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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 October 12, 2015 at 10:40pm
Another client I saw recently came in because she has been dealing with sciatica for a year. Now I just looked up sciatica on wikipedia. You can look it up yourself, but there is no mention of trigger points. True sciatica is a pinched or irritated nerve. But most of the time I hear that diagnosis, it is trigger points. Not a pinched nerve. And as usual that was the case with this client. It was trigger pints in the hamstrings, behind the knee as well as a trigger point on the medial side of that same knee. She also had several trigger points in her calf. I will show pictures of the pain patterns for those particular trigger points in the attachments below. She has been seeing another type of health care parctitioner that gave her that diagnosis for quite a while. What gets me is that simple palpation would tell you very quickly if its nerve pain or muscle pain( trigger point ). If its muscle pain, its not sciatica. Check the pain patterns out. You don't need to have a doctor title to know if its sciatica or not. Its a simple deal. And if its not nerve pain, its a simple solution( usually ).
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 12, 2015 at 10:40pm
behind the knee.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 12, 2015 at 10:41pm
calf area.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 14, 2015 at 5:00pm

This is cool. He is completely trigger point free now. He sleeps soundly through the night. When he was leaving the room I told him to remember and cancel his next appointment, because it won't be needed. Then he said, " I have to cancel one more appointment too." I said, "What appointment is that?" He said, "The one with the Orthopedic Surgeon."
Gordon J. Wallis said:
This is interesting. A new cient came in the other day. I've seen him three times now. But the first time I saw him, I asked him if there was anything that I could do for him? He told me that he did not think I could do anything for him, but he was reffered to me, and that he would try anything. I said, You must be hurting? He said yes. At night he has a very difficult time sleeping. He is awaken throughout the night with right shoulder pain that radiates down his arm all the way to his thumb. He told me that has seen other people and is doing the exercises, but its been six months and its not getting any better. I asked him where he feels the most pain when its really hurting. He touched his deltoid. Anyway I palpated from his hips up to the top of his neck and dowh his right arm. Here is what I found. Three rhomboid pain points. One pain point in the extensor muscles of his arm along with a pain point on his thumb. But the worst two pain points were in his Infraspinatus. They all perfectly match up to his pain pattern. The exercises he was doing, with weights, to his right arm were only perpateuating his pain problem. I've seen him three or four times now. 15 minute sessions. He is now sleeping at night with only minor pain. Last night he was awoken only one time, but the pain dissapated quickly and he was able to go right back to sleep. He still has two rhomboid pain pain points. The extesor and thumb are only lightly sore now. I used soft tissue release for his forearm and plain old ordinary massage on his thumb to ease the pain in those areas. But the Infraspinatus pain points are now gone. Those were the main ones. Anyway, he is way better now. Not sure if its completely over for him, but he is 85% better after three or four short sessions and no exercise. I will attach the pain patterns for the muscles involved.
Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on October 14, 2015 at 7:46pm

Fantastic results!!  Good work, Gordon!

Gordon J. Wallis said:


This is cool. He is completely trigger point free now. He sleeps soundly through the night. When he was leaving the room I told him to remember and cancel his next appointment, because it won't be needed. Then he said, " I have to cancel one more appointment too." I said, "What appointment is that?" He said, "The one with the Orthopedic Surgeon."
Gordon J. Wallis said:
This is interesting. A new cient came in the other day. I've seen him three times now. But the first time I saw him, I asked him if there was anything that I could do for him? He told me that he did not think I could do anything for him, but he was reffered to me, and that he would try anything. I said, You must be hurting? He said yes. At night he has a very difficult time sleeping. He is awaken throughout the night with right shoulder pain that radiates down his arm all the way to his thumb. He told me that has seen other people and is doing the exercises, but its been six months and its not getting any better. I asked him where he feels the most pain when its really hurting. He touched his deltoid. Anyway I palpated from his hips up to the top of his neck and dowh his right arm. Here is what I found. Three rhomboid pain points. One pain point in the extensor muscles of his arm along with a pain point on his thumb. But the worst two pain points were in his Infraspinatus. They all perfectly match up to his pain pattern. The exercises he was doing, with weights, to his right arm were only perpateuating his pain problem. I've seen him three or four times now. 15 minute sessions. He is now sleeping at night with only minor pain. Last night he was awoken only one time, but the pain dissapated quickly and he was able to go right back to sleep. He still has two rhomboid pain pain points. The extesor and thumb are only lightly sore now. I used soft tissue release for his forearm and plain old ordinary massage on his thumb to ease the pain in those areas. But the Infraspinatus pain points are now gone. Those were the main ones. Anyway, he is way better now. Not sure if its completely over for him, but he is 85% better after three or four short sessions and no exercise. I will attach the pain patterns for the muscles involved.
Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 15, 2015 at 2:59pm

I should have asked for a testimonial.
Therese Schwartz said:

Fantastic results!!  Good work, Gordon!

Gordon J. Wallis said:


This is cool. He is completely trigger point free now. He sleeps soundly through the night. When he was leaving the room I told him to remember and cancel his next appointment, because it won't be needed. Then he said, " I have to cancel one more appointment too." I said, "What appointment is that?" He said, "The one with the Orthopedic Surgeon."
Gordon J. Wallis said:
This is interesting. A new cient came in the other day. I've seen him three times now. But the first time I saw him, I asked him if there was anything that I could do for him? He told me that he did not think I could do anything for him, but he was reffered to me, and that he would try anything. I said, You must be hurting? He said yes. At night he has a very difficult time sleeping. He is awaken throughout the night with right shoulder pain that radiates down his arm all the way to his thumb. He told me that has seen other people and is doing the exercises, but its been six months and its not getting any better. I asked him where he feels the most pain when its really hurting. He touched his deltoid. Anyway I palpated from his hips up to the top of his neck and dowh his right arm. Here is what I found. Three rhomboid pain points. One pain point in the extensor muscles of his arm along with a pain point on his thumb. But the worst two pain points were in his Infraspinatus. They all perfectly match up to his pain pattern. The exercises he was doing, with weights, to his right arm were only perpateuating his pain problem. I've seen him three or four times now. 15 minute sessions. He is now sleeping at night with only minor pain. Last night he was awoken only one time, but the pain dissapated quickly and he was able to go right back to sleep. He still has two rhomboid pain pain points. The extesor and thumb are only lightly sore now. I used soft tissue release for his forearm and plain old ordinary massage on his thumb to ease the pain in those areas. But the Infraspinatus pain points are now gone. Those were the main ones. Anyway, he is way better now. Not sure if its completely over for him, but he is 85% better after three or four short sessions and no exercise. I will attach the pain patterns for the muscles involved.
Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on October 15, 2015 at 3:58pm

Maybe he can email you one.

Gordon J. Wallis said:


I should have asked for a testimonial.
Therese Schwartz said:

Fantastic results!!  Good work, Gordon!

Gordon J. Wallis said:


This is cool. He is completely trigger point free now. He sleeps soundly through the night. When he was leaving the room I told him to remember and cancel his next appointment, because it won't be needed. Then he said, " I have to cancel one more appointment too." I said, "What appointment is that?" He said, "The one with the Orthopedic Surgeon."
Gordon J. Wallis said:
This is interesting. A new cient came in the other day. I've seen him three times now. But the first time I saw him, I asked him if there was anything that I could do for him? He told me that he did not think I could do anything for him, but he was reffered to me, and that he would try anything. I said, You must be hurting? He said yes. At night he has a very difficult time sleeping. He is awaken throughout the night with right shoulder pain that radiates down his arm all the way to his thumb. He told me that has seen other people and is doing the exercises, but its been six months and its not getting any better. I asked him where he feels the most pain when its really hurting. He touched his deltoid. Anyway I palpated from his hips up to the top of his neck and dowh his right arm. Here is what I found. Three rhomboid pain points. One pain point in the extensor muscles of his arm along with a pain point on his thumb. But the worst two pain points were in his Infraspinatus. They all perfectly match up to his pain pattern. The exercises he was doing, with weights, to his right arm were only perpateuating his pain problem. I've seen him three or four times now. 15 minute sessions. He is now sleeping at night with only minor pain. Last night he was awoken only one time, but the pain dissapated quickly and he was able to go right back to sleep. He still has two rhomboid pain pain points. The extesor and thumb are only lightly sore now. I used soft tissue release for his forearm and plain old ordinary massage on his thumb to ease the pain in those areas. But the Infraspinatus pain points are now gone. Those were the main ones. Anyway, he is way better now. Not sure if its completely over for him, but he is 85% better after three or four short sessions and no exercise. I will attach the pain patterns for the muscles involved.
Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 16, 2015 at 7:54pm
This is cool. I had a new client the other day. When I asked her what she needed from the massage, she told me that she has a chiropractic appointment later today. And she is nervous about getting her neck cracked. So she thought a massage might help her relax in preperation for the chiropractic deal. I'm wondering, what she is seeing the chiropractor for? When I asked her she told me that for the last ten days her entire left arm is numb and tingles including her hands and fingers. It wakes her up at night. I asked her if she had full range of motion, and she said yes. So ok, here is the deal. I can give you a relaxing massage. However, I'm an advanced therapist, and there is a very good possibility that I can help you. It will only take me a few minutes to find out. If I don't think I can help you, we will carry on with the relaxing massage. I asked her if her arm hurts. She said no. I asked if her arm and hand are tingling now? She said yes. It tingles all the time. While she was standing I palpated her left forarm and asked her if it hurt. She said no, but its sore. I palpated her right forearm, and her eyes got big. She said its not sore at all. So I asked her if it was a big difference between her left and right forearm. She said yes. I realize my left arm is much more sore. Then I left the room while she got on the table face down. When I came in I palpated from her low back up to the top of her head along with her face( when she turned over ) and left arm. This is what I found. I found three very tender spots on the paraspinals between her left shoulder blade and spine. I also found two very tender spots on the edge of her shoulder blade , possibly the rhomboids, on the same side. I found three very tender spots on her left neck and one right on the spinus of C4 or 5. When I palpated one of those left tender points she said it radiated to her right jaw, where I found another tender point in that massiter. I found only one tender spot on her forearms, but it was a very sore one that radiated down her arm. I was able to deactivate all those tender points on her back neck and jaw using acupressure and trigger point techniques. For her forearm I went into Soft Tissue Release mode. I find that an excellent technique for the forearms. You might know it as Active Release, same deal. Maybe five or six minutes of work on her forearms, and I asked her. How does your arm feel now? Is it still tingling like it has been for the last tend days? She said NO. It's not tingling at all? I said that means your problem is muscular. The tight muscles may have been irritating a nerve or disturbing circulation causing your tingling discomfort. She was very happy and scheduled a follow up session. Anyway, its the beginning of the end for her tingling problem. She cancelled her chiropractic appointment, no need.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 19, 2015 at 5:53pm
I screwed up yesterday, but the day ended in a cool way. I came into work thinking I started at 1pm. However, I was suppose to start at 12 noon. I don't know how that happened, but it doesn't matter. My client was waiting for a half hour before I found out what was happening. Anyway, long story short. I had time to work on her for a half hour. The spa did not charge her and gave her a gift certificate for another massage. I felt terrible. I apologized to her profusely and told her that if she schedules her next massage with me, she won't even have to use her gift certificate. I will pay for it myself. So she got a good half hour massage and left the spa happy. But I still did not feel good about the whole thing. Anyway, later that day after work I stopped off at the grocery store before going home. I noticed two women looking at the various asprin tylenol products. One was complaining about her left leg hurting. I told her that I was a pain expert and perhaps I could help her. She had been hurting for ten days. Hard to walk, pain at night. Radiating pain on the back of her left leg. She doesnt know if its arthritis or sciatica? I said, Let me see if I can help you right now. She said ok. In one section of the store there is a cafeteria. She sat in one of the chairs and I palpated a very very tender spot just above her knee on the lateral hamstring of her left leg. When I touched it she vocalized and her whole body flinched. In 30 seconds that pain point was gone. She was freaked out and amazed. Both her and her friend took my card and are coming in to see me later this week. When I was leaving the store I saw her talking to other people and moving her leg up and down telling other people how I made her ten day pain go away in 30 seconds.. So even though I screwed up in one part of my day. I did good in another.
Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 24, 2015 at 10:57pm
I saw the lady that I met in the grocery store a couple times. Her leg is now pain free. As usual it wasn't sciatica or arthritis. Otherwise her pain would not have completely vanished in two short sessions. It was one or two trigger points in the hamstrings. She also had a minor trigger point in one of the glute muscles. The attachment below clearly shows what was causing her pain.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 26, 2015 at 4:46pm
A new client came in the other day complaining of left shoulder and neck pain. As she was describing her pain I noticed she touched the back of her head and neck. But getting rid of that pain was the main reason for her scheduling a massage. After showing her a video clip of me doing my acupressue work on a client, she told me about her chronic on and off left hip pain. She was dressed( undressed ) for a spa type massage. I asked her if she would be comfortable just covered by a sheet because there is no oil involved with my trigger point/acupressure work. She said no problem. I palpated from her hips up into the base of her skull as she was laying on her stomach, and this is what I found. A very painful Tensor faciae latae pain point as well as a mild Gluteus maximus on her left hip. I found a pain point at the L2 level on her paraspinals on the left side. The lateral spinus of T2 was tender on the left side. There was also a tender lateral spinus on the right side around the T3 level. That was pretty much the only pain point she had on the right side. I found a mild left upper Trapzius pain point as well as a mild Levator scapulae pain point on the same side. She had a pain point on both her left and right neck around the C6 level and another pain point on her left neck about the C2 level on the left side. But the most painful pain point was further up on her skull on the left side. About where the Occiptialis would connect. She actually showed me where that point was. She new about that one. I was able to down grade or eliminate all those pain points quickly. Then I had her turn over so I could palpate the front of her body. I found a big pain point right in the middle of her left Quad as well as another mild pain point on the base of her left skull, maybe where the upper Trap would connect. All those deactivated. After the session her shoulder and neck were pain free. Forgot to ask about her hip. She has to go on a trip and can't come back for a week on a follow up. But its Trigger Points as usual.
Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on October 29, 2015 at 9:28pm
This is interesting. A new client came in the other day. When I asked her what she needed from the massage she said.,
" My upper back. From my bra strap up into my neck. I have an arthritc spine." When I hear something like that. Uhm..??? I guess its possible, but...More of a chance its trigger points. Well she may have an arthritc spine, but she also had at least 15 trigger points on her paraspinals, rhomboids, cervical muscles, and spinuses in that area. I mean one after the other. I did my best to eliminate or down grade all the pain points. After the session she said she felt batter. I asked her to give me a percentage. She said 60% better. Its too bad she lives out of town.. Far away. So no chance for follow up sessions. Fifteen active trigger points can cause a lot of pain. If she can get rid of those trigger points. I dont think her arthritis would bother her as much? Another recent client has been in physical therapy for two and a half months. Shoulder impingement syndrome. Of course they have her on an exercise weight lifting routine in order to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder joint. She is an avid swimmer. But she cant move her arm without pain. After two and a half months of therapy she says she is better. But she still can't swim because of the shoulder pain. Like Ive said before on this thread. If you exercise a trigger pointed muscle, it often times only perpetuates and sustains the trigger points, thus the pain problem. . Its like exercising and stretching your cracked lip. To me, two and a half months is a long time for that type of problem. Anyway, she was in the massage mode.. wanting to relax.. So I massaged her... But after the massage when she was in her robe, just before she was going to shower. I said let me check your shoulder out. I had her lift her arm up. It went a little bit more then 90 degrees. A little more the parallel to the ground before it became uncomfortable. Then I did a release on the deltoid and infraspinatus ( they both had trigger pioints ), and she lifted her arm full range of motion without pain. You should have seen her face. Her jaw dropped. She has not been able to do that in two and a half months. I don't have any fantasies that I cured her of her problem right then and their. But her problem is more like a two day to two week problem. Not an on going two and a half month one. Im going to attach a review that Ive posted before on this thread. Not to say how great I am. Trust me I have failed a lot. It just points out vividly what happens when trigger points are ignored or not considered. hmmm... It wont let me attach what I wanted to attach. I will attach something else applicable. Then attach what I wanted to attach on the next entry. And you have seen this one before too.
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