Injuries: Beyond Initial Impact of a Car Accident

Auto InjuriesIt is never fun to be involved in a car accident. What most people discover first-hand is that there is more to deal with than just getting your car repaired.

Often times, there is a physical injury associated with the impact from a car accident, and the severity can range from mild to very severe (i.e. death). Within that spectrum, the pain and discomfort one experiences can range from a few days to a few years, and in some cases, the impact of injuries sustained can last a lifetime.

There are various factors that contribute to the severity of an injury and the amount of time it could take for full recovery:

  • How much force was involved in the impact?
    Generally, the greater the speed of the cars involved, the greater the force of impact, and the more severe the injuries. Of course, there are other factors that can determine the final outcome of the impact, such as, if the car that was hit was also moving, and at what speed; the type of impact: rear, frontal or side. The usage of seat belts and road conditions can also contribute to the severity of impact. On the other hand, someone who was in a mild fender bender may find themselves with a myriad of soft tissue injuries.
  • Were you taken by surprise at the time of impact?
    Some studies indicate a correlation between the severity of an injury and how prepared a person was before actual impact. Most people will seize up their muscles if they are anticipating impact, which can protect the muscle fibers and soft tissue from over-stretching and tearing, thus limiting the level of trauma one sustains from impact.
  • What other health issues or injuries have you had or were you dealing with at the time of the accident?
    The fewer health issues one has to deal with throughout injury recovery, means more of the body’s resources can be directed towards injury healing.
  • Did you seek treatment immediately, versus waiting until the pain was unbearable before seeking medical help?
    The sooner one receives medical attention for injury assessment and treatment, the better one’s chances are for a swifter recovery. The longer one waits for treatment, the longer the body has for injury patterns to set in, and the longer it takes to undo these patterns.

 

The road to recovery can be a long one, and can be impacted by all of the factors mentioned above. Not everyone needs the same kind of help, nor does every respond the same way to the various modalities of treatment that are available (ie. Massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, psychotherapy, medication, etc.).

The important thing to remember is that your health should be your number one priority. Don’t let the issue of finances and time dictate whether or not you seek treatment.

Other articles in the Auto Accidents: Injuries and Treatment series:

Treating Whiplash with Massage (Part 2)
Medical Massage for Auto Injuries (Part 3)

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Treating Whiplash with Massage

 

whiplashIn the previous article, we took a look at the various aspects of a car accident that could determine the severity of injuries sustained. In this article we’ll take a closer look at whiplash injuries as a result of a car accident.

Whiplash is a term used to describe a neck injury, in which the neck is thrown forward with great force and then whipped back, causing a sudden lengthening and then contraction of the neck muscles. This type of injury can lead to chronic pain and wreak havoc on one’s life if ignored and left untreated.

Within the first 48 hours of an auto collision, the body’s inflammatory response will kick in, resulting in swelling, pain and stiffness. Headaches and dizziness can also be accompanied with a whiplash injury. Damage to the soft tissues of the neck (muscles, tendons, ligaments) is likely, as well as possible injury to the cervical spine if the impact was severe enough. Over time, if left untreated, pain and stiffness might be experienced in the upper back, extending all the way down to the sacrum. Numbness and tingling in the arms and fingers can also be a result of untreated whiplash injuries.

Massage therapy, when applied in whiplash situations, can help accelerate the healing process and reduce long-term discomfort and pain. Massage can encourage oxygen and nutrient flow to the damaged soft tissue to promote healing. Additionally, when neuromuscular therapy techniques such as myofascial release and trigger point therapy are used, massage can address the pain-spasm-pain cycle that begins with this kind of injury.

If you, or someone you know has been in an auto accident recently, and require treatment for your injuries, check out the third article in this series: Medical Massage for Auto Injuries.

Other Articles in the Auto Accidents: Injuries and Treatment series:

Injuries: Beyond Initial Impact of a Car Accident (Part 1)
Medical Massage for Injuries (Part 3)

 

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Medical Massage for Auto Injuries

medical massage for whiplashWhat is Medical Massage?

Medical Massage is result-based massage that addresses specific dysfunction or injuries that have been diagnosed by a medical doctor. A doctor’s prescription is needed in order to bill insurance for payment.

What kinds of dysfunction or injuries are addressed with medical massage?

Soul Workings provides medical massage for those who are suffering from a recent auto-related injury; some common injuries might be whiplash, headaches, neck/shoulder/back pain, numbness or tingling in extremities, etc.

What do I need to do to get medical massage treatments at Soul Workings?

In order to proceed with massage treatment, you must have several things in order:

1) Open Claim with Medical Payment coverage
As of 2009, Colorado requires drivers to have a minimum of $5000 Medical Payments coverage on their auto insurance policy. If you’ve been injured in an accident, the first thing to do is to call your insurance company to open a claim. Assuming you have Medical Payments coverage in your policy, you should receive a letter from your Claims Representative with the following information:

  • Claim number
  • Representative’s contact information
  • Insurance name and billing address

2) Medical doctor’s prescription for massage:

You will need to see your doctor, or go to an Urgent Care facility to be evaluated for extent of your injuries. Doctor’s prescription for massage must address the following:

  • Massage prescription for treatment
  • Diagnosis codes
  • Frequency of massage treatments per week, for a designated period of time (i.e. 6 weeks, 2 months, etc) before re-assessment

3) Call Soul Workings to Schedule Your Appointment

When you have all the information from steps 1 & 2, it’s time to schedule your appointment. Please call our office at 720-352-1782 with the above information ready, so that we can verify your insurance and claim information, and provide you with the necessary paperwork prior to your first visit.

Soul Workings is unable to provide a medical massage session without completed paperwork and insurance verification. If paperwork is not completed, or information is missing, Soul Workings will have to treat the session as a cash session, and payment will be due at the time of service.


Other Articles in the Auto Accidents: Injuries and Treatment series:
Injuries: Beyond Initial Impact of a Car Accident (Part 1)
Treating Whiplash with Massage (Part 2)


Additional Resources:

Flow Chart – What to do After an Accident

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What's Your Number?

Wondering what’s ahead for you in 2012? Get a glimpse by finding out what projects and activities are favored in the upcoming year. All you need is your own birthday, a pen and some paper.

Step 1: Reduce everything to numbers:

Example:
Birthday: December 15th
December = 12, Birth Day = 15
Add the numbers together until you’ve reduced them to single digits:

1 + 2 + 1 + 5 = 9

Step 2: Now add 2012:

2 + 0 + 1+ 2 = 5

Step 3: Putting it all together:

9 + 5 = 14= 1 + 4= 5

Your Number for 2012 = 5

Each number (1 through 9) has its own vibration which translates into dominant energies, activities and themes that are favored throughout the year.

Number 1 Year: Expect new beginnings to play a big part in your life in the next 12 months. Think of the next 12 months as the perfect time to plant seeds that you’d like to grow over the next nine years. Consider going back to school, starting a new job, creating a new business – you name it, and you’ll reap the rewards and results over the next 9 years.

Number 2 Year: This is a time for incubation, tending the “seeds” you’ve planted the previous year. Expect developments to be subtle, slow and behind the scenes. A little bit of patience can go a long way. Favored activities include romance, relationships, creating harmonious balance.

Number 3 Year: Time for expansion and growth, the Number 3 Year can usher in new energy, new people and new projects in your life. The energies will bring group and team work, collaboration, celebrations, and joy. You may find yourself pursuing new directions you’ve never considered before – be adventurous!

Number 4 Year: All that activity from a Number 3 Year can wear you out! It’s time for some rest, contemplation, and inner work. It’s a good time to make sure you’re building on a solid foundation so that the structures you need are in place for continued growth.

Number 5 Year: The Number 5 Year can bring challenges, fluctuations, and highly contrasted ups and downs. Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride, as you’ll be presented with numerous opportunities to break out of your chrysalis, and push forward toward new ventures.

Number 6 Year: A good year to focus on friends, family and the home. Domestic harmony, service to others dominate this year.

Number 7 Year: Expect a year of introspection, as the number 7 is one of spiritual seeking, and inner wisdom and growth. You may find yourself retreating from excessive social activities, and looking within for answers.

Number 8 Year: This year can be a year of great financial reward, and business/career opportunities that can produce tangible results. Recognition for all your hard work is more than likely to come up this year.

Number 9 Year: A year of completions, this year is ideal for wrapping up long term projects, closure in relationships and preparing for a new 9 year cycle.

Tip:

Considering your “number,” decide what you want to create for yourself in the upcoming year; a great way to do this is to create a vision board/focus wheel to anchor your goals into a visual representation of the experiences you want for yourself.

 

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Energy Hygiene

Have you ever woken up in the morning, feeling on top of the world, only to realize later that you’re feeling slightly sick and heavy? Do you ever feel like the energy has literally been sucked out of you after a heavy conversation with a friend who’s going through troubling times, and suddenly you are feeling as bad as your friend? Or perhaps you were feeling just fine until you walked through an airport, shopping mall or some other place that is filled with lots of people, and you feel not-so-great afterwards?

These are some signs that you have unconsciously taken on other people’s energies, emotions, or problems. You may be naturally sensitive or empathic, but you don’t have to put up with other people’s “stuff.”

Energy hygiene is very much like physical hygiene. Many of us have been taught to take a daily shower or bath to cleanse ourselves. It is equally important to develop habits to clean ourselves energetically as well. When there is dirt on our physical bodies, we wash it away. We should do the same when we take on other peoples’ heavy emotions or energies.

First, ask yourself, “Are these feelings mine?” If you’re not sure, think about how you were feeling earlier in the day, consider any conversations or interactions you may have had with other people that might have contributed to your current state. See if you can pinpoint at which time you started to feel the way you do.

Here are some ways you can keep your own energies clear and pure; you can try them singly or use them in any combination as necessary:

1) Get physically clean. Take a shower, finishing with a cold rinse. During your shower, imagine you are standing underneath a shower of rainbow light that is washing away all energies that are heavy, negative, or simply, not serving you. Visualize that energy being washed permanently down the drain and eventually making its way back into the earth, where it will be neutralized.

2) Say a prayer to your Higher Power. Ask for your energy be purified, cleansed and brought back to the highest vibration possible.

3) Take a smudge stick, light it and wave it around your body, taking care to watch for any embers that may drop onto the floor. A prayer that I have been taught (by Reiki Master Kate Linker) and have used effectively over the years:

I am filled with and surrounded by the Pure White Light of God’s* healing love .
Only good can come to me, only good can go from me.
I give thanks, I give thanks, Thank You, Mother-Father-God.

(*insert your own name for higher power here)

As you say the prayer, imagine a waterfall of light filling you up from the inside out, and imagine a bubble of light surrounding you wherever you go.

4) Get a Reiki treatment, or any other type of energy work, which will help you release whatever it is you have taken on from others. Reiki can help restore balance and fortify you.

5) Spend time in nature. Sit underneath a tree to ground yourself, or watch the sun set. Being surrounded by nature is naturally healing, and can help bring you back into balance.

6) Get physical. Physical activity can help you recalibrate not only your physical energy, but also your emotional and mental energies. Exercise can help you release any pent up anxiety, emotional heaviness, or worry, creating room for higher, finer emotions and energies to flow into you.

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Myofascial Release for Pain and Injuries

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Focus Wheels for Manifesting and Abundance

Focus Wheels for Manifesting and AbundanceFocus Wheels

January is a powerful time of the year to create your intentions for the next 12 months. Have you thought about the ways you’d like your life to improve over the next year?

Are there things you’ve been putting off for a long time – new hobbies, jobs or careers you’d like to launch?  Places you’d like to travel to?  Deeper fulfillment and more success in your business or job? Live a more stress-free life, eat healthily, etc?

If you have, great! However, it’s often not enough to simply know what we want. We need to write it down, capture the essence of the feelings that are created when you think about your dreams, and take guided actions that bring us closer to our dreams.

Here’s a fun project that will help you clarify your visions for the upcoming year:

If you haven’t already, take some time to write down the things that you’d like to create for yourself in the new year (e.g. new job, better relationships, travel, etc).

Next, collect as many old magazines as you can that have some relevance to your manifesting goals.

Purchase a large poster board from your local crafts store, and make sure you have some glue and scissors on hand.

When you have all your supplies, set aside time to allow yourself to peruse your magazines and tear out the pages that illustrate or reflect aspects of your desires. Then, go crazy and be creative with your board. Create a visual message for yourself that will remind you every day for the rest of the year of the things that will drive you forward. Choose positive images and words that inspire and reflect what you’d like to see manifested. If you want to address more than one area of your life, you can separate your wheel into four sections, one section for an area of your life. For example, I tend to assign the upper left corner to my spiritual and physical well-being, the top right to career and finances, bottom left to relationships and bottom right to travel and adventure.

When you’re done, hang it in a strategic place in your home that will allow you to see it every day, preferably at least once in the morning and once at night. By exposing yourself to this collage every day, you’re imprinting upon your subconscious mind the images and experiences you’d like to bring into your life. It’s important to take time each day to focus on your focus wheel, and create within yourself those feelings of joy, enthusiasm and success that you will have when your manifesting goals come true. You must build within yourself an unwavering faith that what you’ve created in your vision board will, and must manifest, and is inevitable in its appearance in your life.

Extra Tips:

  • Do this with a bunch of friends, make a night out of it!
  • This is even more powerful when you do this within the first 24 hours of the new moon, or during waxing moon (day of a New Moon through the day of the Full Moon) to capitalize on the moon’s manifesting power
  • You do not have to limit yourself to making a Focus Wheel once a year. You can create different ones to address different areas of your life you want to shift: relationships, career, travel, etc. You can also create one specific to a project, any time the need comes up.

Subscribe to our complimentary e-zine Thriving Times and you’ll receive Soul Workings’ exclusive Focus Wheel Video series as a Free Gift!

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Grounding Meditation

Grounding MeditationsIt is easy to forget to pay attention to the little details that can truly enrich our daily experiences. Our attention is often occupied by events that happened last week, month or year, or even by worries of what will happen in the future. We forget or may never realize that the greatest power we hold is in the moment.

One way to connect to the power of each moment is to ground oneself. Grounding is the state of being completely in your body, aware of physical sensations, and being present mentally and emotionally. Aside from the health benefits grounding provides, such as stress reduction, you’ll feel calmer and more in control of your environment.  Your breathing will change once you are able to relax your body, mind and emotions.  Grounding is useful when you notice you are feeling any of the following:

  • anxious
  • in a rush
  • worried
  • overwhelmed
  • scattered
  • stressed out
  • running on adrenaline

There are numerous ways to ground – the important thing is to find a method that truly works for you. I’ve included two ways you can experiment with: Tree Hugging , and Visualization Meditation.

Hug a Tree

This exercise will require a nice looking tree that you wouldn’t mind putting your arms around, as well as some privacy, if you’re the type to feel self conscious hugging a tree in public (you can also sit at the base of the tree, or lean your back against the trunk). When you have found yourself a good tree, wrap your arms are around the trunk. Close your eyes and take at least three deep breaths, loosening your muscles at the same time.

If possible, remove your shoes so your feet are making full contact with the earth. Begin by acknowledging any negativity you may have stored in your system – thoughts of worry, anxiety, past hurts, grudges, other people’s energies, physical pain, etc., and then one by one, release them into the earth, watching them sink deep into the soil beneath you. Imagine that energy being soaked up and neutralized by the earth’s healing energies.

When you’re ready, imagine the healing energy of the earth begin rising up through the soles of your feet; you can imagine this energy as having a color, even a certain texture. Feel this energy rising up through your limbs, into your torso, arms, shoulders, neck and your head, and then out through the crown of your head.

Next, visualize pure healing white light from the universe streaming down into you through the crown of your head. Imagine this light flowing throughout your body, and sink into the ground through the soles of your feet. See the two energies mixing within your body, harmonizing and balancing your energies. Allow both energies to run for a few minutes.

Don’t forget to breathe deeply and slowly while you’re doing this. You might feel tingling, buzzing, warmth or energy coursing through your body, all of which is normal. If you find yourself getting dizzy, slow down the energy flow, and take it easy for a few minutes. When you are feeling balanced and calm, slowly bring yourself back to the present, and detach yourself from the tree gently. Thank the tree for its assistance, as well as Mother Earth for her healing and loving energies.

 

Meditation Visualization

You may do this exercise standing, laying down or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

Begin by breathing into your muscles, bones and organs until you are feeling calm and quiet. Bring your attention to the soles of your feet as you imagine roots growing out from them and extending slowly through the floor and into the earth. Watch them move deeper and deeper into the earth until they hit the magnetic core center.

Allow your body to feel the effects of gravity as it gets heavier and pulls you down, draining any tension, stress, negative emotions and energies out of your system. Let them sink into the earth through your roots and continue to breathe deeply. Instead of forcing your breath, allow your breath to breathe you.

Now that you are completely relaxed, slowly imagine a ball of healing earth energy gathering at the end of your roots, and see it moving through your roots towards your feet. Allow as much time as you need in order to visualize this ball of energy reaching the soles of your feet. Feel it traveling up through your limbs and into your abdomen and let it pause there for a moment.

Take some time to get used to this energy and observe its physical, emotional and mental effects on you. Explore the texture of this energy, and the colors that may accompany it. Immerse yourself in this feeling, and when you’re ready, visualize this ball of energy expanding slowly until you are completely enveloped by it, like a bubble.

Let this ball continue to grow until it reaches about three to four feet from your physical body. Soak in the healing energies and know that you are safe and in control of your environment. You may stay in this state for as long as you need.

When you’re ready, slowly wiggle your toes; rock your feet side to side, back and forth gently, until you can easily lift your feet up. Imagine those roots you just planted into the earth gently dislodging from your feet. Gently bring the rest of your body back to the present by wiggling and stretching them. Thank the Mother Earth for sharing her healing energies with you.

Welcome back!

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Attitude of Gratitude

Did you know that Gratitude is a key that can open doorways to unlimited abundance? It’s simple, easy and can make a difference in ushering in a flow of prosperity that is yours to enjoy!

What is Gratitude?

Let’s start with the basics. According to the online Webster Dictionary, Gratitude means “the state of being grateful” and being “conscious of benefit received”.

Why be Grateful?

For one thing, it always feels good to be grateful. When you’re grateful, it’s pretty hard to be angry, stressed, or upset.

When you’re frustrated, angry or stressed, you’re saying “No!” to the Universe and it will only bring you more of what you’re saying “no” to.

Gratitude opens your heart to saying “Yes!” to all the abundance that abounds within your life and shifts your focus from what’s not going well to what’s good, positive and working.

We are all surrounded by blessings that we often take for granted – maybe it’s our home, that we have a roof over our head, or our family pet, that they bring giggles and comfort when we need it most. No matter what your circumstances may be, there is always something to be grateful for!

Using Gratitude to Open to Receiving More!

When can we cultivate the attitude of gratitude? All the time!

It also creates the most profound shifts and changes when we notice that we’re stressed, frustrated, unhappy, or feeling low.

The point is to find something to be thankful for – even if it’s the smallest thing and then to build your feeling of gratitude from there. The greater the appreciation you hold for something, the more of it you are inviting into your life.

The Next Step

So take advantage of this powerful tool and use it every day, and whenever you can think of it.

Make a list of things that are working well in your life every night before going to bed. Before you know it, you’ll find more and more things to be thankful for, and your life suddenly transformed!

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8 Ways to Beat Stress

Every day we have numerous opportunities to be overwhelmed with stress, whether it’s the major traffic jam during our commute, or the annoying neighbor upstairs who prefers to stomp their way through the apartment all night long. For most of us, small stressors are easily handled and overlooked.  However, when we are exposed to numerous small stressors that are not dealt with over a long period of time without relief, our physical, mental and emotional health begins to suffer.

What are some of the things that happen within our bodies when we’re stressed? To begin with, we can count on an increased heart rate, rapid breathing, increased blood pressure, feelings of anxiety, tight muscles, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and so on.

Medical research has already determined that over 80% of illnesses are caused by or made worse by stress alone! Think about the enormity of that fact.

So what are some of the things that we can do to keep our stress levels in check? Here are some of my favorite strategies:
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  • Slow down! Take a few moments every day to breathe mindfully, appreciate the beauty of the moment and where you happen to be in the whole scheme of your life.
  • Be thankful for all that you have. Gratitude opens your heart and allows energy to flow within your body. With it, comes more relaxed breathing patterns, and a tendency to focus on what’s good in your life, rather than what isn’t.
  • Exercise – moving your body and sweating allows for better circulation, releases toxins, and can help provide a safe outlet for suppressed aggression.
  • Cultivate a spiritual life – it doesn’t matter whether you are religious or not. Spirituality is the development of your spirit – the part of you that knows joy, love, and abundance on every level.
  • Treat your body right! Healthy diet, good sleep, and down time can go a long way.
  • Spend time with people who inspire you, and believe in the best of you. You’ll feel uplifted, optimistic and supported.
  • Get regular body or energy work – that half sleepy/awake state most people fall into allows for deep healing to take place. Plus, it just feels so good!
  • Spend quality time with your pet- a cat’s purr or a dog’s happy wagging tail can erase the worst of a bad day!

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