Dooley Noted: 6/28/2014
Yesterday, I had my first experience with a Floatation Bath. This includes a concentrated magnesium sulfate bath (think Epsom salt) in a sensory deprived environment.
I grew up taking baths, so I can literally stay in a tub for hours. Thus, I expected to enjoy this experience right out of the gate.
I was surprised at what transpired.
A very kind gentleman named Sam explained the process, a service he has provided for almost 30 years. He did a proficient job at detailing what to expect.
After showering, I entered the tub and shut off the lights. For people outside of New York, a room with no sound and light might be easy to obtain. It’s not easy for us in the Big Apple!
The first five minutes were full of anxiety for me. Just being able to hear my breath and heartbeat echo while I experienced total darkness threw me into a panicky state.
Being well trained on breathing, I talked myself off that ledge and followed Sam’s instructions to lay still. Having a fear of water, the salty water brought out the ocean experience for me, and I felt more anxiety. I couldn’t let my head relax! The tension was extraordinary, to the point of wanting to get out.
But I knew the hour remained, and I don’t give up easily.
So I went to what I know: inhaling and exhaling. After a few minutes, I let my ears submerge, and I totally and completely relaxed.
It was ethereal.
All tension left my neck. I felt a strange localized muscle tightness at my left mastoid process (back of the skull) and left medial quadriceps femoris (anterior thigh). I started breathing deeply into these spots, making connections to the facilitation said my clinical presentations.
I never feel these aches during my day to day life. It took a sensory deprived environment to focus my higher centers upon these areas.
This got my NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) brain thinking: these primary facilitations need to be assessed as primary dysfunctional patterns.
By just releasing the tight areas. it might take away stability I am seeking. So, instead of stretching in the tank, I breathed through the tension.
Without certain senses to distract me, my breathing practice intensified greatly, holding a beautiful 35 second fluent exhale for a personal record. Oxygen is delivered on the exhale, so I could feel my entire body relax into the water as oxygen was delivered to my cells.
After leaving the tank, it hit me: patients can use the tank to inform me of primary tension areas, so we can track what these facilitated areas are inhibiting in their movement.
I signed up for a second session, and I was excited to take my primary tension areas to my therapist for further assessment.
Concentrated magnesium sulfate bathing may be an excellent tool to consider, if you want to improve efficiency in your musculoskeletal care. But consider getting assessed immediately after, if you want longstanding results.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley