Alyssa Coulter, LMT

Feeling cute might delete later

I was surprised by these results! 😲I’m (obviously) an advocate for the power of manual therapies when it comes to treating headache pain.

But this study makes a strong case for targeted and specific soft tissue techniques ✨OVER✨ general massage for the purposes of relieving migraine pain.

One important thing to keep in mind when considering the results - this study only includes participants whose migraines originate from myofascial trigger points in specific muscle groups. In the words of the authors, “the results shouldn’t be generalized to all individuals with migraine”.

Do you have sensitive points in your neck and shoulders that recreate your migraine pain? If so, trigger point therapy might be worth a shot!

Check out the article (linked in bio) to see the specific techniques they used to get these results. Should I make some videos about how to adapt these for self massage? 💆🏻‍♀️ Let me know in the comments ⬇️

💭I’m curious, did any of these muscles surprise you? I hadn’t heard of the last 2 muscles until I became a massage therapist… 😅

If you suffer from tension headaches, jaw pain, or tension migraines, you might find some relief in these self massage techniques!

Swipe left and visit my blog (link below) for more hands-on headache tips like this.

https://www.coultermassage.com/blog/4-self-massage-techniques-for-tmj-disorders-a-guide-to-at-home-jaw-relief

⬇️ This post is a bit consumerism-heavy. If that’s not your jam, feel free to skip this one. Happy holidays!

The elves were working overtime this month (it’s me, I’m the elves) to bring you a list of all of Santa’s (I’m Santa too🎅) favorite headache gadgets and home care products!

There’s now a page on my website where you can…

🎁 Shop the massage tools and supplies I use in the studio
🎁 Browse products me and my clients recommend for headache home care
🎁 Purchase digital gift cards to spread massage cheer to your friends and family

I’ll drop the link to the shop here.⬇️ Check it out!

https://www.coultermassage.com/shop

If you have any recommendations or suggestions for headache-care products to add, drop a comment below. I want to knowwww

Thanks so much for all of your support ❤️ Happy shopping

Does TMJ massage hurt? What should I wear? Is someone going to stick their fingers in my mouth?? 🤯

Ever wonder how a TMJ massage differs from a normal massage? Well… sometimes it doesn’t!

Don’t get me wrong, *usually* there are some differences in the time spent on the head, neck, and shoulders, the techniques used, etc. But protocols can vary wildly from practitioner to practitioner.

🎯Across the board TMJ massages share one thing in common - providing targeted relief for those grappling with jaw pain and dysfunction.

If you want to learn more, check out my blog post (linked in bio) where I demystify a lot of the aspects of TMJ massage including intraoral massage, dress code, and more.

If you’ve had a TMJ massage before, tell me what things surprised you in the comments!

If you’re a TMJ massage practitioner, let us know what makes your work special!

Happy anniversary to my biggest hype man 💋💋❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘😘

The ONLY reason why I recommend cupping:

✅ I think it feels good

There are a lot of claims that cupping rids toxins, increases blood flow, relieves stagnation, etc.

But, (like most manual therapy techniques), these claims have yet to be proven in peer reviewed settings.

That said, I still recommend cupping! Why? I think it feels really good, especially if you like the sensation of deeper pressure. I’m also a fan of any modality that saves my hands 🙌

If you’re a massage client, do you like cupping? If you’re a therapist, do you offer cupping? Let me know in the comments ⬇️

‼️God-tier cervical pillow appreciation post:

So I'm dreaming up ways to enhance the massage experience for my clients dealing with headaches, and then – flashback to a physical therapy session with this iconic blue pillow.

Cervical support, gentle traction, a shoulder cushion… it was the. perfect. pillow.

Therapist gives me the tea, I plan to check it out, immediately forget, and 7 years later I’m combing through pages of search results for "squishy blue physical therapy pillow" in desperation.

Guys I FOUND IT. Enter the Omni Cervical Relief Pillow, straight into my cart it goes.

Fast forward, my clients love this pillow. I’ve purchased at least 3 more for clients who wanted to take one home. I bought one for my mom. It's the hero of the massage session.

Found it on both Massage Warehouse and Amazon. Pro tip: Massage Warehouse ends up being a little bit cheaper (even with shipping) if you have an AMTA account.

… this is not sponsored. I just REALLY like this pillow 🤣

📚Another CE in the books!

I had been eyeing this online course for a while and finally decided to take the plunge. I’m so glad I did! Would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in learning more about soft tissue manipulation for TMJ treatment.

We learned how to…
☝🏻Assess TMJ Dysfunction
☝🏼Perform advanced TMJ techniques
☝🏽Provide post treatment exercises & tips
☝🏾Work on the deep fascia of the neck

And we explored…
☝🏻The role of fascia in the body
☝🏼The emotional/physical causes of chronic jaw and neck pain
☝🏽The relationship between the hips and TMJ
☝🏾The spiritual dimensions of bodywork
☝🏿The body/mind split

Here are the deets if you want to learn more:

Course Name: TMJ Massage Therapies Level 1 Online CPD Course
Instructor: Helen Baker
NCBTMB CE Hours: 12.0

Thank you Helen and Lisa!

If you like heading into situations knowing EXACTLY what to expect, this one is for you!

Check out my new blog post (link in bio) to learn what to expect at your first massage appointment with me.

I’ve tried to answer all of your questions like…
- How do I book my first appointment?
- How is this different than a normal massage?
- What will we talk about?
- What does a physical assessment involve?
- What will my massage be like?
- What should I wear?
- What if you can’t help me?
- What happens next?

Also, hi, I too hate walking into new things totally blind.

If you have any more questions for me, drop them in the comments. ⬇️ I’ll answer as best as I can!

A LOT happened in 2022.

In January I was doing mobile massage - trying to figure out how to transition to working more with my preferred clientele.

A couple months later I traded massages with an awesome massage therapist who asked if I had ever considered moving to brick and mortar.

In June I officially moved into my new home with a new brand that focused on massage for people who struggled with the same things I did.

In September I had my first fully booked month.

In October I officially closed my mobile business and added another day to my in-studio schedule.

I finished off the year with a calendar full of clients that I truly connected with, doing the types of massages that I love to do!

These stats show the growth that I had from June to December of this year. I’m so thankful to everyone who trusted me to take care of them and supported my career in 2022!

—

#2022

SOOO in love with these photos that the amazing and talented Rachel Britt took of my new home in West Knox. Here’s to another great year at The Modern Massage!

Thank you, Rachel!

🧘🏻Beep beep new yoga workshop coming through!

Join our friend and talented yoga instructor Jennifer Ward of Down Dog Knox on Thursday, December 8th for a super special yoga workshop just for headache relief!

She’s cooked up a 75 minute class full of yoga techniques to help prevent tension headaches and minimize symptoms when they do occur. No prior yoga experience required!

The workshop will take place on the top floor of the modern massage. Yoga mats and props will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Class size is limited to 5 people, so snag a spot before they run out (booking link in bio).

✨ New blog post is up!

Head to coultermassage.com to read my simple summary of this clinical study that looked at the effects of massage therapy on chronic tension headaches.

🚨Spoiler Alert: Massage was found to be an effective therapy for tension headaches 🤙

Link to Blog: https://www.coultermassage.com/the-science-behind-massage

Link to study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447303/

A reminder that your therapeutic massage sessions may be covered by your health insurance plan!

I don’t take insurance payments directly, but I can provide specialized receipts that you can submit for HSA or FSA reimbursement. Shoot me an email if you’re interested! [email protected]

Ever wondered what your massage therapist was doing? Here’s the “what” and “why” of a few of my favorite techniques for releasing tight jaws and relieving TMJ pain!

💆🏻‍♀️SWEDISH MASSAGE
Swedish massage gets a bad rap for being “basic”, but it’s one of the most useful techniques in a massage therapist’s belt. Swedish techniques include effleurage (long strokes), tapotement (tapping), and petrissage (kneading). Together they make transitioning between different movements smooth and relaxing while increasing circulation and warming up the muscles for deeper work.

🎯DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
It’s common to confuse deep tissue work with deep pressure work, but deep tissue massage really just refers to any technique that allows you to work the deeper layers of muscle and fascia. Friction, vibration, and trigger point therapy are all types of deep tissue massage. When working on a client with TMJ, I like to use light, circular friction on the areas where muscles meet tendon, and trigger point therapy on the masseter, neck, and shoulders.

💪MUSCLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE (MET)
MET is the technique you’ve probably never heard of but have likely experienced if you’ve ever had physical therapy or osteopathic work. It involves contraction of a muscle against resistance to increase the range of motion in a muscle or joint. MET can be used on the muscles of the neck and jaw to help relax overactive muscles and improve joint mobility in the jaw and neck.

👄INTRAORAL MASSAGE
Intraoral massage refers to massage of the muscles inside the mouth. Some of our most powerful jaw-movers like the medial and lateral pterygoids can only be accessed via the mouth, so it’s important to look at these muscles when external palpation isn’t yielding any relief.

Sometimes I use 2 or 3 of these techniques. Sometimes I only use Swedish massage. Sometimes I use all 4 of these technique plus some other ones! Each body responds to different stimuli in different ways, so it’s important to have a variety of tools to find the perfect fit for each client.

Had a very productive weekend in Nashville doing some continuing education for TMJ massage. Super excited to start poking around some mouths!

📣 Hey Knoxville headache and migraine sufferers!

I’m Alyssa, a licensed massage therapist and fellow headache-haver.

For years I have struggled with TMJ problems, post-concussion syndrome, and chronic migraines. 2 years ago I left my computer-bound job in the actuarial field to pursue a hands-on career in massage therapy as a means to escape my headache triggers while still earning a living.

What I found in massage school was relief from my chronic headache symptoms, and a purpose to help others achieve the same.

Since completing my licensure requirements last year, I’ve been running a mobile massage business in Knoxville while I focused on expanding my knowledge of headaches, migraines, and massage therapy. And now, nearly 2 years after starting this journey, I finally feel ready to dive in.

Sooo I’ve just opened a massage clinic in West Knox that features massage services focused on headache and migraine relief!

If you’re interested in exploring massage therapy as a low risk, non-invasive way to manage your TMJD, tension headaches, migraines, or post-traumatic headaches, let’s chat. I’d love to work with you.

Alyssa Coulter, LMT updated their phone number.