By Michele Hardman
When I moved to Panama City Beach about a year and a half ago, I started looking for a local massage therapist. A friend had recommended Amanada Blyth over in Lynn Haven, so I scheduled an appointment. I’m so glad I did. In talking with Amanda, it quickly became apparent that she’s doing exactly what she was meant to do. So she was gracious enough—after a little coaxing—to sit down with me and share some helpful info.
When Amanda was in high school, she decided she wanted to become a nurse and started making plans. From grades 9-12, she took classes and eventually got accepted into a nursing program that would continue once she graduated. But during all of this, her life took a slightly different turn. You see, Amanda had suffered from severe migraines for years. She had been taken to allergy specialists and chiropractors and had numerous tests and treatments with no improvement. One day, she was at a hair salon and was having yet another bout with a strong migraine. It just so happened that there was a massage therapist in the salon, and Amanda told him about her struggles. He began working on the base of her skull, massaging and using pressure points, and literally within about five minutes, she started noticing her headache was drastically subsiding. She was amazed! From that moment, she decided to change her career path from nursing to massage therapy. She wanted to be able to help others get the same pain relief that she had now discovered.
Many people view massage as a guilty pleasure or a luxury that only the wealthy enjoy. But there are so many benefits from it that it should be viewed instead as personal maintenance. So what are some of those benefits other than migraine relief? TMJ symptoms can be reduced. Sinus pressure can be released through facial massage. Hip, neck, and lower back pain can be lessened. It can ease depression and anxiety, lower stress hormones, and improve sleep. Pinched nerves in the neck will respond wonderfully to massage. Massage acts as a total body reset. It causes your blood to flow through your system 10 times faster while releasing serotonin. It also loosens up toxins inside of us, which is why therapists strongly recommend you drink lots of water afterwards, to help flush all of that junk out of you. Our nervous system plays an important role in our health, and massage is known to help regulate that as well. Amanda prefers to work at a slightly slower pace, stretching muscles and focusing also on the fascia, which is the connective tissue surrounding the muscles and organs. Her number one thing is listening to her clients so she understands her needs on that particular day. The human body is so complex that your elbow might be hurting, but the actual root cause may stem from a constricted muscle in your neck. It’s fascinating! And don’t forget about your feet. They’re a roadmap of your entire body too, with certain points correlating with many of your inner organs, such as your kidneys, colon, lungs, liver and digestive system. For example, did you know the pressure points for your sinuses are located on the tips of your toes, and your spine runs along the side of your foot? How cool!
Massage is great for any age group, and Amanda offers sessions from 30 minutes to two hours. The best way to schedule an appointment with her is to call Faith Family Wellness in Lynn Haven at (850) 788-3120. You invest money in numerous things in your life—be sure to also invest in yourself.
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