I had a massage about 4 weeks ago because I wanted to release a bit of tension in my shoulders.
I had a chat with her and she seemed to know what she was talking about, but the massage she did really hurt. I knew why she was using so much pressure as I needed my 'knots' to be released - but I didn't think anything else of it.
Since then, I've had severe back, neck and shoulder pain, with shooting pain down my arms, down my back around my breasts, and chest. My hands and feed have gone numb, on the verge of having pins and needles with it resulting in pins and needles at least twice - but the numbness is almost constant. I've been to see a chiropractor, had acupuncture, and a 'thumper' massage (which does sound like an Anne Summers toy) but it was good..!
I've changed my pillows (I used a memory foam one for a few nights), then bought a new neck support pillow, I've self massaged and taken pain killers, non of which worked. I cannot sleep well and I have two small boys who want to be picked up and need looking after. My husband is amazing at helping and really understanding - but I feel so down with it now. It's causing me headaches and I just feel crappy most of the time...
Could the therapist have made me worse, and should I tell her?
Does anyone have advice on what else I could do to try and ease the pain.
I've been given Naproxen and i'm having blood tests tomorrow to check for vitamin B12 deficiency - which could be the cause of the numbness - but i'm still stuck with an aching neck/shoulders/back...
I guess it depends on how soon after the massage you experienced the pain. If it was directly after then yes, you should mention it to the massage therapist, though ideally you should have done this within a day or two of having the massage. Not sure what will be achieved several weeks down the line.
Hopefully your doctor should be able to get your tests done and, as is the way of the great medicine men (or women) eliminate what it's not and try and narrow down what it could be. 😉
I had a massage about 4 weeks ago because I wanted to release a bit of tension in my shoulders.
I had a chat with her and she seemed to know what she was talking about, but the massage she did really hurt. I knew why she was using so much pressure as I needed my 'knots' to be released - but I didn't think anything else of it.Since then, I've had severe back, neck and shoulder pain, with shooting pain down my arms, down my back around my breasts, and chest. My hands and feed have gone numb, on the verge of having pins and needles with it resulting in pins and needles at least twice - but the numbness is almost constant. I've been to see a chiropractor, had acupuncture, and a 'thumper' massage (which does sound like an Anne Summers toy) but it was good..!
I've changed my pillows (I used a memory foam one for a few nights), then bought a new neck support pillow, I've self massaged and taken pain killers, non of which worked. I cannot sleep well and I have two small boys who want to be picked up and need looking after. My husband is amazing at helping and really understanding - but I feel so down with it now. It's causing me headaches and I just feel crappy most of the time...
Could the therapist have made me worse, and should I tell her?
Does anyone have advice on what else I could do to try and ease the pain.
I've been given Naproxen and i'm having blood tests tomorrow to check for vitamin B12 deficiency - which could be the cause of the numbness - but i'm still stuck with an aching neck/shoulders/back...
What can I say.... next time choose a therapist with good knowledge and who understand what he/she does
Answering your question - yes, therapist can make damage... and some massage therapies suppose to make a damage (small) to muscles..
1. Therapists didn’t assess your condition properly (shoulder area pain is one of the most complicated , there hundreds of different causes that make pain). Assessing correctly your pain the therapist will know what might be source of pain (joint, some internal organs (and he can assess this too), muscular tissue problems, neural tissue itself (therapist need to check is the pain produced by neural tissue or by muscles or bones, or nerves)
2. Therapist (at least I understand this from your post) did really painful massage and it wasn’t just 1 sec feeling. So, she didn’t adjust her techniques and didn’t check what tissue and what exactly happened
3. She didn’t checked your pain, because it spereads down your arms etc.... (what can be a sign other tissue might provide this pain or even nerve branches)
Etc.....
BUT: in some cases short term tightness and feeling that area was touched is ok ... but pain should spread ... and it usually last max around 48 hours...
With nodes also precautions have to be considered, not all nodes are trigger or tension points. Especially in neck, etc
In general, the therapist explained you all what she is going to do, you agreed for treatment and you continued your session. I think if it would be so bad then you could stop the session and interrupted the treatment.
In any way, more o less therapist with knowledge and level, will make it better and inform you about what to expect and answer your questions. Also, it happens sometimes that the patient still have pain, then this is absolutely normal to contact your therapist for free re-check and treatment.
The reality is that feedbacks or review are not a guarantee of ‘miracle’. And all people are different.
The more client involved in the treatment the better result. We’ll know that good and correct assessment gives us 75-80% of understanding and make treatment more efficient and precise ....
And all therapist are different. And the level of training is different. And the success of treatment is always a cooperation - client/patient and therapist needs to work together and close, this cannot be just “I have pain and therapist rub your skin and you go”, no, this is wrong approach.
So, I hope now you are better and not disappointed with massage therapy as a modality of treatment.