Brief back story: I'm much improved with (ongoing) treatment, currently on Tindamax, mino, and zith.
This morning I was feeling particularly well, with good energy, clarity, and low pain.
I had some deep tissue massage therapy, and initially I felt even better. But within an hour I started to feel off, and now a few hours later I feel pretty bad.
I had to leave work and had trouble walking to my vehicle, and my arms felt almost too weak to hold the steering wheel.
This is still better than how I often used to feel, but it's an obvious and sudden downturn.
Is this my imagination, or can I blame the deep tissue work for suddenly feeling so much worse? If so, is my current pain possibly productive?
Advice or experiences appreciated!
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
This is due to toxins moving around in your body. This is the exact same thing that happened to me after my first lymph drainage massage. After the first one I had no problems with them after that. Now would be a perfect time to do a detox bath.
There's detox bath recipes on the forum here if you do a search for it. The one I do is made with grated ginger put in cheese cloth, or a tea ball, epsom salt and hydrogen peroxide. It will do wonders for you and now would be a perfect time to do it.
What you are experiencing is normal and quite common.
Gary
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Yes, as Gary said, it is a common response.
Drinks lots of water to flush out the toxins.
Terry
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
This happens to me whenever I have any kind of body work and even energy work like reiki. Because of that I only use lighter modalities, now (like cranial sacral or Emotional Freedom Technique). And, those still get me.
I'm still trying to find a way to "time" those treatments best to support my treatment.
Thanks for the bath idea, Gary, I may try that tonight.
Posted by lightparfait (Member # 22022) on :
Start taking a binder...like chlorella before your massage. It grabs the toxins and escorts them out of the body.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
My massage therapist told me that it was in her reference book that people with Lyme should not get deep tissue massage. I've heard it on the board, too.
Other massages are great for Lymie and Buhner even says in Healing Lyme that they are a necessity not a luxury.
Yes, you can feel horrible after a massage. Drink lots of water and plan on resting on massage days.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- The LMT should have told you to drink a huge glass of water right after the massage and lots more water for the next 24 hours.
Next time, this will help. I used to get weekly massages and have had to go totally without for a full year now. Clearly, the massages were helping. I felt so much better then. So, I hope you can keep up some sort of schedule. It's really important for dozens of reasons.
I think everyone, everywhere, should have access to twice weekly massage, at best. --------------
Bob Hope attributed his longevity (he lived to be over 100) to his daily massage -
Posted by Kerryblue (Member # 4077) on :
Hi, I like the deep tissue, even though hurts some like H--ll. Then I know if get sick on way home or even their, they broke up toxicity, which makes me feel great in my head knowing they did what they we supposed to do. So not bad thing as others mentioned. Good Luck I never heard of what you have taken to feel better? What is it? Thank You Hugggggggssssss,Kerry to all in need
Posted by Wonko (Member # 18318) on :
Thanks all for the replies.
I think I read about this (probably here) happening, but I was in a state of disbelief. I'm glad that it's not that strange.
I did take a salt bath and drank lots of water. I'm feeling better this morning, but still reeling from the effects.
The deep tissue work is part of chiropractic treatment that is helping me a great deal. While part of me wishes I began sooner, part of me also feels like now, well into recovery, is a good time to incorporate this into my recovery.
I have been going about twice a week. Yesterday was not the first deep tissue massage, but different areas were addressed, perhaps that's why it was the first time I had this Herx-like reaction.
Kerryblue, I'm not sure about which medication you are asking. All of my treatment has been in the form of oral antibiotics, nothing exotic. I pulse and change my regimen according to my LLMD's instructions.
Thanks again.
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
I get a weekly massage and it helps a lot. I would go more often if I could afford it.
I also have a theory that deep tissue massage improves your circulation, and more antibiotic reaches the Lyme in those areas, causing a bit of a herx. The same thing could explain people who herx after exercise.
So if it is killing more bugs, or releasing toxins so that they can be removed by detox, then it's a good thing even if it makes you feel worse at first.
I'm sure it's different for each person, though.
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Light your "theory" is a fact.
The pressure on the muscle pushes blood out. When the pressure is released or lessened more blood rushes in then, increasing the fiow.
So more oxygen + nutrients in, more toxins out.
My opinion is from eperience - graduated from a great massage school in MA 1986 Posted by pj1954 (Member # 11722) on :
yes it can cause a herx but it gets better after each massage.
my llmd also believes its good to get a massage right before having a western blot test.
he thinks it increases your chances of a positive result on the test, as it moves the bugs out of a lot of their favorite hiding places, thus increasing your odds of bb showing up on the test
Posted by springshowers (Member # 19863) on :
Gosh yes. herx. and toxins released. I used to not even be able to have a tiny chiro adjustment or even PT that was the most gentle they could do without herxing badly. My PTS gave up on me because they felt they were doing it as gentle as they could and barely were moving things or touching me.
I think I could approach that again now but would expect some release again.
It makes you think about how our bodies are holding onto that stuff...
Posted by Faith6 (Member # 14072) on :
After 10 years of weekly massages I usually do pretty well. At times it has been very rough though.
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