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Degenerative Disk Disease
I don't know where to turn so i thought here is a good place. Been a massage therapist since 06 whom primarily works in deep tissue. After the marathon or massages for the holiday thought I would treat myself to a massage. After the massage I felt like crap and both my arms were going numb. My left arm has been going numb in my hand and forearm since about March. Been getting twice a month chiro adjustments.
Long story short after my reeval today the chiro informed me I have the beginning stages of cervical degenerative disk disease in my C4&5. She is recommending that I really cut back or just stop massage therapy all together. My hand on the left side only goes number after doing a massage or after sleeping on my left side for 8 hours a night. Do you think the chiro is right that I should give up a career I have fought so much to have if it's only going to further injure myself?
Views: 1832
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on
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Self Therapy is to raise your hand over your head, drop your hand down behind so you can grasp your neck. Keep the thumb straight. This allows you to clasp your neck stretching it with the thumb as you clasp the other side with your fingers. bend the neck towards the thumb so the thumb pad is pushed in and stretches the neck. work up the neck. Then use the other hand. This should stretch the neck and relieve compression.
I hope this makes sense.
Best regards.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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Permalink Reply by Robin Byler Thomas on
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Hi Stephanie,
We've probably all had to face the pain issue either sooner or later in our MT careers. Like Gordon, I've heard that diagnosis made many times with clients over the years and it seems to be a general catch all term. What else are you doing with your hands throughout the day (repetitive motion travels up your arms into your neck and shoulders as I'm sure you know)? We MTs tend to be very hands on even off the table. Take a look at how often you use them and for what and then prioritize and eliminate. Check your ergonomics at the computer; are you leaning in to see the screen? You may have to cut back on your client load for a while taking time to heal, but you don't have to necessarily give up your career.
I too wonder what happened in the massage you received that may have tipped the scales for you. I'm still recovering from a fractured rib from a massage I got this past June where the MT managed to get in two forceful adjustments before I could stop him. Also, you may be able to train yourself to quit sleeping on your left side; I have and it helps a lot. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.
BTW, this book was a career saver for me about a year and a half into MT when I developed carpel tunnel syndrome (which I no longer have).
http://www.amazon.com/Save-Your-Hands-Prevention-Ergonomics/dp/0967...
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Keffer on
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Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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Nothing teaches like working on yourself. Try the massage move above starting slow and easy.
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As a side note.. I just got over healing myself from trigger finger.. It took eight freakin months! It was horribly painful and couldn't move it at all for quite a while... I continued to do my massage work during the whole time(stressful).. And when I worked on myself.. Sometimes I made it worse.. Id change parameters a little bit, but I never stopped.. Now I have full range of motion with only a little soreness...But it took eight months...However, now I can confidently work on anyone with trigger finger, and offer good advise.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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Gordon, I'd like to hear more about your technique with trigger finger as I have a client with it too.
Gordon J. Wallis said:As a side note.. I just got over healing myself from trigger finger.. It took eight freakin months! It was horribly painful and couldn't move it at all for quite a while... I continued to do my massage work during the whole time(stressful).. And when I worked on myself.. Sometimes I made it worse.. Id change parameters a little bit, but I never stopped.. Now I have full range of motion with only a little soreness...But it took eight months...However, now I can confidently work on anyone with trigger finger, and offer good advise.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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sounds like time for a seperate trigger finger thread.
Robin Byler Thomas said:Gordon, I'd like to hear more about your technique with trigger finger as I have a client with it too.
Gordon J. Wallis said:As a side note.. I just got over healing myself from trigger finger.. It took eight freakin months! It was horribly painful and couldn't move it at all for quite a while... I continued to do my massage work during the whole time(stressful).. And when I worked on myself.. Sometimes I made it worse.. Id change parameters a little bit, but I never stopped.. Now I have full range of motion with only a little soreness...But it took eight months...However, now I can confidently work on anyone with trigger finger, and offer good advise.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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Well there isnt a specific technique, and it takes months...I just met a lady yesterday that had surgery for her trigger finger...So months, sounds better then surgery from my point of view.. All I did was with dig into the sorest areas of the trigger finger in a way that hurt good,but mostly it hurt. Active release type techniques too..And at times I think I made it worse....But thats what I did...Just meticulously detailed specific work on all the sore areas.. Also stretched the wounded finger every way I could as long as it didnt hurt too much...Progress is slow...I did this several times a day for months...And its fine now..You have to be patient and realize that it will take time, and not to give up.. Be very mindful of the slightest improvement..Be very positive in your outlook.. Move the finger as much as possible, even if its only millimeters. Ive had trigger finger twice...The first time it took 7 months...I was told that I would have to get surgery..And that after the surgery I wouldnt have full ranged of motion...I didnt get the surgery, and I have no pain and full range of motion now.. Its a long process is all. Massage and stretching.. And it wont get better if someone is coming in to see you a couple times a week...He or she has to work on it themselves every day, as well as have you work on them.. Its a long process, but fixable.. trust me on that. Both times I caused the trigger finger myself.. By being too macho and pressing and squeezing too hard on a client that was demanding more pressure then I was capable of giving. Its a tendon injury... Very slow in healing compared to muscle tissue.
Daniel Cohen said:sounds like time for a seperate trigger finger thread.
Robin Byler Thomas said:Gordon, I'd like to hear more about your technique with trigger finger as I have a client with it too.
Gordon J. Wallis said:As a side note.. I just got over healing myself from trigger finger.. It took eight freakin months! It was horribly painful and couldn't move it at all for quite a while... I continued to do my massage work during the whole time(stressful).. And when I worked on myself.. Sometimes I made it worse.. Id change parameters a little bit, but I never stopped.. Now I have full range of motion with only a little soreness...But it took eight months...However, now I can confidently work on anyone with trigger finger, and offer good advise.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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Yeah these clients that come in and want you to beat them crap out of them it makes no sense. The last guy who wanted that I told him 1) I'm not a dominatrix and 2) you don't pay me enough to ruin my career so get off my table. Using all my weight pushing is well over 300 pounds I think something is psychological upstairs for that crap.
I have been working on myself, and in search of a new therapist might have to do some traveling to find one. Only surgery I am having is if it's life or death. One surgery per lifetime is plenty.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Well there isnt a specific technique, and it takes months...I just met a lady yesterday that had surgery for her trigger finger...So months, sounds better then surgery from my point of view.. All I did was with dig into the sorest areas of the trigger finger in a way that hurt good,but mostly it hurt. Active release type techniques too..And at times I think I made it worse....But thats what I did...Just meticulously detailed specific work on all the sore areas.. Also stretched the wounded finger every way I could as long as it didnt hurt too much...Progress is slow...I did this several times a day for months...And its fine now..You have to be patient and realize that it will take time, and not to give up.. Be very mindful of the slightest improvement..Be very positive in your outlook.. Move the finger as much as possible, even if its only millimeters. Ive had trigger finger twice...The first time it took 7 months...I was told that I would have to get surgery..And that after the surgery I wouldnt have full ranged of motion...I didnt get the surgery, and I have no pain and full range of motion now.. Its a long process is all. Massage and stretching.. And it wont get better if someone is coming in to see you a couple times a week...He or she has to work on it themselves every day, as well as have you work on them.. Its a long process, but fixable.. trust me on that. Both times I caused the trigger finger myself.. By being too macho and pressing and squeezing too hard on a client that was demanding more pressure then I was capable of giving. Its a tendon injury... Very slow in healing compared to muscle tissue.
Daniel Cohen said:sounds like time for a seperate trigger finger thread.
Robin Byler Thomas said:Gordon, I'd like to hear more about your technique with trigger finger as I have a client with it too.
Gordon J. Wallis said:As a side note.. I just got over healing myself from trigger finger.. It took eight freakin months! It was horribly painful and couldn't move it at all for quite a while... I continued to do my massage work during the whole time(stressful).. And when I worked on myself.. Sometimes I made it worse.. Id change parameters a little bit, but I never stopped.. Now I have full range of motion with only a little soreness...But it took eight months...However, now I can confidently work on anyone with trigger finger, and offer good advise.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.benbenjamin.com/contact.php
Just an idea...Maybe contact this highly knowledgeable therapist to see if there is anyone near you that he has trained? Its just an idea.
Stephanie Keffer said:Hi Gordon,
That is the hard part finding a GOOD therapist. I had one but his schedule and mine don't mix. I might have to just time time out one a month on Wednesdays and see him. When she told me I was completely devastated, the amount of time I have put into my career and money into schooling I knew there had to be an alternative. This is my third year of working for myself and really trying to grow this year. The next phase of my career is to figure out how to get into a building of my own. Everytime I ask anyone for where do I start no one will help.
Definitely going to need self massage and wondering if I should lay off chiropractic but it is the only thing that provides relief. The massage itself was not painful because when I complained of my pec minor being tender she just reverted to Swedish the rest of the massage though I mention she could do a firmer pressure on the rest of my body. The massage in of itself was probably the worst I have gotten and certainly don't feel it was worth the money I spent. The areas I mentioned I needed work on she barely touched on but I know how I conduct my questioning with clients and she didn't do any of it. Just think all the stretching of my neck and unneeded I need to stretch the time stuff she did might of triggered something.
Thank you everyone for the advice.
Robin I will have to check out that book for sure. When I'm on the computer as I am now I'm sitting indian style on my couch under a snuggie. The apartment is too small to fit a table anywhere for my labtop. The table I am using is a tv tray. When I use my computer at work I have an ergonomic chair, lumbar support and appropriate height desk and I'm good.
Gordon J. Wallis said:I think you really need a good massage therapist.. High level soft tissue work. Not kidding. I have degenerative disk disease...That in and of itself means nothing.. I hear that all the time from clients. And I have worked on people with similar symptoms as you...And after a few massages, they no longer had them....I also suffered a herniated disk...couldn't walk for three months..Horrible pain.. I was told that surgery would be my only solution... Well it took me fourteen months of self therapy to fully recover.. I'm fine now.. Its hard to say online here exactly what you should do or whats wrong...Obviously you may have to cut back on your work now...But I would start working on myself...Heal yourself..Self massage and stretching..I doubted myself several times during my herniated disc debilitation, it was so slow and arduous...I wish you were near by.. I could give a real opinion then. As bad as it is... Look at it as a learning opportunity...I know its easy for me to say.. But thats my input. PS- Was that massage painful?
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http://www.mrtherapy.com/muscle_release.html I basically use these type of techniques on myself every day...and on clients that think or have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel...I used the basic concept on my trigger finger too. It works.
Robin Byler Thomas said:Hi Stephanie,
We've probably all had to face the pain issue either sooner or later in our MT careers. Like Gordon, I've heard that diagnosis made many times with clients over the years and it seems to be a general catch all term. What else are you doing with your hands throughout the day (repetitive motion travels up your arms into your neck and shoulders as I'm sure you know)? We MTs tend to be very hands on even off the table. Take a look at how often you use them and for what and then prioritize and eliminate. Check your ergonomics at the computer; are you leaning in to see the screen? You may have to cut back on your client load for a while taking time to heal, but you don't have to necessarily give up your career.
I too wonder what happened in the massage you received that may have tipped the scales for you. I'm still recovering from a fractured rib from a massage I got this past June where the MT managed to get in two forceful adjustments before I could stop him. Also, you may be able to train yourself to quit sleeping on your left side; I have and it helps a lot. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.
BTW, this book was a career saver for me about a year and a half into MT when I developed carpel tunnel syndrome (which I no longer have).
http://www.amazon.com/Save-Your-Hands-Prevention-Ergonomics/dp/0967...
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