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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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When I first started working as a massage therapist. I kept hearing or getting questions from clients about , or if I do reflexology. So I went to the book store and bought several different books on reflexology. I soon noticed differences between the different foot charts. One Japanese foot chart was completely different then all the rest. Yet all claimed to work or be valid. And like you Gary, I could not validate how it worked, if it does, in my mind. Now everyone likes a foot massage, and maybe if you have an upset stomach and get a good foot massage. It would not suprsise me if it makes you feel better. Who does not feel better after a good foot rub? I usually spend a good deal of the massage time on the feet. And I figure if any of those points are true. I will be positively helping the person because I massage every inch of the foot. But if I find an exceptionally tender spot on the foot. I want that exceptionally tender spot to go away. Because that can cause a lot of problems up the line. Its a trigger point, and I make it go away. Or attempt too. I dont worry about any organ it might be connedted to. Now I supose if the therapist and client are both into foot reflexology, then it probubly would work. Placebo effect is real. No doubt on that. Everything said, I'm not an expert on refelxology. I feel very confident talking about trigger points though. The link below if it works is interesting. If you are doing refelxology and helping people.. Awesome.
http://www.chinesefootreflexology.com/5-key-differences-between-chi...
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I had a new client that came in for a relaxing massage. Just to get some tension out of her body. After showing her one of my testimonials she then told me about a knee problem she has had for a while, that made her stop running. Her knee started bothering her a couple years ago after she sprained her ankle. Her knee pain alwayes bothered her while jogging But soon got so bad all she had to do was jog a few minutes before she had to stop because of the pain. She has sense turned to swimming instead. She told me she has seen several kinds of health care providers that were not able to help her. She said if you can do anything about my knee that would be awesome. I told her I would check it out before beginning her massage. I asked her to point out the part of her knee that hurts when she jogs. It was the medial side( inside) of her knee. I asked her if her ankle was still sore from the sprain.. she said yes and showed me where. It was the medial part of her ankle. All her pain was on the Kidney Meridian( exactly). I told her if her pain was caused because of ligament(MCL) damage, I would not be able to help her.. I then told her that its an 85% chance that its muscular (trigger points). And sure enough it was. Palpatory pain was there in both ankle and knee. I was able to deactivate ( at least temporarily) both areas. If it was ligament damage, those tender spots would not have disapeared. She will be out of town for a month or so. But when she gets back she will come in for a series of short sessions and hopefully end her knee pain once and for all. The attachment below shows the exact locations of her pain at the ankle and the point on the knee. I was unable to find a trigger point chart that matched her painful spots.
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Another example of the misdiagnosis of pain. It's so typical. Sad too. But I type in here because I am a massage therapist, and everything I do is within my license. A client came in just wanting a relaxing massage to start her vacation off. I told her that my massage is not any better then anyone else, but I have a very high skill set when it comes to getting people out of pain. I told her , you may not need my skill set, but I want you to know because you might know someone that does. Then I showed her a testimonial and a short video clip of me working on a client. She then told me that she has had chronic left hip pain for ten years. She has gone through a series of chiropractic treatments as well as a series of acupuncture treatments to no avail. Her medical doctor told her its arthritis. It's so bad, she can't sleep on her left side at night. I told her that I would check her hip out before starting the massage. Well as usual it was trigger points in her left hip. She had a medium level TP in her glute med. , and a very tender one just above( towards the head) of her trochanter, and another very tender one about two inches below her trochanter( towards her feet) on a lateral leg muscle. Don't know the name of the muscle, but it does not matter. She left the spa pain free. She just texted me now. Said her hip feels good, and that she will see me when she gets back from her vacation. SOFT TISSUE WORK RULES! MUSCLES MOVE BONES. YOU CAN NOT EXERCISE AN INJURED MUSCLE AND EXPECT IMPROVEMENT. THE MISDIAGNOSIS OF PAIN IS RAMPENT. The other thing. I know is I can not help everyone. Its foolish to think that. But when I can't. Most of the time I know right away. Within four sessions for sure. But its muscle work all the way. "What is simple is simply seen. And what is simple is rarely understood." - Master Po, from an old TV show in the 70s called Kung FU.
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I want to add something to the above coment about the client with the hip pain. I'd seen her before. Two years ago. When I saw her two years ago.. When she came in the room, I asked her what she needed from the massage.. She said just to relaxe. But I learned today that she has been suffering from left hip pain for ten years. But working in a spa and having little time for intake. I gave her what she requested. But here is the thing. She assumed that her pain could not be fixed by a massage therapist. After all, she had seen advanced practitoiners like Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists as well as good massage therapists( like me). And she sitll had her hip pain. She did not expect me , or anyone, to be able to help her. Our massage therapiy educaton needs to change in order to help people out ot pain. Thats why I type in here. Everyone knows how great massage is for relaxation. But..." TRUTH IS OFTEN HIDDEN.....like a shadow in darkness." Kane, in that old TV series KUNG-FU. I learn a lot from old TV shows.. lol
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Permalink Reply by Neal Lyons on
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our professional overall continues to struggle with the image as healers - or as a viable alternative medicine option. grant it that we are not doctors and do not undergo the same rigor/training and thus possess the same knowledge, but we do have specialized training, knowledge and experience that can be applied in a positive manner when applicable. this is a classic case of that. job well done, congratulations!
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"Truth is often hidden...like a shadow...in darkness."
If you've followed this entire thread you know thats one of my most favorite sayings. That quotation is the truth. And on a daily basis I'm reminded of this truth. I had a new client the other day. Well I thought she was a new client. As I was introducing myself and telling her that my massage is not any better then anyone elses, but that I do have a very high skill set when it comes to helping people out of pain. Then she abruptly interrupted me and said, " Gordon, I know that. In one session you completely cured me of sciatica that had been bothering me for a long time. I had been seeing a chiropractor and his therapists for weeks without any relief. I came into the spa just for a relaxation massage and you found a very sore spot on my hip that radiated pain down my leg, and you made it go away. My sciatica never came back after your one massage. Then she went on to tell me of a new problem she was having. But this is the thing. She went to that clinic for weeks? And this is a busy clinic. People go to that clinic for pain relief. And what really gets me is..... When I think about it...There are only two possibilities. Either everybody in that clinic, chiropractor, therapists, and staff, does not know what they are doing( stupid), or they are con artists? I mean one Gluteus Minimus very painful trigger point, and they can't find it or don't know it after weeks of therapy thats not working? This is manual hands on medicine supposedly( chiropractic and massage). Then when you consider that 85% of all pain is from trigger points. Uhm.... a new quotation comes to mind. " Truth is the cry of all, but the game of few." - George Bishop Berkeley, 1685--1753 .. How many people are getting useless therapy in this country? Answer... A LOT !!! This whole thread is basically this. Mind blowing to me. - Attachments:
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Its so weird that I can only load one attachment at a time. Here is the other one. People that have been diagnosed with Sciatica, often really have Fake Sciatica. In other words..... a Gluteus Minimus trigger point. Very very easy to determin.
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I have a little while before I have to shower and get ready for work. So here is another story(true story)that I think tells a lot( if you really think about it). This was a while back. A new client came in. A young man. He did not look happy. I'm in a spa, so he is in a robe standing in the room. I said, you don't look happy. He said, Yea, my back is jacked up. I said.. uhm, are you seeing anyone for your jacked up back. He said yea. I'm seeing a chiropractor. I said, Is it helping yet? He said, No he has not gotten it yet. I said how long have you been seeing the chiropractor. He said , Twice a week for four weeks, and I still have two weeks left on my treatment plan. And I might have to get another treatment plan. It really bothers me and I cant play soccer anymore... I then asked him where it hurts. He reached with his left arm all the way accross his chest and touched just behind his right shoulder near his shoulder blade( rhomboid or paraspinal area). So I then went over and touched him on that exact spot, and he had an imediate pain response. I asked him if the chiropractor ever touched him there, he said no. I said., What kind of treatment is he giving you. He answered, He is cracking my neck and giving me electrical stem on my shoulder.. So while the young man was standing in his robe I released his rhomboid trigger point. A minute later I asked him how he felt. He started moving around and said.. It doesnt hurt anymore.. I said ok its OVER. No need spending your money for an hour massage.. Save you money, come back in tomorrow and we will check that spot again... He said ok... He no longer looked sad.. He came in the next day and that spot was mildly tender., and I released it again. He told me he can play soccer now with no problem. I said cool, come back if it bothers you again... Well he never came back... a couple weeks later I met him in a nice bar, he was drinking a beer. I sometimes stop there and have a beer after work if its a hard day. He told me his back is fine and the chiropractor keeps calling him to come in and finish up the treatment plan.
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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on
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in this case, I think it's likely the chiro purposely didn't fix him. Some of them are dumber than a rock, true, but some are smart and slick and uncaring and greedy enough to ignore what they know is an active trigger points--will even irritate the point of the pain -- in order to pocket more fees in long "treatment plans.".
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wow! I don't even know what to say in here. It's so typical though. It's the same thing I always say in here. I'm still shocked though. I had only two massages scheduled today. My first one was a new client for a 25 minute massage. He came into the room and I asked him what he needed from this massage. He said, You come highly recomended. From my boss. He told me the guys name but I could not remember who he was. Then he said. He heard that I can help people that chiropractors and medical doctors can't. Then I asked him to briefly tell me his problem.. Where do you hurt. Then he said here is my problem, and he started to pull out some medical papers on whatever they said he had.. I stopped him.. I told him I dont need that. I just need to know where you hurt. He said I have a bulging disk. And I have radiating, tingling pain with numbness that goes from my low back all the way down to my toes.. He said his toes feel swollen, but when you look at them they are not swollen. He was clothed with a jacket on. I had him take his jacket , shoes and socks off. I started palpating from T12 down. He was very tender every other inch down the paraspinals and really really sore at L5 on the left. His leg pain from the so called bulging disc was on the left side... Oh I forgot to mention that he had gone through chiropractic gauntlet for several weeks with no relief. And thats why I figured that his pain was not from a bulging disk.. Cause if it was, there would be no way you could take those adjustments. Long story short...He had multiple trigger points on his lumbars hip and leg down to his toes, front, back, and sides. The worst ones were..L5 paraspinal on the left. Our good old friend Gluteus Minimus, a really bad one on the lateral leg( vastis lateralis), abductor muscles near his knee. His gastrocs, tibialis anterior, and near his big toe. As I began releasing those trigger points he would comment that the tingling in his leg and the swolleness and pain was vanishing.. He was shocked.. At the same time I was and I wasnt. Ive seen this before so very many times.. Thats why I write in here. He needs more work.. but within five sessions, he is going to be one happy camper. He gave me his bosses card. His boss is paying for his massages. I called the guy. He told me that his employee just called and was very happy. Then he said , I knew you could help him because you helped me out of pain in short order when nobody else could. Its just amazing to me how Truth Remains Hidden. Bulging disc.. Yea right.
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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A few years ago my brother was in a car accident (he was going 75 mph and was rear-ended by a woman going about 110 mph). I worked on him and reduced most of the pain to nothing but he had a spot in his neck that was very painful. He went for an MRI and they said he had a bulging disc. Then they said that pretty much everyone over 18 has at least one bulging disc, so it was doubtful that was the cause of the pain. Interesting!
Ultimately, he went for something like 3 PT sessions and was pain free.
The point is, almost everyone has bulging discs.
Gary, I know a chiropractor like that. I went to him for a short time. He's one of those "miracle workers" in town that people revere. What was interesting is that as soon as I started going to him, my clients starting telling the truth about how they felt about him. It wasn't favorable. Why it took me going to him for people to be honest, I don't know.
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I'm angery, frustrated, and pissed. But nothing I can do except rant in here. I've been doing this work for thirty years. I would not have been frustrated ten years ago. But I know too much now. A new client came into the spa, not too long ago. As usual just for a relaxation massage. I let her read one of my testimonials and view a short video clip of me working on a client. She then told me that she is scheduled for rotator cuff surgery in two weeks. So I said, Your shoulder hurts? She said yes, when I move it.. I asked her to slowly raise her arm in front of her and stop when she feels pain. She got to a little over 45 degrees.. a little abve paralle to the ground before she had to stop because of the pain. By the end of the session she had full range of motion( 180 degrees) without pain. Now as a lowly massage therapist in a day spa. I really do not have the political power to tell someone YOU DO NOT NEED SURGERY. But I did say.. Gosh, You have full range of motion now and no pain. I wonder what they are going to operate on?? I mean really.. If there was a real joint problem.. Ligament problem. or someting .. there is no way she could move her arm pain free through complete reange of motion after I worked on her. She looked puzzeld after the massage. I'm angry. Some times I wiish I had not done this type of work for thirty years. I will attach some pictures of her trigger points( thats her real problem).
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