Massage is back! What to Expect…
01-Jun-2020
After a very long hiatus, we will be back doing massage starting Sunday, June 7th.Governor Scott gave permission last Friday to open today, June 1st...but in order to meet State requirements and get everyone up-to-speed, we are taking an extra week.
What to expect:
—Please be aware that wearing a mask is mandated by the State. If you would like to remove it when face down, this is acceptable ONLY IF YOU AND THE THERAPIST FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING SO. The client and therapist must both wear a mask when the client is in a face-up position. We will be providing disposable surgical masks, but ask that you bring your own when possible. Please respect the therapist’s choice should they ask you to wear a mask for the duration of the massage, including before and after.
—Staff will be instructed to use hand sanitizer frequently and include hand washing as required in regulations.
—Door knobs, iPads, furniture tops, face cradle cushions and other frequently touched or close contact surfaces will be sanitized between each client.
—Couples massage and pregnancy massage cannot be booked until further notice.
We ask that if you have had COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, or have been in contact with someone who has, please refrain from booking at this time and observe the 14-day quarantine and get tested.
Please be patient with us during this time of transition! I look forward to see you all!
Massage and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): What You Need to Know
12-Mar-2020
The coronavirus (COVID-19) originally detected in China several weeks ago has now been classified as a pandemic, meaning it is spreading rapidly on every continent. What we should all be reminded of, besides taking precautions, is not to create an unnecessary pandemic of fear. In this posting, I’d like to address those precautions (I’m sure many of you have already educated yourselves), review changes we are taking at the massage studio but also address the benefits of massage on the immune system.
About the Virus
With COVID-19, the first known advanced cases were reported in mainland China on December 31, 2019, and by January 7 the virus had already been identified. Within ten days the genome was mapped. It is a new coronavirus from group 2B (the same family as the SARS). Genetic analyses have confirmed COVID-19’s recent natural origin between late November and early December and that, although viruses live by mutating, its rate of mutation may not be very high. However, its transmission rate and means of spreading (coughing, sneezing, touching surfaces and then your face or mouth) are similar to the common flu.
A test for the detection of the virus has been available since January 13th. We are seeing good results with the strong control measures in China and the number of new cases is actually decreasing. The virus causes no symptoms or is mild in 81% of cases. 14% result in severe pneumonia and in 5% of cases, it can become critical or fatal. Very detailed epidemiological studies are being conducted in most countries of initial infection, and while still early, many health experts believe fatalities could be lower than originally believed. The newest data reflects the number of confirmed cases and the resulting deaths, but most infections are cured and the proportions are improving. The vast majority of fatalities are in the elderly or very young children under 3.
People under 20 make up only 20% of cases, and mortality under 40 is less than 0.2%. Symptoms in children are often so mild that the virus can go undetected. However, transmission is still possible and universal precautions should be maintained by everyone.
Symptoms
The CDC states the following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
—Fever
—Cough
—Shortness of breath
Symptoms of sore throat, headaches, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy or irritated eyes could be flu, cold or allergy-related, but are NOT associated with COVID-19.
Prevention
The washing of one’s hands regularly with soap and water is still the best prevention for exposure. While many consider this basic daily hygiene, HOW you wash is very important: scrubbing under your nails, washing all exposed areas including forearms and elbows, and taking your time to thoroughly wash.
The virus can be effectively inactivated from surfaces with a solution of ethanol (60% alcohol or greater), hydrogen peroxide (0.5% hydrogen peroxide) or sodium hypochlorite (0.1% bleach), in just one minute.
Avoid large groups and public areas unnecessarily.
Strong Immunity Starts with Health
Once exposed, your best line of defense is your body’s own immune system, which can vary greatly depending on age, genetics and other factors. Making good health-oriented lifestyle choices can strengthen your body’s ability to fight the pathogen in the early stages of exposure:
—Avoid or moderate alcohol and tobacco
—Eat a diet high in vegetables and fruits and low in saturated fats
—Exercise regularly
—Learn techniques to manage stress levels
Massage and the Immune System
Researchers recently completed a comprehensive study at Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, the first study to be conclusive (and backing up previous smalller studies) in the connection between massage and the body’s immune system. Mark Rapaport, M.D., chairman of the department stated “People often seek out massage as part of a healthy lifestyle but there hasn’t been much physiological proof of the body’s heightened immune response following massage until now.” The study concludes that vigorous massage (beyond light touch) significantly changes the numbers in lymphocytes and white blood cells, decreases Arginine Vasopressin (AVP), decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol and a notable decrease in most cytokines produced by stimulated white blood cells. This points to building a heightened neuroendocrine functionality, and thus a stronger immunity toward disease.
The truth is, most of us have already or will be exposed to COVID-19.
HOWEVER, it’s important to note that should you currently exhibit any symptoms listed above (or recently have), you should avoid contact with others, stay home, self-isolate and seek medical attention. This is especially true of the elderly, young children under 3 or anyone with a comprised immune system.
Actions We Are Taking at RCMT:
We are currently taking additional preventative measures to disinfect surfaces such as the table, face cradle, doorknobs, pump bottles, surfaces and drawer handles. Hand sanitizer is available in both rooms and staff has been encouraged to use it more frequently. Normal laundering of sheets is considered proper protocol for fabrics.
Cancellations/reschedules are encouraged for anyone with symptoms or who have been exposed at home or work to people with symptoms.
Again, most of us have already or will be exposed to COVID-19 and our immune system will function as it does to arrest most pathogens. Be smart, but don’t contribute to unnecessary fear and panic.
The Bright Side
The process by which we develop new vaccines has been dramatically groundbreaking. Already there are more than eight projects underway seeking a vaccine against the new coronavirus. The University of Queensland, in Australia, has announced it is already working on a prototype using the technique called “molecular clamp”, a novel technology. This is just one example that could allow vaccine production in record time. Prototypes may soon be tested on humans.
Rod Cain is owner/operator of
Rod Cain Massage Burlington Vermont
The Gila and James Story
18-Oct-2019
THE GILA and JAMES STORY:
28 years ago I graduated from the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, a small school on the edge of Paynes Prairie. This 21k acre nature preserve is filled with wildlife such as alligators, egrets, wild horses and even a herd of buffalo and served as the backyard to our school.
It was there I met fellow students Gila and James…we became friends, they became a couple. Following graduation, being young and adventurous, they wanted to travel across the country and find a good place to call home. I suggested they visit Brattleboro (where I had lived before school) and gave them contacts of friends. My first massage job took me to Savannah….but after a year and a half, Vermont called me back. To my pleasant surprise, James and Gila had decided to live in the area. Once again our paths had crossed. We gladly traded the warmth of the South for the wholesome goodness that makes Vermont special.
James and I had a gig with the Stratton Arts Festival for several years—a fun, seasonal side job procured by mutual friends (the earlier contacts from school) that had us working with and curating the work of Vermont’s most talented artists and craftspeople.
After several years, the tall blond man from the Nebraska plains and the young New York City native decided to marry. This lively celebration on the Townshend farm where they lived featured a bluegrass band that had everyone dancing barefoot into the night.
In 2000, I moved to the Champlain Valley followed by a relationship, a son, and later a thriving massage practice. Gila and James had two sons of their own. One of them, much later went to college in Burlington which brought his parents to our corner of the State for visits.
Being newly empty-nested with their second son off to college, James and Gila decided to make a new home in Burlington. Both having practised massage therapy all these years, it was a no-brainer. Let’s work together!
I am very pleased to welcome my good friends to the area and to my practice. With the opening of a second treatment room at the Chace Mill, this opens up the schedule and allows clients to book on the fly with these very skilled and experienced therapists. Rick, Shannon and Robin only add to the variety of massage talent offered at RCMT….and I trust you’ll find the quality of service and their professionalism to be exemplary.
“THE GROWTH OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP MAY BE A LIFELONG AFFAIR.“ —Sarah Orne Jewett
Second Treatment Room Added at Chace Mill
16-Oct-2019
RCMT opens a second treatment room at the Chace Mill and hires two new therapists—Welcome Gila and James! Profiles and updates are in the works. In addition, Rick is now full-time. These changes make it easier to get a massage appointment on the fly and expand the diversity of massage talent available. Make an appointment and discover what true experience feels like.
We’re Featured on Travel Like a Local Blog!
06-Jul-2019