Dentist Doi - Fall 1999 newsletter

testimonials

Fall 1999 Edition - Dr. Doi's Talking Story

Massage ... It Works Wonders!

For those of you who have heard rumors of my work ethic or experienced it first hand, you know I work more than most in my profession. After 20 plus years, many ask me how I still can work so hard and be so happy, not seeming to be tired, frustrated or get sick. One of the reasons for this is that I truly enjoy practicing dentistry. Another reason is that weekly massage I receive. Dentistry has all the makings of creating stress for the practitioner. We dentists feel the stress of worried and fearful patients, use our fine motor skills in small dark places, and have to hold steady in one position for long periods of time while holding the head, shoulders, and arms in odd positions. I have been receiving massages since 1982. I know it’s helping me.

I highly recommend spoiling yourself with a massage. You deserve it.

Massage is a gentle therapy that can relieve pain and, in combination with medical attention, heal certain conditions and help prevent their return. In come cases, massage can reduce or even eliminate the need for medication or surgery.

WHAT CAN MASSAGE TREAT?

STRESS
Massage is one of the best known antidotes for stress. Reducing stress gives you more energy, improves your outlook on life, and in the process, reduces your likelihood of injury and illness.

PAINFUL OR TIGHT MUSCLES
Massage relieves most muscle tightness, from a sudden charley horse to habitually clenched jaws or tight neck muscles. Massage acts directly on your muscles with stretching and kneading motions. It also stimulates the nervous system to instruct muscles to relax even more. Ever consider a massage after a dental appointment?

DELAYED MUSCLE SORENESS
Massage flushes muscles of built-up waste products that can make you sore after vigorous exercise.

PAIN OR TINGLING IN ARMS OR LEGS
Muscles can become so contracted that they press on nerves to the arms, hands and legs. If this happens, a massage to release muscle spasms in the shoulder or hip can bring relief.

INJURIES
Massage reduces inflammation by increasing circulation. This brings nutrition to your injured area and removes waste products.

SECONDARY PAIN
Massage can treat secondary pain that can outlast the original cause. An example of this may be headaches from a stressful incident.

PREVENTION OF NEW INJURIES
Massage can help prevent injuries that might be caused by stressing unbalanced muscle groups, or by favoring (or forcing) a painful, restricted area.

PAIN OR RESTRICTION IN JOINTS
Besides releasing tight muscles that restrict joint movement, massage works directly on your joints to improve circulation, stimulate production of natural lubrication, and relieve pain.

POSTURE
Massage releases restrictions in muscles, joints, and the muscles’ tough connective tissue coverings, freeing your body to return to a more natural posture.

WHEN YOU HAVE TO KEEP STILL
There are many reasons you may be forced to remain still, such as injury, surgery, paralysis or simply getting older. When this happens, massage can relieve your aches and pains and improve circulation to your skin and muscles. Even when an immobilized area cannot be massaged directly, relaxation and increased circulation from a general massage can give you relief.

FLUID RETENTION
Massage increases your circulation which, in turn, drains tissues of excess fluid caused by recent injury, surgery, or pregnancy.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Massage does not replace the need for medical attention. Massage on normal tissue feels good. Treatment on painful injury may first cause some discomfort, which usually lessens noticeably in the first few minutes. Your massage therapist knows ways to minimize pain and will work carefully within what feels right to you. Always tell your massage therapist if you feel any discomfort so s(he) can adjust your treatment to the right level.

Always tell your massage therapist if you have a medical problem, even a minor one. Close communication with your primary caregiver is essential to determine when massage can help and when it is not appropriate.

SELF-CARE TECHNIQUES
Your greatest benefit from massage could be learning ways to release your own tension or help your injuries. You may learn breathing techniques for relaxation or gentle exercises to increase flexibility and teach your muscles more efficient movements. Other common techniques you can learn are how to release tension by contracting muscles or pressing "trigger points" and how to use ice and heat.

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES

Due to the requests of some patients for specific studies casting reasonable doubt on the safety of dental amalgams (50% mercury). I will periodically list studies from scientists around the world and from a variety of scientific journals that share a concern about the hazards of mercury.

Oxidative Damage to Nucleic Acids in Motor Neurons Containing Mercury

Pamphlet, R; Slater, M; Thomas, S

Journal of Neurology Science,159(2):121-6, 14 Aug 1998

In this experiment, mice were exposed to mercury vapor for 2 hours. Using sophisticated testing, the increase of mercury in the motor neurons support the hypothesis that an environmental toxin such as mercury can enter and damage motor neurons (nerves that control muscles).

Uptake of Inorganic Mercury in the Olfactory Bulbs via Olfactory Pathways in Rats.

Henriksson, J; Tjalve, H.

Environmental Research, 77(2):130-40, May 1998

In this experiment, rats were exposed to inorganic mercury. The study confirms that mercury vapor, inhaled nasally, bypasses the blood brain barrier, passing directly into nerve tissue backwards towards brain. The study describes the impact of mercury vapor from amalgam dental fillings.

TESTIMONIALS

I was told I was hypothyroid and would have to take thyroid medication for the rest of my life. But after for a cavitation (a defect in the jawbone) and removal of amalgam fillings by Dr. Doi, i stopped taking my thyroid medication. In 3 months, my thyroid tests were normal for the first time in 7 years.

Cory Harden
Hilo, Hawaii