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Massage Anyone ?

On a bizzy trip to Shanghai a while back a colleague and I went for a massage (nothing dodgy a full body fully clothed). Mt mate enjoyed it however I thought it was pretty painful. Do you think this is something to do with the MC and the muscle spasming and not relaxing fully ?

Anyone else tried one with different outcome ?

Cheer

Kev

Type of Myotonia: Beckers

Country: England

Re: Massage Anyone ?

Wish I could give you a good scientific answer, but I always feel miserable after a massage. I can tolerate trigger point therapy with gentle acupressure, but acupuncture makes me throb wherever they insert the needles and the muscles ache.

I tried a TENS unit one time for pain and thought I was being electrocuded :-) Our muscles just seem to be way too sensitive to the therapies that often help others deal with pain. Part of the reason is that those therapies are based on "wearing out" the muscle and getting it to give up the spasms. Ours don't ever seem to give up!

Jan

Type of Myotonia: Thomsen's MC

Country: US

Re: Massage Anyone ?

I agree with Jan - I love the idea and sensation of massage, but it really makes my muscles hyper-sensitive and tender. When I had my hand surgeries and all the courses of hand therapy, they would all begin with heat (which did feel nice), then massage, ultrasound therapy, and all the rest of the most current modalities. When everything seemed to be making it worse, they tried the TENS unit, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Like Jan, I felt as if my arms were being electrocuted, and an intense internal vibration like a sub-sonic buzzing or hissing - it was AWFUL!

Anyway, I know that for myself, I have never in my entire life been able to "go limp" and totally relax - my muscles are ALWAYS active, except, I suspect, when I am under anesthesia. They fought against any and all braces that were used for my hands/arms, and against the braces and wraps that were used when I had a knee injury and surgery... my foot muscles fight against shoes. My muscles are never, ever 'quiet'.

So I think that massage just incites my muscles to fight against the pressure of the masseur, and then, when they are excited by the stimulation, they just fire all the more. I also think that I have had SO many micro-tears and other muscle stressors that the pressure of massage is like bringing out pain that I have long repressed or ignored.

Well, that's my take on it, just from my personal vantage point. Oh - and I also was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which I believe can be triggered by injuries, stressors and over-firing of muscles and nerves. (IMO) lois

Type of Myotonia: Myotonia Congenita, Becker's type

Country: USA

Re: Massage Anyone ?

Hi Lois,

I came across your post doing a search for "vibration". I think you and I are experiencing the same symptoms & effects, and you described them so well. I was also interested in the fibromyalgia aspect, cause I think it's a factor with me as well.

Like you, the massage I thought would be so great turned into a week of muscle pain.

I'm wondering about your response to various degrees of vibration? When I mow the lawn with my riding mower, I can usually hardly walk when I get off it, and am sore for about an hour afterwards.

Same kind of thing when using a gas-powered weed trimmer - only more intense because of the higher-frequency vibrations. I shake afterwards, and my hands and arms have a sensation almost like an internal itch.

The other day I used a palm sander for couple of minutes and it was like your TENS experience - I couldn't handle the sensation in my hands. Like you said, almost like getting shocked or electrocuted.

I'm going to get the fibromyalgia concerns checked out.

Please share any info you think might be helpful.

Thanks
Gord

Type of Myotonia: Thomsens

Country: Canada

Re: Massage Anyone ?

Gord,

There is a condition called vibration syndrome that is well documented in people who are exposed to vibration frequently in their jobs. Because of our condition we probably see and feel the symptoms with a much lower level of exposure, especially if it also involves electrical stimulation like a TENS unit which changes electrolyte balances in the cells.

Here's an excerpt from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety:
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/vibration/vibration_effects.html

Jan



What are the health effects of whole-body vibration?

Whole-body vibration can cause fatigue, insomnia, stomach problems, headache and "shakiness" shortly after or during exposure. The symptoms are similar to those that many people experience after a long car or boat trip.

After daily exposure over a number of years, whole-body vibration can affect the entire body and result in a number of health disorders. Sea, air or land vehicles cause motion sickness when the vibration exposure occurs in the 0.1 to 0.6 Hz frequency range. Studies of bus and truck drivers found that occupational exposure to whole-body vibration could have contributed to a number of circulatory, bowel, respiratory, muscular and back disorders. The combined effects of body posture, postural fatigue, dietary habits and whole-body vibration are the possible causes for these disorders.

Studies show that whole-body vibration can increase heart rate, oxygen uptake and respiratory rate, and can produce changes in blood and urine. East European researchers have noted that exposure to whole-body vibration can produce an overall ill feeling which they call "vibration sickness."

Many studies have reported decreased performance in workers exposed to whole-body vibration.

Type of Myotonia: Thomsen's

Country: USA

Re: Massage Anyone ?

Sorry for the late reply. I do not have a problem with massages and do regularly go for sessions. I find that it helps me to relax a lot and always feel better after a massage. Well different strokes for different people.

Type of Myotonia: Thomsens

Country: Malaysia

Re: Massage Anyone ?

I Love massages, I have only had 3 of them but the woman I went to was very understanding and looked up the info on mytonia before I went so she did a great job. I really do like the heated towels at the end.
Suzi

Type of Myotonia: unknown

Country: usa

Re: Massage Anyone ?

Kev:

I've never had a massage, but a few months ago on a cold night after getting to the top of three flights of stairs as well as one can in dress shoes, I had a rogue bout of myotonia in one of my legs, and for some reason I decided rubbing it would help.

WRONG!

Talk about ion-imbalance, I suddenly felt a horrible burning sensation and locked up tighter. Thankfully the muscles released 30 second later and all was well again.

A lot of us have at least some degree of percussion myotonia. Also, I speculate anything that can cause muscle damage can induce myotonia in some of us.

Type of Myotonia: Becker Myotonia