Massage discovery

[Sophabulous]

Hi all! I just wanted to share a weird little nugget I learnt this evening. I've got to the point with my back where I needed some help as it was getting so painful. Some of you might remember I had an MRI last month to check for arthritis in my spine as I've always had lower back pain. Now the muscles between my shoulders feel so tense and locked I decided enough was enough and went for a deep tissue massage. (Ouch!!!)

It did seem to help me go pain free for a few days but then it came back with a vengeance so I've booked in for a course of 6. *Spoiler alert* turns out I'm very crooked and tight and generally messed up for someone my age ha ha!

Went for the second one tonight and it was a different lady to last time and she immediately picked up on what she called sciatica (as did the First Lady) and asked about my digestion. I kept quiet and she decided to feel a spot on my tummy just under the ribs on the right hand side, level with my belly button which made me yelp! Turns out it was really tight and sore and apparently an extension of the muscle in my back that was also in bad shape?

The weird thing is, I was on the verge of calling my IBD nurse as I've been having sometimes dull aches and sometimes sharp pains in that exact spot. It doesn't feel muscular so I thought it must be 100% Crohn's related. How weird is that! I have heard before that the spine and digestive tract are often affected by issues at the same time, but didn't pay much attention.

It's actually pretty creepy how much they could tell about me from my first visit and where my sore spots were. I didn't tell them anything but my first name when I booked and yet they were absolutely spot on with my job, lifestyle, and even little quirks. It's like my body was a map! Very cool.

After this happened the lady commented about my stomach being a bit distended and I told her about the Crohn's but she didn't know what it was. The women that run the place are all Thai and I don't think it's such a well known or common thing in that part of the world? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, I've rambled. I just thought this info might help someone in a similar situation as it blew my brains a little! And the spot in question is very sore now but like a 'nice' released pain if that makes sense? If you're suffering with joint or muscle pain I would highly recommend deep tissue massage. I've learned a lot about myself and how much I overcompensate, even bits of me that aren't painful are so tight and blocked up. Don't be put off if you scream all the way through the first one, the second is much easier ;-)

 

[Sorebutt26]

Hi all! I just wanted to share a weird little nugget I learnt this evening. I've got to the point with my back where I needed some help as it was getting so painful. Some of you might remember I had an MRI last month to check for arthritis in my spine as I've always had lower back pain. Now the muscles between my shoulders feel so tense and locked I decided enough was enough and went for a deep tissue massage. (Ouch!!!)

It did seem to help me go pain free for a few days but then it came back with a vengeance so I've booked in for a course of 6. *Spoiler alert* turns out I'm very crooked and tight and generally messed up for someone my age ha ha!

Went for the second one tonight and it was a different lady to last time and she immediately picked up on what she called sciatica (as did the First Lady) and asked about my digestion. I kept quiet and she decided to feel a spot on my tummy just under the ribs on the right hand side, level with my belly button which made me yelp! Turns out it was really tight and sore and apparently an extension of the muscle in my back that was also in bad shape?

The weird thing is, I was on the verge of calling my IBD nurse as I've been having sometimes dull aches and sometimes sharp pains in that exact spot. It doesn't feel muscular so I thought it must be 100% Crohn's related. How weird is that! I have heard before that the spine and digestive tract are often affected by issues at the same time, but didn't pay much attention.

It's actually pretty creepy how much they could tell about me from my first visit and where my sore spots were. I didn't tell them anything but my first name when I booked and yet they were absolutely spot on with my job, lifestyle, and even little quirks. It's like my body was a map! Very cool.

After this happened the lady commented about my stomach being a bit distended and I told her about the Crohn's but she didn't know what it was. The women that run the place are all Thai and I don't think it's such a well known or common thing in that part of the world? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, I've rambled. I just thought this info might help someone in a similar situation as it blew my brains a little! And the spot in question is very sore now but like a 'nice' released pain if that makes sense? If you're suffering with joint or muscle pain I would highly recommend deep tissue massage. I've learned a lot about myself and how much I overcompensate, even bits of me that aren't painful are so tight and blocked up. Don't be put off if you scream all the way through the first one, the second is much easier ;-)

Have you ever had reflexology? Now that is pretty scary how much they can tell from that too. I went last year and like you, only gave my name and she could tell everything about me! Even down to the fact I'd come on my period (sorry if tmi) the day before! She could feel the curve in my spine, she could feel bowel troubles and more! It was amazing. I'm going to re-book after my operation this week xxx

 

[ronroush7]

Thanks. That is interesting.

 

[Sophabulous]

Have you ever had reflexology? Now that is pretty scary how much they can tell from that too. I went last year and like you, only gave my name and she could tell everything about me! Even down to the fact I'd come on my period (sorry if tmi) the day before! She could feel the curve in my spine, she could feel bowl troubles and more! It was amazing. I'm going to re-book after my operation this week xxx

Hi Sorebutt (great name btw!)

I haven't but a friend of mine did and it was spookily accurate. Again, I took it with a pinch of salt as the lady who did it for her was an acquaintance who could have heard snippets about her health etc. Nice to hear you had a similar experience but with no grey area.

That is totally amazing, I will have to give it a try

 

[Sophabulous]

Thanks. That is interesting.

It was interesting but a bit unsettling! I'll see how the next few days go

 

[Sophabulous]

Have you ever had reflexology? Now that is pretty scary how much they can tell from that too. I went last year and like you, only gave my name and she could tell everything about me! Even down to the fact I'd come on my period (sorry if tmi) the day before! She could feel the curve in my spine, she could feel bowl troubles and more! It was amazing. I'm going to re-book after my operation this week xxx

And best of luck with your op!

 

[Sorebutt26]

Thanks Sophabulous

Yes - you should try it. I was amazed. Can't wait to go again. I may try a deep tissue massage too.
X

 

[Sophabulous]

Thanks Sophabulous

Yes - you should try it. I was amazed. Can't wait to go again. I may try a deep tissue massage too.
X

Take painkillers beforehand lol. The massages I've had so far they have paid quite a lot of attention to my feet. They are freezing cold (guilty as charged), with very poor circulation. This is caused by a block in my calves which originates from a lower back problem! After 20 minutes on the table my foot was sweating and I could actually feel one was different from the other which hadn't been done yet. It was kind of warm and tingly, but I could feel it in every layer of the tissue. She asked me if I get cramp in my feet which I do big time.

Well worth the 5 minutes of gritted teeth, swearing and biting my arm hahaha!

 

[Sorebutt26]

Take painkillers beforehand lol. The massages I've had so far they have paid quite a lot of attention to my feet. They are freezing cold (guilty as charged), with very poor circulation. This is caused by a block in my calves which originates from a lower back problem! After 20 minutes on the table my foot was sweating and I could actually feel one was different from the other which hadn't been done yet. It was kind of warm and tingly, but I could feel it in every layer of the tissue. She asked me if I get cramp in my feet which I do big time.

Well worth the 5 minutes of gritted teeth, swearing and biting my arm hahaha!

I'll definitely take pain killers before. Even just a normal back, neck and shoulder massage, I normally want to punch them by the time they've finished with my shoulders haha x

 

[Dmarks70]

Take painkillers beforehand lol. The massages I've had so far they have paid quite a lot of attention to my feet. They are freezing cold (guilty as charged), with very poor circulation. This is caused by a block in my calves which originates from a lower back problem! After 20 minutes on the table my foot was sweating and I could actually feel one was different from the other which hadn't been done yet. It was kind of warm and tingly, but I could feel it in every layer of the tissue. She asked me if I get cramp in my feet which I do big time.

Well worth the 5 minutes of gritted teeth, swearing and biting my arm hahaha!

Where did you go for your massage as I am quite near you....I went to a chiropractor a few weeks back and it caused me to have such a bad migraine it's taken about 2 weeks to recover! I don't think I'll go back! I might also try reflexology!

 

[Sophabulous]

I went to a place called Phet Ploy in Sandbach, traditional Thai massage. If you sign up for 6 you get one free so that's nice!

The ladies are lovely too!

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

You are correct that IBD isn't well known in most Asian countries. I have an American friend who lives in Japan, and he thinks he might have IBD. His doctors were completely unfamiliar with IBD, so they told him it's probably just his appendix. They removed his appendix and told him he should be fine now (he said he's doing a bit better than he was, but he's definitely not fine). IBD seems to be a mostly Western disease, for whatever reason (diet? environmental? genetic?). My friend lives in Tokyo, so it's not like he's seeing small-town doctors or anything like that. He's right in the heart of the biggest city in the world, but even so, his doctors are clueless about IBD.

I've had regular massages but not deep tissue. I haven't noticed any improvement for me getting regular massages - if anything, I think they make me feel worse. I feel weird having someone's hands all over me, so I tend to tense up rather than relax. And then afterwards, I feel like I was beaten up, I feel all sore and tender. It's not very pleasant for me so I haven't had a massage in awhile. Although my massage therapist also picked up on all sorts of things wrong with me - my spine apparently curves one way and then the other, and my neck is all sorts of messed up too. So I probably do need something to help with those issues, but I'm not sure if massage is for me.