Kate E. Petrowsky N.C.M.T. provides orthopedic/corrective massage to her clients and the patients of Dr. Childs and Dr. Durr. She uses various techniques to relieve chronic pain, carpal tunnel and sciatica pain, and last and most important – relief from post-operative pain using techniques such as MFR, Nerve Mobilization, Deep Tissue Therapy and Soft Tissue mobilization.
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TIONALLY CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST
Kate E. Petrowsky has been a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist since 2004. She graduated from Downeast School of Massage, a C.O.M.T.A. accredited school, in Waldoboro Maine. Katee is immersed in continuing education courses as the modalities evolve. Katee’s specializations are Swedish, Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue, Pre-natal, Reflexology, Soft Tissue mobilization, Orthopedic/Corrective and Nerve Mobilization.
She has worked in a variety of settings such as spas, hospitals, private practice, hospice and Chiropractic care. Studying Anatomy and Physiology for many years has provided knowledge to approach her practice from a scientific approach increasing her awareness of the chemical and mechanical problem she faces and the best course of action to help a patient.
Kate has great success in treating rotator cuff issues, sciatic pain, carpal tunnel, chronic pain, post operation pain anchoring her practice in the core belief that we are all unique wonderful beings that need the individualized attention and care that we deserve.
Myofascial release (“MFR”) Therapy
Nerve Mobilization Therapy
Neuropathy and Nerve Mobilization
Nerve Structure
Nerves are bundled within connective tissue sheaths for protection from compression and stretch forces. Nerves are wrapped in a protective connective tissue sheath, or epineurium. The bundles of conducting fibers in a nerve are termed fascicles. The fascicles of the nerve are wrapped with their own connective tissue sheaths with looser connective tissue between the fascicles. The number of fascicles in a nerve varies according to the nerve and its location. In areas of increased mechanical stress, the nerve temporarily divides into more fascicles with more connective tissue between them in areas where the nerve is subject to more mechanical force, such as when it pierces a muscle or crosses a bone.
How Nerves Cause Pain
The nervous system is a continuous organ that runs throughout the body, like the extensive roots of a tree. It includes the brain, spinal cord and the nerves that connect almost every structure of the body to the spinal cord. It is a key information transmitting organ; whether the information is instructions to a muscle about when to contract, pain sensations from the body surface to many other information functions. It is commonly injured by compression, tension and friction or chafing on sharp or hard objects outside or inside the body.
What Types of Sensations are Created by Nerve Injury?
We are all familiar with the aches and pains that occur when muscle tissue is injured. We feel these familiar types of pain; achy, pulling, pressure when the connective tissue around and within a nerve is injured. When the nerve tissue itself is injured we feel a whole different type of pain. Neural pain is tingly, numb, electrical and/or zingy. It is common to feel either type of pain or both together. Sometimes people will feel achy, pulling and pressure which progresses to tingling and numb or zingy pain when the condition worsens.
Nerves are Vulnerable to Compression
Nerves are vulnerable to compression. It doesn’t take much pressure to affect a nerve. Pressures as low as 20- 30 mmHg within the carpal tunnel can collapse the vein that drains blood from the nerve. When this happens, the blood inside the nerve cannot exit the nerve. This prevents new blood from entering. As a result, the neural tissue becomes anoxic (lacks oxygen).
When neural tissue becomes anoxic it tends to create tingling and/or numbness. If blood flow is restored within two hours or so, a normal nerve returns quickly to full function. However, if compression and anoxia are maintained long enough, the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels begin to die and produce a protein-rich edema. If compression is alleviated and circulation restored, this edema will be relieved and the nerve will return to health. However, if the edema is sustained it will gradually create fibrosis, within the nerve and/or between the nerve sheath and adjacent structures within the tunnel.
Many clients have nerves that have suffered from on-again, off-again compression episodes over the years. As a result multiple sites along the nerve are often home to a bit of edema and/or fibrosis
Nerve Mobilization Techniques
A lot of nerve mobilization interventions focus on decompressing nerves that are compromised by tight muscles and/or connective tissue roofs overlying or adjacent to the nerve. There are also techniques to milk oedema from the areas around nerves to decompress their blood supply so they have better health, as well as milking techniques to the nerve itself to remove oedema within the nerve. Neural flossingtechniques are designed to stretch and release adhesions between nerve sheaths and adjacent structures (most of which you just decompressed). Lastly, adhesions within the nerves are resolved through milking of the nerve, and nerve stretching techniques.
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