Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
Bringing together local businesses and neighbor of the Tri-Cities region. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Skip Mauney helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around The Tri-Cities.
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Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
EP# 81: Transforming Pain Relief: Andrea Edwards' Journey with Legendary Massage Therapy
What makes Andrea Edwards with Legendary Massage a good neighbor?
Andrea Edwards, the innovative owner of Legendary Massage, shares her transformational journey from respiratory therapist to massage therapy entrepreneur. Discover how her integrative approach to massage, which focuses on genuine chronic pain relief, sets her apart from traditional methods. Andrea's unique techniques go beyond mere relaxation, targeting specific pain points with the precision of a dedicated massage therapist who understands the balance between muscle relaxation and effective recovery.
Our conversation uncovers the crucial role of massage therapy as a complement to physical therapy, revealing how Andrea’s expertise has helped countless clients achieve lasting relief over her decade-long career. Learn about the impactful differences between a conventional massage and her specialized approach aimed at addressing persistent pain. Andrea's story is both inspiring and informative, offering listeners a fresh perspective on managing chronic pain and enhancing overall well-being. Join us as we explore how Andrea’s passion and dedication have shaped her thriving business and brought comfort to those in need.
To learn more about Legendary Massage go to:
https://www.andreaedwardslmt.com/
Legendary Massage
(423) 502-3141
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Monty.
Speaker 2:Hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a really good massage? Back rub I'm a big fan and I'm sure you are too, so today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, ms Andrea Edwards of Legendary Massage. Andrea, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Thank you, skip, it's great to be here.
Speaker 2:I hope you're having a good day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, been a great day. Today's my day off. Just decided to come and spend it with you for a little while.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, we're very thankful that you decided to do that, and I know that a lot of our listeners are very excited to learn all about your massage business. So, if you don't mind, why don't you tell us a little bit about your company?
Speaker 3:Sure, I started doing massage about 10 years ago. I do a little bit of a different, integrative approach to massage that goes just beyond the conventional type of massage that most everyone knows of. While I love a good relaxation traditional type massage, my kind of focus is on providing relief for chronic pain and making sure that people leave here feeling genuinely improved instead of just relaxed for the day.
Speaker 2:Gotcha, and that's important. Especially the older we get chronic pain.
Speaker 3:Yes, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 2:Well, we're glad you're doing what you're doing. So how did you get into the massage business?
Speaker 3:well, it was a long road I started out in I think it was 98. I graduated from college and was a respiratory therapist and done that for several years. I got over into sleep lab work. Didn't think that I was too much of a night owl after I started done that for several years. I got over into sleep lab work. Didn't think that I was too much of a night owl after I started doing that for a while. And then I got over into neurodiagnostics. I was an EEG technician for about 18 years.
Speaker 3:So I just started seeing people having all of these horrible issues of neck pain, back pain especially the nurses and doctors and things of that nature and just going up behind them and rubbing their shoulders. They would just be so excited just to have a little bit of relief during the day. So most of them was like man, you should really do this as a living. And I thought about it for a long time. But I think my husband finally got tired of hearing me say I'd like to do this and he just said just go do it, just see what happens. And here we are 10 years later.
Speaker 2:Wow, Wow Well, apparently it fits you well for 10 years later. So what's the? What's the difference between a normal massage and a massage that treats chronic pain?
Speaker 3:between a normal massage and a massage that treats chronic pain. So normal massage is where you come in, you get naked, we rub you with lotion and you just kind of feel good. The type of massage I do is where you come in and you actually lay down on the table and you go. Hey, my shoulder's hurting. So we spend more time in that area trying to fix that area versus just giving you a rubdown all over. That way we're more creative with the time that we have in that hour versus, you know, just giving you a total body kind of thing. But we actually work on what you actually came in to get relief from so a lot like physical therapy sounds like sort of yeah, yeah, the physical therapist wouldn't like us to say that, but it's kind of the same way.
Speaker 3:Um no, it's actually one of those things that if you've ever been to a physical therapist and you've had, um, a lot of problems and you just kind of can't get over it, and then by the end of it you start to feel better, that's because the muscles have had a hard time recuperating. So it's one of those things where I wish doctors were more, would tell you more that you need to go and have a massage, because if you can relax those muscles, then you can figure out what muscles actually need to be strengthened and trained through physical therapy, which gives you a better outcome.
Speaker 2:Right, Well, I know my wife has some chronic pain and she just, you know, gets a regular massage, but she swears by it. I mean she can tell the difference.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:For an extended period of time.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Very good Regular massages are great.
Speaker 3:I'm not saying that they're the worst things in the world but you, when you're, when you're really hurting, though that's. There's a difference between the two.
Speaker 2:I could imagine. So what are some myths or misconceptions in the massage industry, especially your specialty of, of you know, dealing with chronic pain?
Speaker 3:Um, most people feel like they have to come in here and get naked and I know there's a few um generational things there that people don't really like to come in and do that kind of thing. But you really don't have to. If you go to a good enough therapist, they should be able to treat you without taking everything off and should be able to work with you and and make you feel comfortable. That's kind of the thing where most people will go into a massage and they're like I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how much to take off, I didn't know. It's one of those things where you know most massage therapists is going to tell you just take off what you feel comfortable with and you don't have to take anything off if you don't have to. And that's kind of the big thing. You know everybody when you see a massage, everybody's laying on the table getting rubbed down. So it's kind of a big misconception for sure.
Speaker 2:Very good, that's a big one. So, outside of massage work, what do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:Well, I actually live over in Southwest Virginia, so we usually go out on four-wheeler rides on my little farm that I have and hang out with the donkeys and the cows and the chickens and all that good stuff, and I love to read and things of that nature. I just love being outdoors though.
Speaker 2:Same here. Ditto, wish I had chickens. I don't have chickens, but I would love that. I love fresh eggs, so let's switch gears. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you overcame at some point and it made you stronger coming out the other side?
Speaker 3:Sure, I actually was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008 and the doctor actually laughed at me when I told him I was going back to school to be a massage therapist. I love him to death, but he just didn't think that I was able to do that because the strength test in my hands and stuff was not very good and he he was not. He was very concerned and I had to have a letter of recommendation before I went back to school. Um, so we, we went through all the testing and he said I'm going to write this letter for you and I'm going to let you go, but if you don't finish, you can't blame me. And I was like sure that's not a problem. So I went on through with it.
Speaker 3:It was very hard to just go through and my hands would get really tired and I would be exhausted by the end of the day, just given four massages at school. But I believe, with a lot of prayer and things of that nature, the Lord has healed me from that and I am fine. The last thing, that last big thing that happened to me was in 2013. My whole left side of my body went totally numb couldn't walk, couldn't, couldn't hardly do anything with my left arm. But I've overcame that and come out stronger. And now, you wouldn't even know it, most of my clients say my goodness, your hands are so strong, you know, but uh, but, uh, yeah, I have. That was definitely something that I've overcame and I'm I'm just grateful and thankful for that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well after 10 years, obviously it's, it's working well for you. So, yes, so if, uh, andrea, if there were, if there were one thing, if there was one thing you would want our listeners to remember about legendary massage, what would that be?
Speaker 3:the way that we can help you with your chronic pain and you be able to go out and do your daily activities the way you once did them.
Speaker 2:Very good, very good. Well, I certainly learned something today. There's no, you know, massage is a very general category and apparently you know there's a there's. There's different kinds of massages, so I appreciate you sharing that with us, especially for folks that are listening that may have chronic issues. Thank you for doing that.
Speaker 3:No problem.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, I know you're busy. You probably have some some backs to crack and that's more of a chiropractor, but but I really appreciate you taking the time to be on the show and explain to us what you do and how that's different from an average massage therapist. So we really appreciate that and wish you, your family and Legendary Massage all the best moving forward.
Speaker 3:Thank you very much. It was great to be here with you.
Speaker 2:Well, it was great to have you and hopefully we'll have you back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, anytime.
Speaker 1:All right, sounds good. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast To nominate. Thank you for listening to the good neighbor podcast to nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show. Go to GNP, try dash citiescom. That's GNP, try dash citiescom. Or call 423-719-5873. 873.