a community of practitioners

A common occorance

I had a client the other day that has been seeing a physical therapist for months...But the insurance ran out...She was seeing him for lower back pain..He had her on an exercise program.. However her low back pain continued. I palpated her lower back and found no tender areas what so ever...However I did palpate some very sore areas in her glutes and SI joint areas on both hips. With the right hip much more sore...I'm talking nocioceptive response.. Jump response or whatever you want to call it...She told me that she didn't realize that her hips were so sore.. No body touched her there before..Not the Doc, or the PT... Shocking to me...but this is a typical scenario in my experience...She left the spa pain free. In general, the medical community knows nothing about muscle pain. Only reason Im commenting on this is.. I want massage therapists to know we have a High Art, and a capability way beyond what other health care professionals realize. Way beyond.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jed Heneberry on August 20, 2012 at 4:16pm

reminds me of this story a member shared with us at Massage & Bodywork:

I became a bodyworker because my great grandma Olga was a bodyworker. She worked in San Francisco in the 1930s. She told me of a woman who had so much pain on her left side. The woman had been to a doctor, but he couldn't find any reason for her pain. My great grandma worked with this woman every week, and each visit the woman's pain started to decrease. Eventually, it was gone. Even though I was only 12 years old when she first told the story, I knew there was something great about bodywork. And that's why I became a massage therapist. Sometimes all it takes to feel better is the caring touch of bodywork.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Adam Fluke on August 21, 2012 at 1:45pm

This makes me think that we as a community of massage therapists need to do a better job of promoting ourselves because the fact that this woman went to a doctor, and physical therapist first means she didn't know who to see for the care she needed. I am surprised she wasn't given painkillers and sent home! We need to promote ourselves better.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on August 23, 2012 at 1:50pm

http://www.massageprofessionals.com/forum/topics/what-are-the-impli... Thats all I talk about in here...Ive posted many threads. Its always another version of this same subject.

Adam Fluke said:

This makes me think that we as a community of massage therapists need to do a better job of promoting ourselves because the fact that this woman went to a doctor, and physical therapist first means she didn't know who to see for the care she needed. I am surprised she wasn't given painkillers and sent home! We need to promote ourselves better.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on August 23, 2012 at 2:21pm

I work in a busy spa..So I see this type of thing almost every day.. We have a lot to offer the public thats just not realized by anyone...I have one new person coming in today for a 50min. deep tissue massage..That could just mean they dont want a soft oily massage or it means they are hurting.. If the main purpose for getting a massage is because they hurt somewhere...Then they have probably seen other health care providers without resolution to their problem...If thats the case...There is a good chance I can help them...Im always excited about new clients...

Gordon J. Wallis said:

http://www.massageprofessionals.com/forum/topics/what-are-the-impli... Thats all I talk about in here...Ive posted many threads. Its always another version of this same subject.

Adam Fluke said:

This makes me think that we as a community of massage therapists need to do a better job of promoting ourselves because the fact that this woman went to a doctor, and physical therapist first means she didn't know who to see for the care she needed. I am surprised she wasn't given painkillers and sent home! We need to promote ourselves better.

Attachments:

no surgery.jpg, 38 KB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on August 24, 2012 at 7:21am

Had a new client yesterday that wanted a massage because her back hurt. She also told me she gets headaches once a week.. She told me her mid back hurts the most, and that she grinds her teeth at night... Its been so bad for her that she went to a medical doctor.. He gave her muscle relaxers... I asked her if she was on them today. She said no.. I asked her if she had a headache today. She said no. But her back was really hurting... I palpated a fairly painful R L5tp on her erectors. Two very painful L1tps on both sides of her erectors. Also a very sore right upper trap tp. And some sore masseter muscles both sides.... I was able to completely eliminated all those trigger points on her back and upper trap.. I was also able to down grade her jaw pain by 50%.. Her back back pain was completely gone.....She took several of my cards and scheduled a follow up session. Her back pain is history.. But as long as she keeps grinding her teeth at night. That's going to keep perpetuating those headaches and possible upper trap trigger points. I found that massage session to be clinically significant. Way more effective then muscle relaxers anyway. As massage therapists, we have so much to offer.. Once any underlying pathology is ruled out...Its soft tissue work all the way.

Gordon J. Wallis said:

I work in a busy spa..So I see this type of thing almost every day.. We have a lot to offer the public thats just not realized by anyone...I have one new person coming in today for a 50min. deep tissue massage..That could just mean they dont want a soft oily massage or it means they are hurting.. If the main purpose for getting a massage is because they hurt somewhere...Then they have probably seen other health care providers without resolution to their problem...If thats the case...There is a good chance I can help them...Im always excited about new clients...

Gordon J. Wallis said:

http://www.massageprofessionals.com/forum/topics/what-are-the-impli... Thats all I talk about in here...Ive posted many threads. Its always another version of this same subject.

Adam Fluke said:

This makes me think that we as a community of massage therapists need to do a better job of promoting ourselves because the fact that this woman went to a doctor, and physical therapist first means she didn't know who to see for the care she needed. I am surprised she wasn't given painkillers and sent home! We need to promote ourselves better.