When I moved home to New Brunswick, my family quickly got a glimpse at how bad my back pain had become over the years. There were many things that I should have been able to do that I simply was not able to any longer. Many basic tasks left me keeled over in pain for hours or in bed with muscle relaxers that left me groggy and frustrated for days.
After complaining constantly and holding my back in pain whenever I was around her, my little sister mentioned to me that she went for therapeutic massages to help her with her aches and pains. She works in a dental office and sits for many hours a day which has led to her having pain from time to time as well. I have to admit that after trying just about everything else, I was skeptical that this would help any more than the bottles of muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories I'd taken. I'd been going to physiotherapy regularly as well which was helping, but I was craving more relief. I felt like I had nothing to lose. What I didn't know was that I had everything to gain.
When I arrived for my appointment I was asked to fill out some paperwork which basically asked me where it hurt and what I'd tried. I have several other aches, pains and injuries so I listed everything that came to mind. I was made aware of the risks and asked to sign my consent form.
I will warn you, the massage itself was not a relaxing try and stay in the present moment calming massage. It was a holy crap this hurts like hell and I'm not sure what the heck I'm doing here kind of massage. In that first session, he worked on my pectoral muscles, my back, the sides of my neck, my tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle and other hip muscles. There was more but I couldn't remember much after that massage. During the massage I was pretty sure I would never go back.
But then, I left feeling taller. Walking a little lighter. Able to move in ways I hadn't in years.
For the next two days or so I was TIRED and SORE!! I ended up getting some bruising in the areas that were the tightest before he worked on them. I did some research and to my delight found out that although I felt like I'd gotten the crap kicked out of me, this bruising was blood flow to the area which was reportedly a good thing. I made sure to listen to the post massage instructions and within a couple of days, I was feeling great! And I went back.
The second time around hurt just as much or worse. Did you know that you can get knots in your FACE??!! You can. And your abdomen. So he worked more knots out and then something magical happened. I was able to walk upright again. I didn't even realize that I'd been hunched over with my tight quads and my tight pectorals. Who knew how much back pain tight muscles and knots in the front body could cause?
So what are knots? Knots are made up of tense muscle fibers or fascial tissue. This extra cranky muscle tissue is known as a myofascial trigger point. For a great deal of us, they are found in the back, shoulders, and neck. Some of this has to do with how often we are sitting and on our devices. The knot can cause alot of pain, either while in neutral or when pressed on. For those of us who's tightness or injuries are left unattended for so long, it can cause injury to other parts of the body from extra weight and strain being shifted to that area. For example, my back pain turned into back and neck pain which then started to spread down my left arm (shoulder, elbow and wrist). Even my fingers hurt at times. There was additional strain on these areas from the type of physical activity I was doing but the untreated areas worked their magic as well. I needed a solution to stop the spiral as the pain affects me in most areas of my life.
Although the exact causes of knots are difficult to pinpoint, some of the likely culprits are overuse of the muscle (such as heavy lifting or repetitive use), psychological stress, poor posture, fatigue, food intolerance, poor eating habits or join problems (to name a few).
After both massages the therapist made sure that I was aware that I would never be 100% again as I have hit just about all of the causes and have ongoing aggravating factors. It would take many sessions for me to "be back up and running", he said "not literally". In spite of the fact that I still get a great deal of pain, it is way better than it was. This is a complimentary therapy that I will keep going back for as it has not only helped me stand for longer periods of time but it has literally helped me to stand tall and walk again! I realized once I could actually stand up straight that I hadn't in at least a couple of years.
If you do choose to treat yourself to a therapeutic massage, here are some of the things that you want to be sure to do afterwards. You may be sore and these will help keep that soreness at bay.
Rest! My massage therapist made sure to tell me that I was going to have range of motion that I hadn't had in quite some time. What this meant for me was that there were going to be muscles that were going to work that were not accustomed to doing so. Even though I wanted to try out my new range of motion on my yoga practice, he cautioned against it. I was grateful, as the next day I felt very tired and sore as it was.
Hydrate!! The extra fluid helps to flush out toxins and build new cells.
Bath with epsom salts. Magnesium in the salts eases swelling and aches. Hubby accidentally got mine with eucalyptus last time I asked him to pick them up and I was delighted at the extra aromatherapy benefit.
Disclaimer: Know that just because this was my experience, it does not mean that it will be yours. Do your research to find a reputable massage therapist in your area and ask your doctor whether this type of treatment is right for you. Do your research, know the risks and proceed only when informed and comfortable doing so.
Until next time dear friends, I hope you are staying safe & healthy and finding serenity!
xo Kat
Reference: Canadian Chiropractic website, https://www.chiropractic.ca/blog/muscle-knots. Accessed at 8 pm EST on 23 November 2020.
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