There are a few possibilities. Sometimes some clients do have soreness or tenderness or even feel bruised following a session but usually not until some time later. Drinking lots of water can help flush out the metabolic wastes that are “released” by massage. But I don’t think that was your complaint.

You have muscles that attach to your spine on the BACK side of your body and also on the FRONT side. The front muscles are accessed through the abdomen and at the top of the thigh. If the therapist only worked on the back muscles and did not also release or relax or treat the front muscles (iliopsoas) then possibly it created a little muscle instability–the back muscles were relaxed but not the front of the back. I’ve seen this before. It is possible that the tight short muscles in the front of your body led up to your discotomy. If they were never treated prior or since, they may have been waiting for the opportunity to cause pain again.

Sometimes massage therapists work do “spot” work, treating symptom areas or (hopefully) areas that cause symptoms. Sometimes we do a more general massage. It all depends on what is going on with the client and the skill and training of the therapist.

I might contact the spa again and offer this explanation for the possible cause of your pain if it seems correct to you. The spa, in turn, may offer to have you return and work on your iliopsoas muscles at no cost (assuming the therapist knows how to do this release). I would suggest that to them.

There is also the possibility it could have been a random event following the massage (I’ve seen that, too.)

I hope this helps. Oh, in the future, please pay rapt attention to the pressure of your massage and feel free to direct the massage therapist. You know your body best and how it responds.

Best,

Kathryn

Thank you for your comments. Yes, better late than never. I also enjoy “hanging out.” It helps make space in the joints.

Best to you,

Kathryn

I had a massage February 12 2010 (only second massage in my life) When I left I felt pretty good, however by the next day I could not move. I waited a few days to see if the pain (low back pain) would subside and when it didn’t I decided to make an appointment with my family doctor Feb 19, the result of which was pain and anti-inflammatory drugs and phsyiotherapy. I contacted the SPA (therapist was registered) to complain and they insist because I felt alright when I left it’s not their problem.

What are your thoughts ?

I think Therapist was over zealous with the kneading elbows, considering I brought to her attention a L4-L5 discotomy in 2002.

We have a lot of work to do teach, educating and guiding people to a healthier natural drug free approach to health.

May you Always have Health to Spare, Friends that Care and Love to Share.

Dr. Carlos M. Gonzalez

There are many ways to apply heat or cold so the application depends on what you are using. You can use water itself as described in the article. You can use ice directly–but constantly moving it so it is not always on the same spot–on the skin. That is called “ice massage.”

In the end, you want the cold or heat to be cold enough or warm enough to make a difference and to be therapeutic. You do NOT want to injure your skin or circulation in the area with too much heat or cold. I have seen backs with permanent color changes–quite like scarring–from too much application of too much heat.

Or you can use cold or hot gel packs or rice packs that can go into the microwave or freezer. I always recommend using the cover or a thin towel, too, between your skin and a hot or cold container. I will admit that sometimes I do not feel sufficient cold with the cover that came with one of my ice packs so I use a thinner lightweight woven towel instead.

Kathryn

With the weakness, it sounds like muscles in your neck may be involved (because they can press on nerves). You can listen to a 1/2 hour episode about the muscle in your neck that causes carpal tunnel pain and knots in your back, too, at http://CarpalTunnelRadio.com Scroll down and you will find this as a “Featured Episode.” (green header) Another possibility because you mentioned weakness would be a partial rotator cuff muscle tear. A partial tear can heal itself if you take the pressure off the muscle. (Please remember I’m not a doctor, I’m a muscle therapist, and this is a long-distance “guess.”)

If it is a “stability issue” the question is: Why? As a fit, strong woman, it seems likely that you use ALL of your muscles and that is as it should be. Instability would indicate that you are using some muscles more than others.

Since this started, more and more of your muscles have joined in to cause pain. Why? Because they are all attached and when one is in spasm it will pull on others. It’s a domino effect.

Physical Therapy will work best AFTER the spasm(s) is released. Here’s where I think the problem started: There are muscles called teres in your armpit. There is a muscle called subscapularis which is sandwiched between your shoulder blade and your ribs. A skilled massage therapist can release these muscles.

Please check out the Massage Category here at Simple Pain Relief. Just scroll down on the right hand side to the Categories. There are several articles including how to find a massage therapist who can help you.

Another suggestion would be to buy the blue trigger point book (find it in the right hand side, also.) It is a great self-help book which explains very well where to press to relieve pain…yourself.

One more thought: It could be the muscles in front on your chest. The scapula has some attachments in the front toward your arm, above your collar bone, that are reachable. The pec muscles also can pull on the back. Your problem may have started in the front–those muscles usually don’t complain; they just cause pain elsewhere.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions about this and how you are doing with this pain around your shoulder.

Best,
Kathryn

I am a 40 yo female, and I practic martial arts. A couple of months ago, I started gettin a chronic pain along the backside of my shoulder, in my armpit, and along the tricep. I ignored it thinking it would go away, but eventually I began to notice that my arm was feeling weak. It would tire easy when I was holding something up, and the muscles were weak and the pain along the armpit increased. Then, about a month ago, a muscle under my scapula seemed to spasm, and ever since then I have had chronic shoulder pain. Not just in those areas, but all over, often moving from the tricep, to under the shoulder blade, and sometimes along my bicep, and even my forearm. I have rested, taken motrin and mucsle relaxers, and everytime I think it is improved and I try to train (even a little), it immediately gets inflamed and painful. I also have chronic pain up the right side of my neck, and sometimes under the clavical on the front and along the front of my neck. The PT has said it is essentially a stability issue, and because my shoulder joint is a little loose, the capsule is inflamed and referring pain to all the muscles nearby. The scapula area hurts when I raise my hand up and then back. I have been trying to strenghen it, but I have to be careful how much i do because it gets so easily inflamed, and then spasms. Thank you for any suggestions you might have!

Thanks!!