to please get your annual mammogram. Remember — early detection is the best detection!

Garden State Imaging, 315 Elmora Avenue Elizabeth, NJ; 908-282-1100

Women and Dry Eye

Dry eye syndrome is among the most common eye conditions in the United States. What is dry eye syndrome? In healthy eyes, a thin layer of tears coats the outside surface of the eye, keeping it moist and washing away bits of debris that might fall into the eyes. Dry eye syndrome occurs when the eye doesn’t make enough tears, or doesn’t make effective tears, or the tears that it does make evaporate too quickly and leave the eye dry and vulnerable.

According to Dr. Andrew Miller, an ophthalmologist who practices in Short Hills, people with dry eyes often experience dryness, stickiness, and stinging or burning of their eyes. The eyes are often red and irritated. Sometimes the eyes water excessively in an effort to soothe the irritation, but these reflex tears are usually not adequate to fix the problem, and all they do is spill over the eyelid and run down the cheek.

The cause of dry eye syndrome is unknown, but the disease becomes more common as we age, and is particularly common in women. Dry eye syndrome affects women two to three times more often than men. This is thought to be related to hormones. Male hormones (such as testosterone) seem to be good for the tear glands, and female hormones (particularly estrogen) seem to be bad for the tear glands. In a recent study, women who were on hormone replacement therapy after menopause
were at higher risk for developing dry eyes. By one estimate, one in 20 women over the age of 50, and one in 10 over the age of 75, have dry eye syndrome. This amounts to over 3.2 million middle-aged or older women with dry eye syndrome in the US alone.

One particular form of dry eye syndrome occurs in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Patients with Sjögren’s syndrome suffer from dry eyes and dry mouth, because their bodies mistakenly produce small molecules that attack their moisture-producing glands. Ninety percent of people with Sjögren’s syndrome are women.

If you have dry eye syndrome, there are numerous treatments available to help protect your eyes and your sight. For many dry eye sufferers, small changes in their daily habits can make the problem better. For others, tear replacement drops, medications, and plugs to block tears from escaping once they reach the eye surface are all effective in reducing or eliminating dry eye symptoms.

Dr. Andrew I. Miller, Short Hills Eye and Laser, 516 Old Short Hills Rd., Short Hills, NJ; 973-376-6333; www.shorthillslasik.yourmd.com

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