As of 2017 nearly 1 in 8 American adults was taking an antidepressant, and the class of medication ranks among the three most prescribed drugs in the U.S. Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression, and likelihood of antidepressant* use increases with age. 

Physical symptoms like joint pain, limb pain, and back pain can all be signs of major depression -- and a study found that patients with more physical symptoms were significantly more likely to also suffer from a mood disorder*. The idea that muscular ache can actually be a referred pain from mental conditions like depression or anxiety is not new. Physical relief from pain through myotherapy can in turn improve mental health.

Myotherapy can be an effective treatment for migraines and other types of headache, whether chronic or sudden. With the painful condition often tied to muscular dysfunction, these headaches can be treated via trigger point therapy -- wherein Annie identifies and targets the pain’s point of origin. 

Noninvasive and customized to each patient’s symptoms, trigger point therapy for migraine helps release muscle tension and treat the causes of head pain without further stress to the muscle. Studies found preliminary support for muscle therapy as a medication-free treatment for migraines, and that myotherapy could even reduce the intensity of headache when administered during an acute migraine*.

Myotherapy treatments are scientifically proven to be capable of boosting your levels of serotonin and dopamine, which promote better mood, while driving down levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone.”

From releasing lactic acid by stimulating trigger points, to enhancing serotonin secretion and promoting emotional regulation, releasing endorphins and triggering dopamine, myotherapy can be a powerful treatment. It has even been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety* and treat prehypertensive blood pressure* -- highlighting the impressive way that myotherapy can change our biochemistry, one treatment at a time.

Preventive myotherapy can be used as a method of joint protection, preparing muscles to know how to behave to support the body against injury. And, committing the proper movements to muscle memory may be as simple as going for a myotherapy tune-up. 

Particularly for athletes, prevention is key; avoiding an injury involves understanding where muscle imbalances lie, and how to correct them. Through methods such as sports taping, tailored to each patient’s physical condition, muscle support is provided to prevent injury and promote faster recovery from workouts. Plans are tailored to each client for peak prevention.