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A typical experience
I had a new client the other day for an 80 minute massage. I asked him if there is anything that he wanted me to know. He told me that he suffers from a herniated disc that he has had for a few years. He has constant low back and right hip pain that at times radiates down the back of his leg to his knee. He told me that he has had two injections in his low back and has to stay on anit- inflamtory medication. Anything to avoid surgery. The pain is always there. I asked him if he ever saw a chiropractor for his pain. He said yes. But the adjustments hurt his hip so bad that he could not continiue. So here is a guy that thinks he is on the verge of surgery. I knew that there was a very strong probubllity that was not the case. The vast majority of pain people experience is nocioceptive pain( soft tissue- muscle, tendon, ligament, facia). MDs and Chiropractors see pain as neuropathic pain( nerve pain). With that asumption they give the wrong treatments and therapies. Now there is no denying that at times injections and surgery is needed. Not denying that. But most of the time - NOT. 70% to 85% of all pain comes directly from trigger points. Anyway I showed my client a testimonial from a client that I was able to help out of a very painful condition that she had delt with for a couple of years. I showed him that testimonial because all pain has a psychological eliment too it. I wanted him to start thinking maybe he is not on the edge of surgery. I palpated his entire back upper torso, both hips, and right leg. I found a very painful spot on his right L5 erectors. Another very painful spot on his right greater trochantor. A painful spot in the middle part of his lower right hamstrings. And also a tender spot on the right spinous of L3. I knew that if Iwas able to eliminate all those painful palaptory spots that I would most likely eliminate his pain problem. Because a healthy body had no painful spots even with deep massage. Ive been hunting and eliminateing trigger points for thirty years now. He walked out of the massage room pain free. He was pain free for the first time in years. All those other professional people misdiagnosed him because they assume neuropathic pain over nocioceptive pain. I assume the other way around. I'm a Massage Therapist.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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Gary, that guy in the youtube video you posted is just pressing on a trigger point( as you know). It's not real acupressure. The video below is real acupressure.
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That lady had chronic back pain for years, as well as Carpal Tunnel( so called). She had at least 100 trigger points on her body. After seven or eight sessions she no longer has back pain or Carpal tunnel.
Now, along with stretching and a self massage tool, she can keep in check any new trigger points that try to form. Her pain problems are over.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Gary, that guy in the youtube video you posted is just pressing on a trigger point( as you know). It's not real acupressure. The video below is real acupressure.
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When I first started this thread I was wondering what to name it? Typical Experience came to mind. I talk about what I see on almost a daily basis. But its really about the misdiagnosis of pain( If you have read the entire thread and attachments, you know I'm not the only one saing this). It's also about how massage therapists are trained to fit into that misdiagnosis. The misdiagnosis of pain is rampent in this country. That's a fact. And because of that. There are a lot of incorect and even hamful therapies going on as well as unnecissary surgeries. I can say that confidently. I see it in daily life. Again, I'm not the only one saying this. Read the entire thread and attachments. " TRUTH IS OFTEN HIDDEN......LIKE A SHAWDOW IN DARKNESS".- Cain, Episode 25( from an old kung fu TV show in the 70s).
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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on
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A great testimonial.
Gordon J. Wallis said:When I first started this thread I was wondering what to name it? Typical Experience came to mind. I talk about what I see on almost a daily basis. But its really about the misdiagnosis of pain( If you have read the entire thread and attachments, you know I'm not the only one saing this). It's also about how massage therapists are trained to fit into that misdiagnosis. The misdiagnosis of pain is rampent in this country. That's a fact. And because of that. There are a lot of incorect and even hamful therapies going on as well as unnecissary surgeries. I can say that confidently. I see it in daily life. Again, I'm not the only one saying this. Read the entire thread and attachments. " TRUTH IS OFTEN HIDDEN......LIKE A SHAWDOW IN DARKNESS".- Cain, Episode 25( from an old kung fu TV show in the 70s).
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A new client today came in with six years of chronic back pain. I had her read a couple of my testimonials, then asked her if she wanted a good massage or for me to take her pain away. She told me she had just started seeing an acupuncturist for her back pain. One thing about acupuncture is that it won't mess up what I'm doing like physical therapy can. Anyway, she had a left Gluteus medius TP, a left lateral Illiac crest TP, a left L5 TP, a right L5 TP, a right lateral spinus TP at L4, and two abdominal TPs just about the pubic bone. They were all deactivated. I explained to her and showed pictures of the trigger points and their pain patterns. So six years of pain was gone. But I also told her that I expect some if not all of those Trigger points to return. And that it may take four to eight sessionss before they are gone. But it only takes about 15 minutes to down grade or wipe them out. Unfortunately she has a vacation to go on for ten days. So she will begin her sessions after that. She really gave me a big smile when I saw her check out of the spa. When you show a client what their pain is. They are quite happy. I showed her in pictures( like in the attachments below) and explained to her what trigger points were. I let her read some of the same things I've posted on the attachments in this thread on the misdiagnosis of pain. I know she knows her problem will soon be history. PS- She originally discribed her pain as a band of pain across the bottom of her low back.
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I wasn't busy today. A couple clients. But it was still a cool day. Because the client with the shoulder problem I discribed(below) earlier in the thread came in today for a regular massage. Her shoulder is still fine. Other therapists often ask me, " Don't the trigger points just come back?" Now I think I discribed in here that people with trigger point problems usually need to come back for a series of sessions. Anywhere from four to ten serious trigger point sessions. Usually 2 to 5 days appart. I have not figured out the perfect frequency yet. Often times it has to do with their schedual. But they should come back within five days. Or its just like starting over. Anyway it was good to see her again. And to see her pain free. Thats cool for me.
Gordon J. Wallis said:A couple months ago a young women came into the spa for an 80 minute massage. I asked her if she had any aches, pains or problem areas. She told me her shoulder is killing her. It was her right shoulder. I asked her to tell me exactly where it hurts. She touched her right deltoid with her left hand. She said at night its really bad. It throbs all the way down her arm. She can hardly sleep at night. I asked her how long she has had this pain. She said six months. I asked her if she saw anyone else for her shoulder pain. She said she went to a chiropractor for a couple of months but got no relief. I let her read a couple of my testimonials and asked her if she wanted me to specifically work to relieve or eliminate her shoulder pain.. She said yes, if you can. I told her that I would palpate from her hips up to the top of her neck, and that she has to tell me if or when I come to a sore spot. I told her that we were bound to find some tender spots on her body. And that If Im able to eliminate those tender spots that her shoulder pain should be greatly diminished or eliminated all together. Anyway I found a hand full of trigger points. Some in muscles that could possibly cause shoulder pain like the upper trap, rhomboids, infraspinatus, the teres. But they were all very mild. None of them elicited a jump sign or pain response from her. Almost benign. Nothing that would cause throbing pain at night. I asked her how her chest felt. She said if feels fine and that the pain is in her shoulder and at night her shoulder and arm. I palpated around the deltoid and the deltoid and her acromion process and her entire arm while she lay on her stomach and found nothing painful. But I did deactivate some trigger points even though they were mild. And thats what I do. So we finished up and told her to come back in two days and we will see how she is doing.When she came back in two days I aked her how she was doing. She said the same. Throbing radiating pain at night. I asked her how is it during the day. She said not as bad but it hurts when she moves her arm. I said well ok, and had her get on the table and palpated from her hips to the top of her neck. Again finding a few minor( low pain level) trigger points on the way. Nothing that would be causing throbing pain at night. But I eliminated those few trigger points and told her to come back in two days. She came back in two days reporting no change. So this is the third visit now. Again I found a few minor trigger points and told her to re schedual and come back in two days. At this point Im thinking I cant help her. But it was stilll bugging me so I reduced the cost of her sessions so she could afford to come back. She came in for her fourth visit, still no change. Shoulder hurts with throbing radiating pain down her arm at night. Again I found a few very minor trigger points on the back of her shoulder. I asked her a second time how her chest was.. She said its fine. Doesnt hurt. Im thinking I can't help this person. So out of desperation I said lets check the front of your body. I palpated from her abdominal area up. I found a tender spot between her breasts on the right sternal muscle. She flinched a little when I touched it. I deactivated that... then I palpated right below her right clavicle and she about flew off the table , verbalized and was breathing deeply in pain. I was startled. I could tell it really hurt her. I apolgized and said I was sorry. She said thats ok. I didnt realize I was hurting there. Then I palpated below the clavicle just above her brest when again she had a tremendous withdrawl response. Her hole upper body lifted off the table and she had to catch her breath. I gently begain working those painful palpatory areas and was able to down grade the level of pain on palpation with more pressure. I told her to come back in two days. When she came back in two days I asked her how she was doing. She said that night after I worked on her it was worse then ever and the next day she was in horrible pain. I apologized and said I was sorry. She said oh no thats ok. I said at least we know the pain is coming from those two tender spots on her chest. And this would be our last visit and if there was no improvement that she could go to a medical doctor and point out those two very painful spots. Anyway I again was able to down grade the pain in those areas. I could press much harder before creating any pain sensations. And I told her to come back in two days. She came back in two days and reported that she slept for the first time without pain.. But that the two spots were still very sore on palpation. I again down graded those TPs even more and told her to come back in two days. That would be her sixth or seventh appointment. She rescheduled. I was really excited to see how she was doing the day of her next appointment. The time came and she was not checked in.. I went to the front desk and was told that she called and canceled. I got sort of depressed. I figured that she got worse and decided not to come back. I thought well at least she knows where her pain is coming from and perhaps the medical docs can help her. But here is the cool thing..she came in to see me a couple days ago. This is a couple months later. She scheduled a 50 minute massage. She told me that after the last session she was completely pain free. I asked her if I could palpate those two areas.. she said yea. I did. To my amazement.. No pain what so ever.. She had a big smile on her face.. So did I. I went ahead and gave her a good massage.The attachments below show the trigger points involed. My mistake was to listen to her when she told me her chest was fine. Could have solved the problem in half the time.
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A new client came in today. A runner complaining of right lateral hip and leg pain. He said he thinks his IT band is too tight. The pain wakes him up at night. I had him read one of my testimonials. He said wow, you must be really good at Myofacial Release. I said no, I'm good at eliminating trigger points. He had several painful trigger points all on the right side. Gluteus minimus, Piriformis, Adductor near the knee, Vastis lateralis, base of his big toe(forgot the name of the bone or muscle?), a spot just below the Lateral melleolus(BL61), L3 spinus, L4 erector, and the ASIS. Like I said all on the right side. They all makes sense for his in coming complaint and symptomes. The attachments below show some of the muscles that were trigger pointed. I was able to down grade or eliminate all of them. Of course he will need a few follow up sessions( 4 to six). I told him not to stretch(everyone else was telling him to stretch) or run for a couple of weeks so he can heal. He understood my way of thinking. His problem is soon over.
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I'm not sure that the ITB can be stretched. TPs in the muscles attached to it and covered by it in the thigh can be released though, and that will soften the sucker. I'm assuming that's what you'll do.
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Vastus lateralis. IT band just defines an area far as I'm concerned. He had a major trigger point there. As seen in the attachments.
Gary W Addis, LMT said:I'm not sure that the ITB can be stretched. TPs in the muscles attached to it and covered by it in the thigh can be released though, and that will soften the sucker. I'm assuming that's what you'll do.
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http://www.softtissuerelease.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome
As far as I'm concerned Carpal Tunnel is the most misdiagnosed non real problem thing out there. I think it has been talked about on this thread? Anyway, Its easily solved. I really have met only one person in the last 30 years that I was not able to completely cure. Maybe I'm worng. But I see never a need for surgery. Unless there has been too much medical intervention for too long. Like cortizone shots and so on. Even though he does not mention trigger points, he is right on.. except for the non trigger point part( my opinion only). Make up your own minds. But to me, Carpal tunnel is a bull poop diagnosis. Not denying the pain people have. But you don't need surgery 90% of the time. Again my opinion. This kind of stuff bugs me. Thats part of what this whole thread is about. The misdaiagnosis of pain. And how people are being ripped off on purpose or accidently. PS- This guy is the real founder of Active Release that the Chiropractors copied and push. Stewart is the founder of Soft Tissue Release. He is a British Sports Massage Therapist. And his seminars and DVDs are good. Through his work I've cured tons of Carpal Tunnel people.
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that's an excellent article, good info to pass on to clients.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.softtissuerelease.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome
As far as I'm concerned Carpal Tunnel is the most misdiagnosed non real problem thing out there. I think it has been talked about on this thread? Anyway, Its easily solved. I really have met only one person in the last 30 years that I was not able to completely cure. Maybe I'm worng. But I see never a need for surgery. Unless there has been too much medical intervention for too long. Like cortizone shots and so on. Even though he does not mention trigger points, he is right on.. except for the non trigger point part( my opinion only). Make up your own minds. But to me, Carpal tunnel is a bull poop diagnosis. Not denying the pain people have. But you don't need surgery 90% of the time. Again my opinion. This kind of stuff bugs me. Thats part of what this whole thread is about. The misdaiagnosis of pain. And how people are being ripped off on purpose or accidently. PS- This guy is the real founder of Active Release that the Chiropractors copied and push. Stewart is the founder of Soft Tissue Release. He is a British Sports Massage Therapist. And his seminars and DVDs are good. Through his work I've cured tons of Carpal Tunnel people.
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Correction. I've not personally cured tons of people who had carpal tunnel. I've showed tons of people how to cure themselves of carpal tunnel. One lady just a month ago. Based on Soft Tissue Release.
Gordon J. Wallis said:http://www.softtissuerelease.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome
As far as I'm concerned Carpal Tunnel is the most misdiagnosed non real problem thing out there. I think it has been talked about on this thread? Anyway, Its easily solved. I really have met only one person in the last 30 years that I was not able to completely cure. Maybe I'm worng. But I see never a need for surgery. Unless there has been too much medical intervention for too long. Like cortizone shots and so on. Even though he does not mention trigger points, he is right on.. except for the non trigger point part( my opinion only). Make up your own minds. But to me, Carpal tunnel is a bull poop diagnosis. Not denying the pain people have. But you don't need surgery 90% of the time. Again my opinion. This kind of stuff bugs me. Thats part of what this whole thread is about. The misdaiagnosis of pain. And how people are being ripped off on purpose or accidently. PS- This guy is the real founder of Active Release that the Chiropractors copied and push. Stewart is the founder of Soft Tissue Release. He is a British Sports Massage Therapist. And his seminars and DVDs are good. Through his work I've cured tons of Carpal Tunnel people.
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