posted
I am about to begin massage therapy to help my lyme. I have alot of trigger points in my neck, shoulders, biceps, and back. I will work on them at home and see a therapist.
Has anyone here had this problem? What did you do and how did you feel...
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Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
Hi,
Yes, I had a lot of mucsle pain and painful trigger points. I saw a massage therapist prior to abx treatment, and it did help somewhat. I also used a foam spine roller which helped.
Although both massage therapy and spine roller helps, lyme and co-infection treatment helped me the most.
Posts: 6641 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
In my case, a massage every couple of weeks seems to result in me feeling generally better. It does help muscle spasm and trigger points. Also, since the limbs are worked towards the heart, it may have some lymphatic drainage effect, as well. Being taken care of without having any responsibility is also nice. Enjoy but don't expect miracles.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
I've been getting therapeutic massage, as well as lymph drain massage, and they have both been very helpful. I would particularly recommend the lymph drain massage (which is a very different kind of massage - be sure you find someone who has special training to find you lymph "pulse"). I don't think you should have them very often, as it can be very powerful in releasing sluggish lymph. You feel pretty wiped out, and sometimes awful afterward, but it feels great to get things moving again! Good luck!
Posts: 393 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
massage is great for you. although no cure.
but it is great to move toxins out of the body.
one thing to be sure to do, is after your massage, is to drink a good amount of water to flush your system out.
every single point on my body hurts, insainly hurts.... it sends me through the roof to get touched at all....but I try to suffer through massage because it is good for you.
also you can get a couple of those tennis balls, i lay on one or two of those and try to work out some of the areas myself. be gentle though, when you get on a tender point....ouch!
Posts: 151 | From ohio | Registered: May 2007
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
Massage is great for you although ensure they start off with gentle massage. Also Lymphatic Drainage massage may be better as a starting point to eliminate and move the toxins, Remember to drink plenty of water after massage and ensure the therapist only uses a basic oil/cream and not aromatherapy oils/creams as this may overload your system - You may feel a little worse the day after as you have moved the toxins.
We use this to keep the body in gentle motion, including lymphatic drainage. Normally, it is called a Chi massager or Chi machine. If we find the time, we use it at least once a day for 10 minutes. It feels great.
Take care.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
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I got sick right after I was enrolled in a massage program to become a certified massage therapist and bodyworker. It was a long road to recovery and although I had to put off school for a semester I made it through the program and now practice.
The suggestion regarding a few lymphatic drainage sessions before massage is a great one. I was still on intense antibiotic tX when I started school...the first five minute practice session I had on just the back of my legs produced double vision for five minutes for me...
Now keep in mind I had extreme neurological symptoms before treatment and during...
Each time we worked I had less double vision. The double vision issues and feeling horrible following massage only lasted for the first three sessions....then I got better and better.
I really attribute my well being these days on the healing power of massage. It is powerful stuff especially if you get a practitioner who practices with intention.
Keep in mind that massage can actually temporarily shut down the lymphatic system. It can cause the lymph ducts to go into a temporary spasm for a little while following the massage. Personally, though I think that the circulation benefits far outweigh this temporary shut down.
I would find a good Lymphatic Therapist in your area. I strongly urge you to find one that is Vodder trained. I would get a few sessions for lymph drainage then schedule massage from there on out.
Also in addition to drinking a lot of water before and after the massage for a couple of days, I also recommend a warm bath in a cup of epsom salts or sea salt the evening after your massage.
I would recommend aromatherapy massage with essential oils if you are seeing an experienced practitioner with a specialty in essential oils. While they are very potent they could help once you have had a few massages.
Take care and keep us posted on your progress. I wish you well!!!!!
-------------------- �Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.� - Ezre Taft Benson Posts: 655 | From NC, Exit 88 on the Deer SuperHighway | Registered: Dec 2004
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Byron,
I worked with a physical therapist who did myofascial trigger point release. I had great success with it, but not until I started Flexeril, a muscle relaxer.
My muscles were so tight and inflamed, I needed the medicine in order to have any benefit from the muscle work. Without the Flexeril, my muscles would swell from any muscle work and I'd be in worse shape.
My muscles were in really, really bad shape though. I recently started Bentyl to stop spasms in my GI system. I think it is also helping to relax my muscles. But I'm not certain.
When you do massage, make sure you drink plenty of water to help detox. Massage will let lots of toxins out in your system. You also may want to start slow.
And I find heat afterwards helps. A hot tub is really a great way to get heat to all the muscles. But if that's not possible, then ask the therapist if they can apply heat, or go home and take a hot shower followed by heating pads where most of the work was done.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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cootiegirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3216
posted
I have started massage as well. For me during the massage I get a headache . It's a familiar headache to me and one that I have learned signals that whatever I'm doing is irritating the ketes. So actually it's a good headache..I discussed this with my llmd and his take is that certain activities like massage will rile up the bacteria and send it, in this case, out of the muscles. I'm currently taking mino at a fairly high dose so he believes that the massage may be chasing the bacteria out and the mino will blast it.....sounds good to me....
May the Lyme Force be with you!!! cootiegirl
Posts: 1728 | From New York State | Registered: Oct 2002
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ByronSBell 2007
Unregistered
posted
I have been doing alot of neck and shoulder massage latley and has noticed herxes are a little more powerful
My PT and Lyme doc. mentioned that as well... it is forcing toxins and bacteria in the muscles out and alot of it ends up in the blood stream. So it is a good thing just doesn't feel good
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