The electric Massage Table Warming Pad are used by thousands of massage therapists and they have some distinct advantages over other types of warming pads. However, keeping an electronic Massage Table Warming Pad clean can be a little tricky since most of the time they are not washable.

If the massage table pad that you want to use isn’t washable there are ways that you can keep it clean and sanitary without having to wash it constantly, although you will need to check the warming pad everyday to make sure it’s not spotted or stained. Here are some tips from massage therapists who love using electric warming pads on keeping the pads clean and soft for a long time:

Spot cleaning

Keep some baby wipes in a drawer or in your purse and whenever a small stain appears on the warming pad dab it with a baby wipe. If you can clean the stain before it sets the fabric should dry as if there were never a stain there. If the stain is lipstick, face powder or other cosmetic stains as a result of contact with a made up client use make up remover pads that are designed to clean makeup in order to prevent permanent stains.

Dry cleaning

You can dry clean your Massage Table Warming Pad at home with an at home dry cleaning kit. Using a dryer based dry cleaning kit will also freshen up the warming pad when it starts to look and smell stale. A good home dry cleaning kit will last through several cleanings and is well worth the cost, so make sure you pick one up when you’re shopping. Make sure that the dryer is not set too high in order to make sure there is no damage to the fabric.

Steam cleaning

You can remove stubborn stains by holding a steam iron close to the fabric with the steam on. The steam will loosen dirt and stains and bring them to the surface so that you wipe them away with a baby wipe, makeup remover, or washcloth. Make sure that the fabric doesn’t get too moist from the steam and make sure you let the pad dry for at least a few hours before you use it for a client.

Upholstery cleaner

Spray upholstery cleaners, the kind used for cars, can also be used on massage pads to fight really bad stains. Follow the directions on the bottle to get the deepest possible clean.

One of the most often presented conditions that massage therapists encounter is chronic pain, making pain management and relief a chief goal of a massage session. Sometimes though, regular massage therapy may not be enough to relieve this kind of pain, and clients may rely on traditional Western medicine for help. The most common doctor-prescribed medications for chronic pain relief are steroids, particularly Prednisone, which is primarily used as an anti-inflammatory. Since this medication is so common, it is likely that many of your clients are taking it for pain relief. This makes it absolutely necessary for massage therapists to know and understand any and all possible contraindications with this drug.

Taking Prednisone for chronic pain may offer tremendous relief to your clients, but it is not without its share of side effects. Some of the most common side effects of this steroid include headaches, dizziness, fatigue and muscle weakness. These and other side effects are things that every massage therapist should be aware of so that they can adjust their massage accordingly, and provide the safest and most beneficial therapeutic treatment possible. Another important aspect of Prednisone to be aware of is its ability to inhibit calcium absorption, thus contributing to weak and fragile bones.

Due to the many possible side effects of this drug and, in order to ensure the client’s safety, bodyworkers treating clients taking Prednisone should opt for light, gentle massage strokes in favor of deep muscle work. It is important for you and your client to stay in close contact with the client’s physician so that he or she can monitor any developing conditions that may result from this medication.

Read more about the benefits and drawbacks of taking Prednisone for pain management, as well as the steroid’s impact on massage, by reading this entire article here.

The spider walking or spider fingers technique is one frequently used during a comprehensive back and neck massage. It tends to enter into the “routine” after the introductory period of effleurage and following any deeper tissue work along the muscles of the spine, neck, and back. This means that the application of massage oils has already been done and no preparatory applications are required for this technique.

The spider walk involves walking both hands, in a spider like movement, along the area of the body being massaged. Only the fingertips are used to put pressure on the area, and it is usually very similar to playing the piano as well. The receiver will be lying on their stomach, with their head positioned on their hands in order to ensure proper alignment. The provider will be to the left or right of the receiver and will be working across their back, which is the reason that the spider walk is often compared to piano playing.

The technique will not play a powerful role in the overall outcome but it is a wonderful way to transition between intense and gentle massage techniques. For example, it would ideally be used after the effleurage process that used light pressure down both sides of the spine, beginning at the base of the skull. Once the masseur or the masseuse has completed a path both down and back up the spine using the thumbs to create frictional strokes they could then put the spider walking technique into use to work their way back down to the lower back before transitioning into a kneading technique of the lower muscles of this region.

Clearly this indicates that it would require only a few minute’s time, but this keeps the contact between the provider and the receiver, and also continually stimulates the muscles in the most crucial areas of the neck and the back.

If at any time the receiver seems to tense up it is important to inquire if any particular movement has caused them discomfort or pain. If this is the case it is going to be vitally important to use a significantly lighter touch for all remaining techniques. The spider walking technique is an excellent remedy for moments when a patient needs to be transitioned into less intense massage.

When your doctor mentions that you need to start preparing for surgery, I will venture a guess that you will not think of massage as one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. Well, you are not alone in this thinking and that is unfortunate because the healing benefits of massage are vast.

Massage therapy is useful for endless conditions including insomnia, muscle pain, anxiety, circulatory problems, and recovery from injury or before and after having surgery.

Even self-massage techniques that target reflexology points in the hands and feet, affect the head, neck, sinuses, in addition to many other parts of the body and organs that are beneficially affected. Massage is particularly effective when used as part of preparing for surgery and the recovery from surgery, particularly bone or muscle reconstructive surgery.

Before surgery, massage can relieve much of the anxiety and tension associated with the anticipation of having surgery. Massage helps the patient feel less stressed and lowers the patient’s expectations for pain. This lowering of stress promotes a general sense of well-being that enhances the patient’s ability to heal quicker and with fewer complications.

After surgery, massage therapy is a great addition to or even a substitute for other pain and recovery treatments, such as pain medication, which can sometimes cause unpleasant side effects. There are several reasons why massage is beneficial after surgery. For one, massage improves the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid throughout the body, allowing for increased oxygenation of the body’s tissues and organs and reduction of swelling and stiffness. Additionally, the simple fact that human touch, something we all need and benefit from, is involved in massage therapy and accounts for much of its physical and mental healing qualities.

Listed below are some of the most valuable health benefits and effects of massage as it applies to surgery.

– Helps to reduce edema or fluid accumulation

– Reduces swelling

– Reduces or relieves pain

– Increases flexibility of tissues

– Increases mobility

– Reduces stress and tension

– Increases body awareness

– Promotes relaxation

– Enhances immune functions and improved cell functions

– Lowers the production of the hormone Cortisol (also known as the stress-hormone)

Even though the benefits of massage are immense, there are a couple of main reasons why massage therapy is not widely used or recommended by doctors. One reason is many insurance plans do not cover the cost of massage therapy. Another is because massage is often regarded as an unsophisticated, insufficiently researched treatment.

However, people have benefited greatly from massage before and after having surgery and practitioners of massage therapy endorse it as one of the most effective and pleasant healing modalities available to modern medicine.

With benefits like the ones listed above, you may want to consider incorporating therapeutic massage into your preparing for surgery plans.