From kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov (Karen M. Chan) Wed Mar 22 23:18:20 EST 1995
Article: 5600 of alt.backrubs
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From: kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov (Karen M. Chan)
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs,alt.aromatherapy,alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Help with TMJ and Allergies
Date: 20 Mar 1995 18:05:00 GMT
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Somebody, please help me or shoot me.  I've had it!

During periods of pollen-filled air, I have found myself forever sneezing,
blowing my nose, or living on decongestants and/or antihistimines so I can
breathe.  I've only had this hay fever stuff for the last two years, and
it's driving me crazy.

I don't want to keep living on drugs, and the congestion is aggravating my
TMJ, making my neck muscles stiff, giving me shooting pains in my ears,
and making me feel generally like my only recourse is to chop my head
off.  It also seems to affect my vocal cords and makes me sound like I
have a bad cold all the time, and I can't talk above a normal speaking
voice (i.e., if I need to shout, it doesn't work).

I've seen my doctor and she recommends massages/neck rubs for the tension
in my neck and shoulders, and taking Ibuprofen.  For my congestion, she
says to just take drugs like Sudafed or Allerest and basically "try and
live with it until the air clears up".

A friend recommended getting a steam inhaler, telling me that breathing in
the steam will help loosen up my congestion (sounds about right since I do
breathe easier in the shower).  She also said she'd heard that sometimes
you can put herbs into the water while it steams, and that helps too, but
she doesn't know what these herbs are.

So, I come to all of you aromatherapists and herbalists to find out "What
Herbs Could She Be Talking About?".  And where would I get them?

The reason I'm also posting this to alt.backrubs is to find out what
specific kinds of massages or exercises would be best for the tension in
my shoulders, neck, and back to help the TMJ.  All my ailments seem to go
hand-in-hand, and I don't want to type this message twice.

If anyone can help me, or if you need more details, please email me at
kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov.

Thanks much!
Karen
the sneezy one with the hurting ears and sore neck

-- 
Whatever Happens... Smile!  :)


From amazon@kisio.esd.sgi.com (Stormwind) Wed Mar 22 23:18:26 EST 1995
Article: 5606 of alt.backrubs
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From: amazon@kisio.esd.sgi.com (Stormwind)
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs,alt.aromatherapy,alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: Help with TMJ and Allergies
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Karen M. Chan wrote:
>During periods of pollen-filled air, I have found myself forever sneezing,
>blowing my nose, or living on decongestants and/or antihistimines so I can
>breathe.  I've only had this hay fever stuff for the last two years, and
>it's driving me crazy.

first, i'd consider going to see a nose/ear/throat
doctor about your allergies.  i lived for half a 
year with incredible sneezing, itchy eyes, the 
works.  i'd never been allergic to anything before,
and sudafed et al had zero effect except to make
me really loopy.

my nose/ear/throat doctor (as opposed to my general
practiioner...i figured, the nose doctor would know
more about pollen allergies!) gave me a prescription
to seldane.  my sneezing, itchy eyes and stuffy nose
went POOF out the window, and i didn't fall asleep
at work anymore.  i'm fortunate in that whatever i'm
allergic to doesn't normally exist in enough quantities
to force me to live on seldane year round, and it only
occasionally bugs me now.

>A friend recommended getting a steam inhaler, telling me that breathing in
>the steam will help loosen up my congestion (sounds about right since I do
>breathe easier in the shower).  She also said she'd heard that sometimes
>you can put herbs into the water while it steams, and that helps too, but
>she doesn't know what these herbs are.

it always helps to know what it is you're allergic
to FIRST, of course, so you don't get a snootfull
of whatever's making you sneeze to begin with...
since you don't know yet, be *very* careful when
playing with steam inhalers.  i'd recommend cautiously
sniffing essential oils from a tester bottle and 
seeing if it causes a worse reaction or not.  if it 
does, stay away from it.

i address congestion problems with either straight
eucalyptus oil (commonly used in mentholathum rubs),
or a chinese oil concoction known as "axe brand oil"
and available in most chinese herb stores.  axe brand
has a mix of menthol and eucalyptus oil in it, and 
will temporarily help even the worst stuffed nose...
assuming it's not eucalyptus you're allergic to.

i've also used mint to help alleviate congestion;
you can drink the tea and breathe in the fumes, or
use it in the more classic steam inhalation mode.
sometimes i'll combine mint with rosemary so that 
the steam will also help clean my pores.  citrus oil
might help, though i'm a bit doubtful on this one.
mint and rosemary can be bought fresh (recommended)
at any supermarket; essential oils are commonly found
at health food stores.  axe oil is at your chinese
herb store.

you can synthesize a steam inhaler by simply boiling
a pot of water on the stove, and when it's boiling
placing it on the table on a hot plate.  throw your
herbs in the water, then drape a large towel so 
that it tents over your head and covers the pot, holding
the steam in.  don't stick your face too close to the 
pot, and if it seems too hot let the water cool a 
little so you don't steam scald your face.  what you've 
got is a mini face steambath.

>The reason I'm also posting this to alt.backrubs is to find out what
>specific kinds of massages or exercises would be best for the tension in
>my shoulders, neck, and back to help the TMJ.  All my ailments seem to go
>hand-in-hand, and I don't want to type this message twice.

there are pressure points all over the back of the 
neck, base of skull, and a large area surrounding 
each ear that would probably work.  bonnie pruden
has a book out on trigger points that has a nice
diagram for these.

			stormwind

			hell's amazon
-- 
			holyperson of the temple 
			of the vulcanized disc


From Annabel@amsmyth.demon.co.uk Wed Mar 22 23:18:33 EST 1995
Article: 5608 of alt.backrubs
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs,alt.aromatherapy,alt.folklore.herbs
From: Annabel@amsmyth.demon.co.uk (Annabel Smyth)
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cc: kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: Help with TMJ and Allergies
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In article 
           kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov "Karen M. Chan" writes:

[...]
> I've seen my doctor and she recommends massages/neck rubs for the tension
> in my neck and shoulders, and taking Ibuprofen.  For my congestion, she
> says to just take drugs like Sudafed or Allerest and basically "try and
> live with it until the air clears up".
> 
> A friend recommended getting a steam inhaler, telling me that breathing in
> the steam will help loosen up my congestion (sounds about right since I do
> breathe easier in the shower).  She also said she'd heard that sometimes
> you can put herbs into the water while it steams, and that helps too, but
> she doesn't know what these herbs are.
> 
I strongly suggest you consult an aromatherapist, who will not only massage
you but also prescribe the appropriate combination of essential oils for
your hay fever.

You can put a drop of essential oil into the steam inhaler (more convenient
than using the dried herbs - make these into tea, and enjoy them after-
wards).  You might like to try chamomile, or melissa if you can afford it,
or one of the decongestants such as eucalyptus or niaoli (can't spell it).
Many health food shops sell aromatherapy supplies, and, in this country
at any rate, some chemists'.

However, since you need a massage, and it has been recommended, do consult
an aromatherapist!  That, after all, is the best part of the whole treatment.
-- 
Annabel Smyth                                 Annabel@amsmyth.demon.co.uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I had been clean for over a year.  Sometimes I went as long as ten minutes
 without wanting a smoke" (Spider Robinson)


From mnmguy@aol.com (MnM Guy) Sat Mar 25 07:44:19 EST 1995
Article: 5644 of alt.backrubs
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From: mnmguy@aol.com (MnM Guy)
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs
Subject: Re: Help with TMJ and Allergies
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I am not an aromatherapist or an expert on allergies but I wanted to give
you my thoughts as a massage therapist to your allergy/TMJ problem.

First of all, kudos to you for considering what modern medicine usually
considers two separate conditions.  Which came first, the allergies or the
TMJ?  It makes no difference, they both coexist.

Massage can definitely help your TMJ and neck pain/tension.  Many
techniques would work.  Two that I am familiar with are myofascial release
and cranialsacral therapy.  To describe in broad strokes, MFR works with
connective tissues in your body and CST moves bones from your head
(cranium) to your tailbone (sacrum).  CST is not chiropractic.

Check with CMTs in your area and find out if they have been trained in
these techniques.  One school of several that teach them is in
Pennsylvania.  Call (800) FASCIAL.  This is the clinic where I trained at.
 I have an educational brochure I could fax/email to you if you like.

When I was in massage school, one of my classmates had asthma, which is an
immunoreaction like allergies, isn't it?  Early in the course, we read in
class about how stress causes allergies and since massage reduces
stress... You get the idea.  She became very combative about this claim
and shared with us her search for relief since she was very small.  She
used an inhaler quite frequently in class. She was definitely NOT in
agreement that massage could help.  I remember our instructor smiling and
saying, "Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?"

As the year progressed, she used the inhaler in class fewer and fewer
times each day.  By the end of the year, she was asthma-free and remains
so till this day (three years later).

Will massage/aromatherapy/yoga/biofeedback/herbology "cure" your ailments.
 I don't know.  We'll just have to see, won't we?

Good luck in your quest.

Kevin Nadai, CMT
Voice mail pager: (800)759-8255 PIN# 879-6296



From jason@deltanet.com (Jason Cohen) Sat Mar 25 07:44:56 EST 1995
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From: jason@deltanet.com (Jason Cohen)
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Subject: Re: Help with TMJ and Allergies
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In article , kmchan@jpl.nasa.gov (Karen M. Chan) says:
>
>
>
>During periods of pollen-filled air, I have found myself forever sneezing,
>blowing my nose, or living on decongestants and/or antihistimines so I can
>breathe.  
>

Hello fellow allergy sufferer.  I too suffer from severe allergies and have
found help, and health only in the last few years.  A few things you might 
want to consider.  Get a food and environmental allergy test from an M.D. - 
preferably from an Allergist who does chemical testing.  I say this only because
the alternative tests I went through were non-conclusive for me.  I have suffered
from allergies since childhood, and thankfully have outgrown most of them.  What
you said about just obtaining hayfever like symptoms in the last few years is very
common.  Adults do, and can become allergic to foods and environmental factors.

It wasn't until I found the true source to my allergies that I was able to monitor
my environment.  Unfortunatly, I was allergic to my Cat - when we (tearfully) gave
her away, I no longer relied on most, if not all of my inhalers, allergy pills, etc.
My husband, Jason, is allergic to wheat.  He limits, or omits any
wheat products (which is in almost all bread/cereal/pastry products) from his diet
and is allergy free.  


>The congestion is aggravating my TMJ, making my neck muscles stiff.
>
As a Certified Massage Therapist, I suffered from this, as well as treat it
in my own practice.  It been hypothosized that allergies affect TMJ directly.
Some researchers are suggesting that "grinding" and "teeth clenching" are 
related to allergic symptoms.  

I have had severe TMJ and neck soreness for years - the suggestions you have
had posted from other massage therapists are quite valid - follow the suggestions
for Deep Tissue Massage/Relaxation/Yoga/Excercises.

Be well and good luck!