Bothell Integrated Health

Whip lash is Whiplash: Symptoms and treatment

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:08:50 +0000

Whip lash is whiplash

Massage for Whiplash: A primer for Physicians, Therapists, and Medically Savvy Patients

The injury commonly known as “Whiplash” is also known in medical circles as Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration (CAD) syndrome, and the wide range of symptoms that can result from such an injury are included in the more comprehensive category of Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD). When you mention whiplash most people think of being rear-ended in a car. The car moves forward, initially leaving the heavy, unsupported head behind, and when at the end range of extension for the spine the head is “whipped” forward damaging muscle, ligament, bone, nerve and connective tissue.

The Symptoms of Whiplash (most common mispelling whip lash)

The most common complaints by a sufferer of whiplash are posterior cervical pain (back of neck) and cervico-genic headaches (headaches generated by the neck). Other common symptoms include shoulder pain, upper back pain, numbness in the neck, numbness in the shoulders, numbness in the arms, jaw clenching, jaw and head pain other than headaches, Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) pain, postural deviations (especially head forward posture with protracted shoulders), mid-back pain, and low-back pain. The brain can also become bruised from the Coup/Counter-coup movement of the head, which sloshes the brain forward and backward inside the brain case. Bruising of the brain can have an affect on cognitive functions. A delayed onset of symptoms is common as imbalances and postural compensation patterns take time to play out through the structure.

The Emotional and Social Impact of Whiplash

Whiplash pain can have a direct effect on emotional health and social interactions. Many whiplash sufferers complain that the condition causes a strain on the most important relationships in their lives. When spouses, children, friends and coworkers don’t understand the whiplash victim’s pain or their change in temperament, the social implications are clear. The invisibility of the injury most often leads to the whiplash patient feeling frustrated, angry, disconnected, and misunderstood.

If your emotional and social life is impacted by a whiplash injury, and you are suffering as described, rest assured that there are massage therapists who specialize in soft tissue injuries such as whiplash and who understand the condition and the many symptoms that are affecting your life. In my experience it is common and normal for the patient to feel fragility, guilt, shame, anger, and fear. Feeling dismissed by healthcare providers and fearing not being believed are also common problems. Proper treatment, in most cases, will resolve these issues as pain is defeated and function returns.

Whiplash Pain and Disability

The intensity of pain that results from a severe whiplash is always surprising to the patient, especially if the patient hadn’t previously “believed in” whiplash. Whiplash often has a significant impact on the patient’s abilities to perform her/his activities of daily life. As a medical massage provider I have two main concerns for this patient: the initial pain from direct injury to the tissues involved (the mechanical and histological), and the long-term neurological patterns that can be established from non-treatment of the postural deviations caused by muscle guarding. An additional concern is the formation of scar tissue, which, if not properly treated, can be pain-inducing, and can severely restrict the patient’s range of motion in the affected area.

The first issue to be addressed when treating the whiplash victim is the mechanical injury to the muscle, bone, ligament, nerve, and tendon tissue and the resulting pain, inflammation, and muscle guarding. The diagnosis is usually cervical-thoracic-lumbar sprain/strain. The management of inflammation and pain is the main focus for mainstream medicine. It is my experience that most attending physicians will prescribe anti-inflammatory, pain killer, and muscle relaxant medications and send the patient on their way. The long-term concern is the effect of the muscle guarding, which, if not properly dealt with, can become neurologically habitual, causing health and postural problems years after the date of injury. Massage can reduce inflammation, relieve pain and relax muscles. A qualified medical massage provider can also address scar tissue to encourage maximum elasticity, thereby preventing long-term sensitivity and pain and ensuring the least impact on the patient’s range of motion.

Examples of How Muscle Guarding Habits Become Problematic

An example often used to illustrate these kinds of neurological habits is the person with an injured knee. The newly injured knee hurts due to tissue damage and the inflammatory response. The person walks with a limp as he shifts his weight off the injured leg. The injured tissue heals, the pain and inflammation are gone. The person continues to limp out of neurological habit, affecting their posture for the rest of their life. Of course, not all knee injuries result in life-long limping, but the example makes the concept easily understood.

Another example: have you ever walked around with an arm load of heavy groceries for 20 minutes or so, and after you set it down you cannot quite straighten your arm out? This phenomenon is known as temporary sensory-motor amnesia (coined by Thomas Hanna). The cerebellum temporarily recalibrates the dynamic range of motion (ROM) of your arm based upon the range used during the period of load-bearing. Even if you do nothing you will regain your normal range of motion after a few moments because the condition is temporary. If you contract muscles for hours a day, in a limited ROM, the cerebellum will eventually recalibrate and make this the new default ROM leading to permanent limitations.

What that means for Whiplash sufferers (whip lash)

Now it is necessary to extend this understanding to severe spinal pain centered in the neck. Head forward posture due to muscle guarding after sustaining a whiplash injury is common. I would go so far as to say it is the rule. It has an immediate negative effect on posture and impairs functional musculo-skeletal balance. If the guarding muscles are not addressed in treatment the effect of the neurological habits may well be life-long, establishing permanent sensory-motor amnesia.

The longer the dysfunctional neurological habits are uncontested, the more pervasive they become. Over time, the imbalance of forces acting on the structures involved can actually change the shape of bones and discs. Most conditions involving disc degeneration, and arthritis, are recognized as sites of previous trauma. The effect of the permanent increase in muscle tension from unrelenting muscle guarding reduces range of motion and tissue health over time, eventually leading to degenerative disc disease, stenosis, and in some cases spinal fusion.

What can massage do for whiplash?

It is my experience that massage rendered by a qualified, experienced therapist can greatly aid in effectively defeating dysfunctional neurological habits such as an imbalance caused by antalgic posture. Addressing the muscles responsible for postural deviation is the key, not just to alleviating or preventing long-term residual pain and dysfunction, but also in raising patient awareness. This awareness makes it possible for the patient to make conscious decisions to correct postural deviations that often lead to, or are the result of, pain and dysfunction.

Symptomatic or Problematic?

In whiplash, the muscles, ligaments, joint capsules, tendons, discs, and nerves that are generating the pain may only be symptomatic and not problematic. The muscles creating the postural imbalances are usually the problematic elements causing pain, numbness, and tingling in the symptomatic structures. In whiplash related neck pain, the problematic structures are most often the cervical flexors (muscles that move the head and neck forward), like the longus colli, that cause the reactive head forward posture through muscle guarding. This results in the over-worked cervical extensors (muscles that extend the head and neck backward) becoming very tender and sore. The increased tension in all of the neck muscles puts additional stress on the vertebral disc tissue and nerve roots passing through the foramina (holes or passages in the spinal column).

A vast majority of whiplash victims report feeling the symptoms in the posterior neck. The treating therapist must fully grasp the relationship between the symptomatic and problematic structures. This understanding will guide the therapist’s treatment choices in providing a more effective treatment with a goal of functional postural improvement, and in avoiding the trap of merely chasing away recurring symptoms. Working to increase the patient’s awareness of which muscles are problematic and educating her in how to relax and release those muscles at will, increases the long-term efficacy of the treatment. When the patient has a sense that previously chronic muscle contractions, initiated originally by muscle guarding, are no longer out of her control, you know you have achieved a level of therapeutic success. At that point it is only a matter of time to re-establish functional neuro-muscular habits. Conscious cortical (referring to the cerebral cortex) control of the body is a reasonable and achievable goal.

Massage, Whiplash and Anterior/Posterior Balance

In treating whiplash, understanding the role of anterior (front of the body) muscles in the neck and torso and how they can be the source of pain in the neck and upper back is essential. In my opinion, it is less a matter of strengthening and more a matter of balancing muscle tone and restoring joint flexibility. Once a patient is out of the active pain phase, and a noted weakness exists, strengthening is reasonable. The ultimate goal is to get the patient to a pain-free state and moving normally again so they can resume a fully active life. As the late Thomas Hanna stated “Movement is life. Diminished movement is diminished life.”

Massage Can Speed the Healing of Whiplash

A massage practitioner with the proper knowledge and training can greatly decrease the healing time and improve the outcome for the whiplash patient. By defeating pain, headaches, and ROM limitations before neuro-muscular patterns become habitual, balance can be restored to the structures involved, resulting in the best outcome for the patient. Normally, the less time that passes between the date of injury and the first treatment, the more rapidly the patient heals, avoiding the onset of dysfunctional neuro-muscular habits, and ensuring a better outcome. Generally, the less ingrained a neurological habit, the less time it takes to overcome it. If a patient has a whiplash injury that has not been treated for a year or more, massage and bodywork can still help. Healing usually just takes longer, as healthy neuromuscular habits must be re-established in order to restore normal function.

Unfortunately, not all massage therapists have the required training to achieve the desired results in the treatment of whiplash. In the first article in the “Massage forWhiplash” series I write specifically about how to find a well-trained massage therapist and what questions to ask when seeking one (click here to read that article).

If you live in the Bothell, Kenmore, Brier, Woodinville, Lynnwood, or Kirkland areas and need effective treatment for whiplash or whip lash give us a call at (425)424-3730.

Massage for Whiplash: How to Find the Right Massage Therapist to Treat Your Whiplash

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:33:37 +0000

Massage For Whiplash

By BJ Erkan

Massage for Whiplash: How to Find the Right Massage Therapist to Treat your Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is also known as cervical acceleration/deceleration injury, and hyperextension/hyperflexion injury. We will assume for this article that you are already aware of the symptoms of whiplash and that you have an idea of the most common causes of whiplash. Medical massage has a proven track record in helping people heal from whiplash injuries and ongoing research in this arena is promising.

The 4 Main Hurdles to Overcome in Utilizing Massage for Whiplash are:

Many physicians still have limited knowledge about the usefulness of massage and bodywork. Massage and bodywork for medical conditions and injuries are still in the process of gaining acceptance by the medical community at large. The good news is that more physicians everyday are opening up to, and recognizing the benefits of, utilizing massage and bodywork for injury treatment.
The training for massage therapists and bodyworkers is not standardized and there can be a great disparity in knowledge and training among graduates from different programs. Some states still have no licensing requirements. Fortunately, there is a growing movement advocating for advanced training for massage therapists and bodyworkers who specialize in treating injuries and managing pain associated with chronic medical conditions.
You may live in a state where massage is not a licensed healthcare profession and auto insurance companies may balk at paying for massage for whiplash treatment.
The knowledge base of the public. Most lay persons, and whiplash sufferers, may not know there is a difference between spa massage, and massage and bodyworking techniques that can be effectively utilized to speed healing from whiplash. I am not slighting the spa industry. Massage for relaxation has its own therapeutic value, although it is not well suited for site specific injury treatment. What’s the difference between spa massage and medical or therapeutic massage? Spa massage tends to be a more generalized effort to calm the nervous system and reduce general tension in the structure. Medical massage, or therapeutic massage, is more focused and endeavors to address trauma and to alleviate pain in the short term. The long term goals are to effect mechanical changes, make histological improvements (effect changes in the characteristics of the tissues involved), and to restore function and balance to the structure.

Tried and True Methods of Finding the Right Therapist or Organization

There are some tried and true ways of finding a massage therapist to treat whiplash. If you are fortunate enough to have a physician who is already aware of the usefulness of manual therapies, he/she may have a clinic or list of medical massage establishments that are reputable and can render effective massage treatment for whiplash. If not, there are other avenues such as friends, coworkers, and online rating sites. The problem here is, unkown to each of these sources, treating whiplash requires higher levels of training and skill.

Finding someone to perform effective massage treatment for whiplash is different from finding a massage practitioner who performs great well-body massage. The problem with relying on word-of-mouth referrals from people who may not have had massage for the treatment of whiplash, is that they may not know the difference between the use of relaxation techniques and the use of more advanced theories and techniques which are used to treat significant soft tissue injuries. It is often necessary to take things into your own hands and do your own research.

Finding Massage for Whiplash On Your Own

Things to look for:

A clinical setting with a therapist or therapists who have a higher level of training. It is possible to find a clinic that has many excellent therapists. Excellent professionals seek out associates of equal caliber to stay challenged, and up to date, so they can continue to grow their skill-sets. Collaboration between colleagues can offer advantages for patients and massage therapists alike. These are just points to consider. It is also possible to find an exceptional practitioner who operates a solo practice.
An experienced therapist or therapists who have worked with many whiplash cases. Less experienced massage therapists can render excellent advanced work as well, when properly mentored. Seek a therapist or organization where whiplash is one of the primary conditions they treat.
Therapists who are in the practice of keeping professional chart notes (also called SOAP notes) and who can write accurate reports containing important information for physicians, claim adjusters and lawyers. You will want excellent documentation of your injuries and treatment in order to establish the medical necessity for the treatment. In addition, complete and accurate documentation of your treatment is essential should your case need to be argued in court.
Location. Is it in a reasonable location for you? Are you willing to drive longer distances to see more experienced specialists? Depending on the specifics of your case, the treatment period could be weeks or months. This makes distance and the convenience of getting to your therapist’s location an obvious consideration.

Questions to ask of a prospective therapist or organization:

Do they specialize in whiplash? Are they comfortable working in the anterior triangle of the neck? Many therapists are not comfortable working the entire neck because they have not been trained to work the front of the neck, known as the anterior triangle. Treating this area of the body is not taught in many basic licensing courses and the therapists without this training will not want to work this area, nor should they. It is important to note that, although most whiplash pain is felt in the back of the neck and upperback, it is usually perpetuated by post-traumatic muscle guarding in the anterior (front side of) the neck. Alleviating whiplash pain is only the initial concern. Restoring function and the proper anterior/posterior postural balance (holding your head well balanced on top of your neck and shoulders) is imperative for long-term health and the avoidance of serious residual problems down the road. Properly treating the anterior triangle is an important part of restoring that balance.
How much experience do they have as an individual or as a group? How much knowledge is under one roof? This is an important consideration, because inexperienced therapists who are not being supervised or mentored, may miss problems common to a whiplash injury. There are problems of which the patient may not be aware. For example: a patient was rear-ended while sitting at a traffic light. It is common for a person holding the steering wheel in this situation to have shoulder joint injuries which are masked by the overwhelming neck pain. An inexperienced therapist may neglect to do simple palpation of the shoulder, which would be surprisingly tender to the patient, and confirm the injury. A missed condition that will become more evident as the inflammation in the neck subsides. This shoulder injury could be unnecessarily challenged by the insurance company responsible for payment. The insurance company would argue that the shoulder injury was not from the accident, since it was not charted on the initial visit. I understand that this is unfair, but it is how insurance companies usually behave. The point here is that massage therapists who are experienced in treating whiplash know what to look for and how to treat it.
How long have they been in business? Again this speaks to the level of experience. Seasoned therapists, or clinics with multiple therapists and a large collective body of knowledge, understand the intricacies of treating serious injuries such as whiplash. Just as important is an understanding of proper documentation and dealing with insurance companies, which leads us to number 4…
Do they do the insurance billing for you? Or will they require you to pay at the time of service and leave you to bill your own insurance company? Billing is a valuable service provided by well established practices. It can take a lot of the paperwork load and hassle off of you while you are healing.

As mentioned before not all states regulate the practice of massage. Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Vermont, and Wyoming are the states where massage is currently unregulated. Check the American Massage Therapy Association website for the latest update.

While this article is not meant to answer all of your questions on how to find the right massage therapist or organization, I hope it gets you well on the way to finding the person or persons who can render the most effective massage for your whiplash treatment, and help you fully heal from your injuries. If you have whiplash and are suffering from pain, massage for whiplash may be part of your program to fully heal.

Education for Massage Therapists, We support the pursuit of professional excellence at Bothell Integrated Health.

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:19:17 +0000

A message from Master Bodyworker, Jack Blackburn about an upcoming event from The Future of Bodywork Forum and a unique class opportunity.

Dear Ones, Jack Blackburn here. First I want to wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Some of you are receiving this newsletter for the first time. In the last issue I asked that those who were interested in expanding the circulation of Presencing take advantage of the area at the bottom of the page to submit the names of persons whom they think would benefit from the classes we offer and appreciate the articles we publish. If you were already getting the newsletter, you are receiving these class notices again. I’m sorry for that, but we were unable to isolate the new names from the regulars. I also realized that many persons on my own mail site are in touch with me but have never seen copies of the newsletter. If you feel that you have received Presencing in error there is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the page. Every month I send out an article about some aspect of bodywork and inner work, and an area of interaction with touch that produces healing. The most recent article about Toshi the young Japanese boy I worked with, has received much wonderful feedback.

Link to Presencing Issue 24: Toshi Article

I also use this newsletter to publicize upcomming classes. Below are two classes that are happening right after the holidays… usually a slow time for bodyworkers. These classes represent the dedication we have at Trillium Institute to bring leading edge material to the professional comunity.

Trillium Institute Presents:

Future of Bodywork Symposium:

Wednesday Evening January 4th at Nalanda West

The Role of the Client in Bodywork

Our Panel: Deane Juhan, Dave Campbell, Diana Thompson, BJ Erkan, Jack Blackburn, Alison Day, with Michael Hamm as Moderator.

Determining Our Future: This special symposium is the third in our series: The Future of Bodywork. We have assembled a panel of bodywork practitioners and educators. You are invited to join in and become more active in determining the future of your profession. Our experiences with clients call for looking deeper at the training it takes to accompany clients in different situations. You can participate in discussion groups based on your concerns and experiences. The theme for this evening is: “What parts do clients play their own therapy?” We will explore different kinds of physical, verbal, and somatic interactions, and client self-care approaches away from the sessions. We will also look at less interactive client responses: sleeping, chatting, and dissociation. Are there ways of improving our therapeutic effectiveness by revising our paradigm of treatment to involve clients in their own healing?

The Client’s Role: At least 50 percent of what is happening during sessions is determined by the client. And 100 percent of what is happening between sessions is determined by the client. We know that many factors in clients’ lives determine how they progress in bodywork sessions. Some clients become very involved in their own process and some clients leave everything up to the practitioner and the insurance company. Many clients do not really know why we do what we do. Many clients assume that we get paid our regular rates by third party payers. Clients do not know how much their attitude about their bodies, their emotional state and their external lives affect their body state and vice versa. How can we work with clients and involve these factors in their process legitimately? Please join us for this extraordinary event!

Wednesday night January 4th 2012 at Nalanda West, 6 to 9:30PM
Nalanda West 3902 Woodland Park Ave No. Seattle WA 98103 (206) 529-8258
3CEUs. ***Earn up to two extra CEUs for case studies from your practice***
Cost $40 for one person. Discount package: $60 for two persons.
To register: http://www.presencingsource.com/workshops-for-body-workers/Future-of-Bodywork.html

The Second workshop

***Somatic Doors of Perception***
with

Deane Juhan and Jack Blackburn

January 7th and 8th, 2012

It is as if there were in the human consciousness a sense of reality, a feeling of objective presence, a perception of what we may call ‘something there,’ more deep and more general than any of the special and particular ‘senses’ by which the current psychology supposes… William James

The Role of the Client: What is happening inside the client during a session? We know by external signs whether the client is awake and present. We can also tell when the client is sleeping or zoning out. But is there another exchange between practitioner and client: when both are somatically aware of their own bodies. What happens when they both interact from a shared space of somatic awareness? Deane and Jack have known one another since the 1980s. Both have been exploring these questions, each from their own perspective. Recently they have been comparing notes with one another and it would appear that they are witnessing similar surprising results with their clients and students. It seems that many, if not most holding patterns in the body can be released simply by mutual interaction of words and somatic awareness between both persons.

Mutual Touch: The experience of touch: the client from inside and practitioner from outside the body are sharing the same phenomena. The client feels something from the hands of the practitioner; the practitioner feels something from the body of the client. Fundamentally both persons are touching and both persons are being touched. The practitioner is more conscious of giving touch, the client is more conscious of receiving touch… but both are touching. This means that both are participating in a process that only happens… now. Also, both are feeling the effects of the touch.

Deeper Signals: What if both become equal in terms of their ability to touch and feel? Each is aware of the internal sensations in his/her own body that are informing them both about this interaction. Something is shared across skin barriers as the mutual somatic awareness is heightened. The practitioner can heighten the client’s somatic awareness by moving the tissue, tapping the tissue, decompressing the tissue, and using words that elicit the client’s awareness of what is happening. Each of these probes sends various signals to the client’s brain. When the client becomes conscious of these signals the practitioner can feel a response in that part of the body that the practitioner is touching. As this response is felt by the practitioner he/she can then give feedback to the client, which further heightens the client’s involvement.

Perceptual Doors: The surface sensations of touch in both persons are accompanied by external and internal perceptions: vaguely described as proprioception, interoception, exteroception, conscious thought, unconscious thought, felt sense, sense of presence, sense of shared presence, and mutual verbal interaction. We are attempting to understand how these messages back and forth change many factors for both client and practitioner. It’s as if we are discovering that the mind and feeling awareness of the client is much more significant that mechanical manipulation of the tissue. What are the implications of these surprising results?

Changing the Mind: The hidden truths behind these data could profoundly change the way we understand ourselves and our work. Milton Trager used to say: “You are always working on the mind of the client” and “If you want to change the body, you must first change the mind.” Many of us pondered these words as we have worked over the years. It is now clear to Deane and Jack that changing the mind has to do with shifting the client’s mind from thinking to feeling what is happening now. The body is the medium, the mind is the message. You will learn various ways for shifting the client’s mind by discussing and working with examples of exteroception, interoception and proprioception.

Teamwork: We will explore client-practitioner interactive teamwork through the medium of the senses. Specifically we want to focus on: psychophysical mechanisms like brain chemistry and mind-body communication systems (Deane), and sharing of conscious awareness, personal presencing and spiritual development (Jack). This workshop will lay the groundwork for a follow up class in April, which will address in-depth applications of the principles of interactive somatic awareness in your practice. In that class we will be challenging some of the basic paradigms of mechanical bodywork, namely: the need to overcome clients’ bodily resistance, the need to “fix the client,” and the primary focus on symptomatic relief. We are hoping to stimulate many practitioners’ exploration of these inner experiences in their work with their clients.

January 7th & 8th
9am to 6pm
CEUs: 16
Cost: $280
Register

Jack Blackburn, LMP, Master’s in Theological Studies, Certified Spiritual Director, specializes in body centered spiritual growth and healing. He has been a Trager® practitioner since 1986. He has been a Trager tutor since 1993, has taught Trager electives classes since 1996, and teaches a variety of classes to care giving professionals. He is a NCBTMB Approved Continuing Education Provider and AMTA National Presenter. He is a Focusing Trainer and teaches Bodywork Focusing classes for professionals. Jack is also a Reiki Master and teaches levels I, II, III and Advanced Reiki for Bodyworkers.
presencinginfo@gmail.com
www.presencingsource.com
206-527-0908 1-888-755-4558

The Best Bothell Chiropractors are Right in Our Building!

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:25:32 +0000

Best Bothell Chiropractors

Kaufman Chiropractic

Bothell Integrated Health is under the same roof as Kaufman Chiropractic, the best Bothell chiropractors!

We have known the fine folks at Kaufman chiropractic for almost 18 years. They have served our patients well and for that we are grateful. They work great with all musculo-skeletal pain, but we have seen the near miraculous work they have done with the number one condition we treat: whiplash.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a very real condition suffered by many people. The main cause of whiplash is automobile accidents. The mechanism for injury has been exhaustively studied and researched over the last several decades. Injuries have been documented from rear-end collisions at low speeds as well as high speeds. Speeds as low as 5 mph are can have a devastating impact on the neck and the rest of the spine. Fortunately there is effective treatment for this debilitating disease right here in Bothell at the Kaufman building. Our two clinics would be happy to coordinate your treatment. The synergetic interaction between massage and chiropractic are exceptional at relieving whiplash. From my personal experience I can tell you I found the two disciplines to be extremely effective at healing my injury after a mid-speed collision left me with headaches and neck pain. I can recommend the fine chiropractors at Kaufman Chiropractic without hesitation. The entire staff is friendly and helpful and has a single mission in mind-to help you heal. Our respect has grown over the years and we are honored to be in the same building as this fine clinic. If you have whiplash and are experiencing headaches, spinal pain, and are suffering other symptoms like sleeplessness, and disability, this is the building you need to visit to get back on your feet and feeling normal again.

Whether you have a cervicogenic headache or suffer from serious whiplash think of Bothell Integrated Health and Kaufman Chiropractic as your team of the best massage therapists and chiropractors in Bothell and all of Western Washington. We only work with the best Bothell chiropractors.

Our Bothell Massage Clinic, Bothell Integrated Health, Voted Best Massage in Western Washington!

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:33:23 +0000

It is a joy and an honor to Massage Bothell and provide the BEST MASSAGE!

To be Voted Best Massage is a Humbling Honor

The Patients at Bothell Integrated Health have honored us by voting for us as Best Massage Establishment in Western Washington. We are in the King5 Best of Western Washington Top 5 (out of 317 Nominees!) best places to get a massage.

We are humbled and overjoyed. Thank you to everyone that took the time to share their love of Bothell Integrated Health with the world.

With the greatest amount of experience under one roof when it comes to soft tissue injury treatment (yes, 130 years) we promise to continue to provide the most effective soft tissue injury treatment possible.

KING5 Notified us of our ranking and told us that they would be sending us an official plaque and seal soon. Our patients think we are the best, and we think it is because we fortunate enough to have the BEST PATIENTS in the world!

We can not tell you how surprised and flattered we were to find out about our nomination and the resulting ranking. We hope that our love of the work we do and our deep feelings for the community we live in and work in manifests itself in the service we provide for all of our patients whether they are from Bothell, Woodinville, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, or Seattle.

A few of the kind comments from our fans:

Dan C.. … voted BEST Massage

Bothell Integrated Health is the absolute best! Totally dedicated to helping you maintain your health and comfort. The staff is very professional and focused on patient care. – August 30, 2011 2:15PM

Thuy N. … voted BEST Massage

If you have whiplash and severe neck pain I recommend going to Bothell Integrated Health. I had severe neck pain after being rear-ended. My doctor triedto talk me into going to BIH for massage and I resisted because my neck hurt so bad I was afraid to have anyone touch it. Well out of desperation I did it. After the first few treatments I couldn’t believe how much better I felt. I have been pain free for over a year now. I occasionally treat myself to a massage there now and then just to keep feeling great. – September 12, 2011 4:00PM

We will endeavor to keep earning the title of Best Massage in Bothell, and Best Massage in Western Washington!

We Massage Bothell, the City of Bothell Employees, too.

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:24:20 +0000

Bothell Massage Therapists Massage Bothell City Employees

City of Bothell Logo Massage Bothell

We will massage Bothell City employees on Tuesday, November 2nd. Bothell Integrated Health will be providing the services or 2-3 licensed massage therapists to provide the employees of the city of Bothell free chair massage to celebrate Regence credentialing our whole clinic. We have recently announced adding 4 more of our therapists to the roster of therapists that can provide medical massage to Regence patients. This brings our total of Regence massage providers to 8. By December 1st of this year we expect to add the remaining 8 therapists to this list bringing the total to 16 Regence massage providers!

We Massage Bothell Employees Everyday

At BIH we are honored to massage Bothell employees and their families on a regular basis. We are here to serve your medical massage needs. The City has been fortunate to hire some of the nicest people you will ever meet. We mean it when we say it is a pleasure and an honor to massage Bothell.

Bothell Massage- We love Bothell and Massage!

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:32:23 +0000

Bothell Massage-We love the Bothell Area and Massage!

Bothell Massage and You

[Home]

If you are already a patient and fan of our clinic you know how much we care about the community we live in. You may like to know that we also are active beyond the concerns of serving our patients and making a living. When Bothell, Woodinville, Millcreek, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, or Kirkland call, we are there. We support important causes and events like the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. If you have an event you would like us to attend, let us know. If we have the time in the schedule and the folks to cover it, we will be there! When you think of the two words: Bothell Massage, think of Bothell Integrated Health!

Regence Massage

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:17:23 +0000

Regence Massage Preferred Providers

Regence Massage

Bothell Integrated Health Medical Massage is happy to announce that our clinic is now credentialed with Regence. We currently have added 4 more therapists to the Regence Preferred Provider list bringing the total to 8 Regence preferred providers. Regence will finish credentialing our other 8 massage therapists within 30 days bringing the total to 16 Regence Massage Therapists available to care for you!

[More]

By December 1st Bothell Integrated Health will be Regence Massage ready with all 16 Therapist.

Press Release About Our New Website

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:05:42 +0000

Press Release

Hello to the whole BIH Family! We are proud to announce that we have announced the launching of this website. As we make a few last minute changes and prepare to start using this cutting edge technology, our excitement grows!

Click Here to check out our press release.

KING5′s “Best of Western Washington”

B.J. Erkan, LMP — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:27:03 +0000

Dear Patients and Friends of BIH: you know how much we appreciate you. This is an opportunity to share your love of BIH with the world:) Please take the time to vote for Bothell Integrated Health in the Best of Western Washington poll.

Click here It takes about 60 seconds. Thank you for your support:)

http://best.king5.com/bothell-integrated-health/biz/626199