Im Laufe des Lebens erleidet jeder irgendwann eine Narbe die durch eine Verletzung oder einer Operation hervorgerufen wurde. Was an der Oberfläche unauffällig aussieht, kann im schlimmsten Fall, für den Körper ein tiefliegendes Störfeld darstellen.

Nicht nur die Ästhetik zählt

Narben sehen je nach genetischer Vorbelastung und Ursprung ganz unterschiedlich aus. Narbengewebe besteht hauptsächlich aus Kollagenfasern, deshalb ist das Gewebe oft derb, schlecht durchblutet und verklebt. Durch den erschwerten lymphatischen Abfluss bleiben Schwellungen über längere Zeit bestehen, was zu Schmerzen führen kann.

Bei endoskopischen Eingriffen sehen die Narben sehr unscheinbar aus, aber besonders bei solchen Eingriffen, wo das Narbengewebe dreidimensional wie ein Tunnel bis zum Operationsgebiet führt, besteht die Gefahr von Bewegungseinschränkungen und chronischen Schmerzen. Bei einem Schnitt durch die Hautschichten werden feine sensorische Nerven durchtrennt. Dies kann rund um das Operationsgebiet zu einem Taubheitsgefühl, Kribbeln oder Schmerzen führen.

Ganzheitliche postoperative Therapien

Im Idealfall sollten Narben unmittelbar nach einer Operation oder Verletzung mittels manueller Lymphdrainage die Schwellung im Operationsgebiet behandelt werden. Dies unterstützt die Wundheilung und lindert Schmerzen.

Nach ca. sechs Wochen, je nach Ausmaß und Zustand der Narbe, kann mit einer Narbentherapie begonnen werden. Das Ziel ist die Flexibilität des Gewebes zu fördern, das Narbengewebe zu durchbluten, neue Lymphwege zu bilden sowie die Verminderungen von Schmerzen oder Sensibilitätsstörungen.

Ein anderer wichtiger Aspekt der Narbentherapie ist die Trauma Verarbeitung. Nach einer schwerwiegenden Erkrankung oder einem traumatischen Unfall bleiben Erinnerungen, über Geschehnisse, Emotionen und Schmerz welche durch die Berührung des Narbengewebes hervorgerufen werden können. Dies kann bei unbehandelten Patienten zu einer schlechten Wundheilung, abschätzenden Gefühlen gegenüber dem betroffenen Körperteil, vegetativen Fehlreaktionen und energetischen Blockaden führen. Mit der Behandlung der Narbe sowie der instruierten Heimpflege können Emotionen freigesetzt werden und psychische und physische Wunden besser heilen.

Spezialisierungen – Narbentherapie von Olivia Grace Schürpf

– nach Brustkrebs und anderen Krebsleiden

– nach endoskopischen Eingriffen

– nach Herzoperationen

– nach Wirbelsäulenoperationen

– nach Kaiserschnittgeburten

– nach Operationen an Gelenken

Für eine Beratung steht Ihnen Olivia Grace Schürpf gerne zur Verfügung

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This month was all about breast cancer and precautions. The Swiss National Statistical Office* announces that breast cancer currently is still the most common cancer type around.  On average about 5 to 10% of the patients have a genetical predisposition, for others the combination of lifestyle and other aspects play a leading roll.

This blog is meant to raise awareness for this illness and to strengthen the consciousness for precautions. This week, we launched a survey on Facebook to find out how well informed women actually are about prevention and where they were instructed for this.

Breast cancer awareness survey:

• 70% of the participants think that palpating the breasts only has to be done after age 40.
• 100% of the participants confirmed that they had never received a professional instruction on how and when to palpate their breasts.
• However, 100% wish to receive information and demonstrations such as videos, pictures or flyers from their gynecologists regarding this matter.

Why is palpation so important?

The checking of breasts cannot prevent cancer. It’s about early detection of potentially malign cancerous tumours and protecting the patient from a lethal advanced disease. With this precaution one can reduce the death rate of breast cancer patients.

As a teenager, it is difficult to recognize abnormalities because the tissue of the breasts is constantly changing. From age twenty onwards, it is recommended and reasonable to palpate the breasts on a regular base.

Get to know your body!

Something that sounds so simple, but is actually not so easy in reality. Consciously feeling changes in your body is a skill that takes some training. The more you get to know your body, the higher the chances you are able to detect abnormalities early.

An easy way to strengthen this skill is to include it in your daily routine. This can happen whilst applying your shower gel or creaming your body with lotion. The more you touch, the more your fingers learn to detect changes. The palpation of the breasts should be done at least once a month.

During our research, we found a helpful app called “Breast Self-Check”. It has been designed by three Swiss Doctors and explains when to palpate and even offers a timer for the next “appointment”. There are videos available that explain the right palpation technique and the different tissue structures. All in all we found it to be a good app. The videos are available in German, however the menu and description is in English.

* Source:

https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/gesundheit/gesundheitszustand/krankheiten/krebs/spezifische.html

Swollen cheeks after visiting the dentist?

A visit to the dentist is not always a relaxing affair. Especially large surgical interventions such as the removal of wisdom teeth or a root canal treatment can cause uncomfortable pain and swelling within the mouth. To avoid a lengthy recovery period, Olivia Grace Therapies offers a special treatment to support the regeneration and fast recovery after intense dental surgeries.

How to effectively reduce swelling

The lymphatic system is our body’s “drainage system”. Lymphatic capillaries collect excess liquids, cell residue and toxins and filter them into the lymphatic nodes. From there on they are lead back through the blood circulation and out of the body through the kidneys and bladder.

A large number of lymphatic nodes are located along the throat and are responsible for the drainage of the head, face and jaw. A manual lymphatic drainage after the removal of wisdom teeth or other surgeries can effectively reduce swelling and pain and facilitate faster healing.

To achieve the best results, this therapy should begin on the same day as the surgery or the following day.

Feel free to contact Olivia Grace Schürpf for a consultation!

Just a breath away

Did you know, that most people only use a small percentage of their respiratory volume? A healthy body should absorb about 500 milliliters of air when breathing normally. This is almost the same volume of a football.

Clearly during activity, a human being can absorb a large amount of air. But actually, it is the normal breathing during the day that is the most essential one.

Weak and shallow breathing, mostly stress related, can only reach the upper part of the lungs. The posture of these “breathing types” is usually a rounded back and slouchy shoulders. Such poor posture reduces the function of our respiratory- and auxiliary muscles and lead to a reduced supply of oxygen to the brain and body and can result in headaches, poor concentration and fatigue.

Regular breathing exercises relax the body and load our “batteries”. It also trains the body’s automatic breathing process and enables a better oxygen absorption. Additionally, you will benefit from a more peaceful sleep, even after stressful days!

The 5 minute ritual

During your break, look for a seat in the sun or the lounge of your office where you will not be disturbed. In case there is no ideal place for you, do this exercise on your next toilet visit.

1. Sit comfortably in an upright position. The head is stretched towards the ceiling and the shoulders are dangling comfortably next to the body. The hands are resting on the thighs.
2.  Inhale deeply through the nose.
3. Whilst exhaling through the mouth, rotate your head all the way to the right.
4. In case there is any air left in your lungs, press it out using your stomach muscles.
5. Whilst inhaling return back to the center with your head.
6. Hold your breath there for a few seconds before you continue to rotate your head all the way to the left whilst exhaling slowly.
7.  Inhale and return back to the center with your head.
8. Repeat these steps four to six times!

Benefits:

• • Better oxygen supply for the entire body
  • Mobilization of the cervical spine and surrounding muscles
  • Relaxing for the shoulders muscles
  • Reduces any kind of tension in the body
  • Stimulating for the digestive system

Suffering from tiredness at your desk?

“Afternoon fatigue” is a common phenomenon in the office. It occurs after your lunch break, when your digestive tract is very active and the end of the working day is not yet in sight. Tiredness and a lack of concentration do not only have an unfortunate effect on your productivity, they can also be quite torturing for the mind! With this easy trick, you can refresh and energize your body and mind without having to go for heavy caffeine consumption.

“Truly get to know water and it will always be a reliable friend“ Sebastian Kneipp

And this is how it works:

1. Find a large sink. (If it’s a small one, just do one arm after the other)
2. Fill the sink with ice cold water.
3. With bent elbows, slowly dunk your arms into the water until you reach the middle of your upper arm.
4. Move your arms slightly whilst resting them in the water for about 30-40 seconds. Make sure that you breathe slowly.
5. Remove your arms from the sink and wipe off the water with your hands. (We are working with the cooling effect of evaporation so don’t rub it off with a towel.) With your wet hands, softly stroke over your neck.

This exercise is very effective and can be used whenever you need it throughout the day!

Benefits:

• Energizes and reduces tiredness and concentration issues
• Activates the metabolism
• Improves the blood circulation in the heart muscle
• Strengthens the immune system of the upper airways.

Important: Do not do this exercise if you suffer from a heart disease!

Effective first aid

Did you have a misstep during a run or a fall during garden work? A contusion or an overstretch can occur every once in a while, during our daily activities. With simple home-made “first aid” remedies you can prevent further damage after an injury.

Low-fat quark – the savior!

Most people use low-fat quark in their healthy diet routine or as a protein base after sports. However only a few know that you can use it after acute injuries as an effective first aid. Through its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, a compress with low-fat quark diminishes and sooths all soft tissue injuries such as contusions or sprains. (Important! Not to be used on open wounds!)

Instructions:

Materials needed:

• A large pot of low-fat quark (do not apply directly from the fridge!)
• 1 roll of paper kitchen towel
• 1x spoon
• 1x large and 1x medium sized towel

Procedure:

1. Spread out the large towel on the bed or sofa, depending on the injury (The towel can be folded twice to prevent dampness leaking through)
2. Spread out 1cm of low-fat quark on a piece of paper towel (make sure you use two sheets of paper if it’s a thin type)
3. With the quark facing down, lay the kitchen towel on the area of concern.
4. Now wrap the area with a medium sized towel and let it rest UNTIL it no longer feels cool. Depending on the injury this can take about 4-8 minutes. (Always remove it BEFORE it gets warm, otherwise it is not effective.)
5. Now remove the crumbly left overs of the low-fat quark with a paper towel and repeat these steps a few times until the inflammation symptoms are reduced. After an injury, you can do this treatment several times a day for a few days.

„Nature is the best pharmacy“ Sebastian Kneipp

To support the healing process of the injury you can apply anti-inflammatory products after this application. It is recommended to use:

• Arnica ointment
• Comfrey Gel

The tricks of past generations

While the Greeks and Romans had previously established know-how of hydrotherapy as a healing method, Sebastian Kneipp became famous through the re-discovery of the therapeutic effect of cold- and warm water treatments in the 19^th century.

The daily application of cold water to the legs can promote a regenerating and relieving effect for the body. Even if it is slightly challenging at the beginning, the results from this simple task are impressive!

“If there will be a cure for me, it will be water”

Sebastian Kneipp

Would you like to have:

• a better regeneration after sports?
• an improved venous return of the blood?
• no more heavy, tired legs after a day at the office table?
• stronger and firmer connective tissue?
• strengthen your immune system?

This is how it works:

1. After your warm shower or bath hold the shower head in your hand.
2. Adjust the water to the coldest temperature possible.
3. Whilst standing, make sure you hold the shower head about 10cm away from the body. Let the water run over the back of your right foot, move up along the outside of the calf until you have reached your knee.
4. In a constant back and forth motion, hover the showerhead over your knee for a few seconds.
5. Guide the water flow along the inside of your calf back down until you reach the foot again.
6. Repeat this on the left leg and finish with the soles of your feet.
7. To enhance the effect of this task, wipe off the water from the leg with your hands. (Dry well between the toes!)

The cold water has a toning and strengthening effect on the veins and lymphatic vessels. This is especially helpful for a better regeneration after sports.

In order to prevent or treat headaches or migraines this exercise can be done on a daily basis.

In the morning, this application can energize the body, whereas in the evening it can be done before going to bed for a better sleep.

Important! No cold-water applications on the legs when you are suffering from kidney- or bladder infections, illnesses in the lower abdomen, painful syndromes around the sacrum, sciatic pain, lumbago or menstruation.

Enjoy changes

The development of a child in your body is something magical. Despite the magic, each pregnancy can bring along its various health-related restrictions.

Medical massages done regularly throughout the entire nine months can help to alleviate symptoms that may arise. Each appointment can be adjusted to your personal needs and discomforts.

After a consultation with your doctor, manual lymphatic drainage sessions can be done to reduce water retention. This will relieve heavy, tired legs and supplement the effect of compression tights.

Due to the change in posture, uncomfortable back pains or discomfort in the feet can occur. In this case, a medical massage can remove blockages and reduce muscular tension.

Consult your insurance company which services can be refunded. Many additional health insurances cover certain therapies for pregnancy and maternity.

Already a Mum?

It is essential to prevent muscular imbalance and poor posture. Carry your child by alternating both sides. Try not to develop an abnormal pattern of posture and give your body as much change as possible. One-sided carrying can lead to blockages in the lower back and spine resulting in limiting pain syndromes.

Get your personal consultation at Olivia Grace Therapies to be able to focus on the beautiful things during pregnancy and maternity.