odd reaction to deep bodywork

[MommyTrujillo]

hi all - i am a fairly frequent customer - once a month, sometimes twice. i tend to carry all my stress in my shoulders, and also have some spine curvature that causes neck tension. i like all forms of massage, but sometimes i just feel the need to have the sh*t squeezed out of my muscles - and clear that bad stuff out.

however, a few times i've had this weird reaction during, and lingering after the massage - after deep work on my knotty shoulders - my hands become tingly and numb and they kind of contract into a "claw" or almost, like palsied hand - also, my face goes numb and I can feel my face tensing around the mouth and i find it difficult to speak. sometimes my whole body temperature will raise drastically and i will sweat, not usually a sweaty person. the effect will linger for a while after the massage, usually i make a fist, and shake my hands off, but the facial numbness is truly weird.

I always want to ask my therapist about it, but am sort of weirded out by it/embarrassed.

what does it mean? is that just my body's reaction to pushing out deep toxins or?

thanks for reading!

 

[bhschoolu2]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

As someone who suffers from scoliosis myself, I would say that the numbness in the arms and hands could very well be caused by a nerve or nerves being compressed in your neck and/or shoulders.

We do have a couple dual trained members of the board (Massage Therapist and Chiropractors).
And they may be able to answer your question more effectively.

As for the temps & sweat, I am not sure what exactly would cause that... other than it perhaps stirring up a latent virus in your body and your body being overwhelmed with the massage and the amount of toxins it is trying to deal with in your body. (Personally I would probably take an epsom salt soak before the massage and hope that it would help both relax the muscles and detoxify me a little bit.)

HTH!

 

[jacs]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

Don't be embarassed. PLEASE tell your therapist so they know how your body has been reacting. Stuff like that tells us a LOT about what is/isn't working for your body, and sometimes we really need to know such things so we don't accidentally aggravate/create a problem.

Now go call your therapist!

 

[dlyle76]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

Stone_Shoulders,

I have to say your question worries me! It is not a good sign that you are feel numbness, partial or full paralysis, or lose the ability to speak! This would definitely make me suggest that you see your General Practioner and ask some questions. It could the sign of a serious problem, and either way if you cannot feel the sensation of your massage it can be dangerous. I don't believe your therapist is acting responsible, if they are working on you so hard that your arms and face tingle and you can't move them (and you are not helping if you haven't spoken up!).
I don't want to scare you by any means, I just think you should become informed as to why your body is reacting this way. I do not think this is a normal response to "flushing toxins" out of the muscles.

Perhaps you should try massage more often, but with less pressure. That way your body can receive tension relief without any possible muscular or nerve damage.

But again, please see your dr and ask him these questions!

 

[Disasturr. <3]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

thanks for the replies all - much appreciated.

overall i'm not that concerned about the numbness, as it usually fades by the time i've dressed and leave, and it's only happened 3 times out of many massages.... i just don't understand it. if it's a pinched nerve, why would i have the lobster clawish response in the hands (both) and the tingling and like, lip pursing in the face -which makes it difficult, but not impossible to speak while the sensation is going on.

what 'nerve' would encompass all that? and it's never happened as a result to direct neck manipulation, just knotty muscles of the shoulder.

anyway, thanks for the thoughts and opinions!

 

[Shorty]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

While it's entirely possible that this is nerve related, I've been through a similar experience following other modalities such as re-birthing - in which you are going through a process of very deep breathing. Whether its also connected to emotional release or not I'm not sure, but I do know people who've experienced a similar reaction when they've gone through panic/anxiety attacks as well.

 

[Melony]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

Stone Shoulders,

Here is some info about nerves, check it out, and see if the areas you were worked on relate to any specific nerves. This could help you figure out why you are feeling the numbness and tingling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatome_(anatomy) And please tell your therapist about this the next time you see them!

 

[Little One]

odd reaction to deep bodywork

your symptoms are from over pressing.

you can get away with over pressing most of the time, but not all the time. there are moments it will further aggravate the underlying pattern leaving you worse off for it, at least temporarily.

i've heard it many times over the years, deep muscle therapy made them worse. they don't hold it against the therapist, they know they put their heart and soul into it.

they mistakenly deem their condition more serious and consult with an orthopedist.

check the principles set forth in advanced muscle reconditioning.