how do you feel after massage?

[wabi-sabi]

Hi Everybody,

I've been feeling a bit better (and a bit stir crazy spending so much time at home) and decided to treat myself to a massage. After the massage I felt a bit stiff physically (when I lie still my muscles turn to painful cement), but emotionally very relaxed and happy. I was even able to have a short nap without the painsomnia. But today I feel like a crash- a small one, but still a crash. Definitely won't be leaving the house for a bit. Has this happened to anyone else? I keep reading stuff online about healing crisis and detox of metabolic waste, but I just feel like a crash. I guess too much metabolic waste all at once would cause a crash wouldn't it, since our metabolism doesn't work? At any rate, my intuition is that massage actually isn't good for me and really does cause a minicrash. Does anyone else have this experience? just want to feel validated and not crazy.

 

[Hufsamor]

It depends on how ill I am at beforehand, but yes,
if I'm in a bad place, massage can make me crash.

 

[Wolfcub]

I have heard that massage releases free radicals etc to be processed by the immune system.
I have no experience though. Last time I had a massage was 30+ years ago!

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Yes, a massage generally gives me PEM, I crash and don't feel well for several days.

A full body massage is out of the question, currently.

Using a muscle vibrator: same result.

Something stored up is being released and elicits feeling the "cells poisoned feeling.."

Moderation is therefore recommended.

 

[Hufsamor]

Something stored up is being released and elicits feeling the "cells poisoned feeling.."

I guess this is the feeling I get even from relaxation exercises (but I don't get PEM from relaxation)

 

[Seven7]

I have noticed I have to drink a whole bottle of water right after the Masage ( as you stand from table) or it will crash me. I also see it as I would excercise, so I plan my day to do nothing afterwards ( I used to be done by 8pm so bed afterwards)

 

[BadBadBear]

After a massage, I feel like I have the flu and got hit by a semi truck, and the pain and discomfort lasts for days. Just can't do it.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Acupuncture does the same thing, as stagnent energy is released and then: must be processed out of the body somehow. I get very short, few needle acupuncture treatments occasionally. Then figure several days of PEM yuck.

Been trying to do small lymph massages here to move lymph, but very slowly and in small bits...

 

[maggie3]

Usually when I do things like massage or acupuncture I just incredibly exhausted afterwards. Like I go into the appt feeling okay and afterwards I have to go home and sleep it off for a while. I dont necessarily enjoy massage all that much, since I became ill my back has gone numb so I cant really feel much anyways

 

[Remi]

I used to feel better after massage when ME was still mild. Now with mod/severe ME it doesn't help much anymore. PT massaged stiff back several times, but it did not loosen my muscles like it used to. Also my lower back exercises don't really have effect, while PT says i'm doing them right. Stretching does help, though only temporarily. Probably all because I don't move my body to keep it supple - obviously.

 

[MartinK]

Hi there, last week I tried massage but negative results too - huge PEM for 3 days...flu-like symptoms and inflammation was back for these days. :-/
Im little bit better last months but this makes me small break :-/

Anyone has an explanation? Someone told about lot of toxins in motion... but, I am not sure.

Im trying Buhner herbs (testing Lyme + Babs...without results)...toxins are possible, but I dont know...

Some advice on how to avoid PEM after massage?
Thanks!
Martin

 

[Judee]

I have noticed I have to drink a whole bottle of water right after the Masage

My chiropractor says the same thing when he does a lot of massage work before adjusting us. He always says, "make sure you go home and drink a lot of water tonight."

 

[Seven7]

make sure you go home and drink a lot of water tonight."

If I wait until you get home is too late for me (5min away) I have to do it as I Stnad from table or I will crash.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Some advice on how to avoid PEM after massage?

Limit the massage to: just a part, and not so long. Like just get a foot massage, and don't go more than 15 minutes. Or just your neck and shoulders.

I had somebody work on intense neck area: only that. The PEM was some, but handlable the next day.

A full treatment, its just too intense here: too much stagnent lymph and crap in muscles.

I have used a large vibrator on calves: this feels good. But I got some PEM from that. So I try to just do small amount. I think it does help move some stuff out of there. Soles of the foot, also (put on the vibrator, my whole leg will vibrate and that will "release stuff".

Since all that is passive release, I suspect its released stuff stored up in lymph and muscle, and is not so much about possibly: having the gut dump some toxins into the blood stream, via the exercising route.

 

[I AM]

I feel wonderful after massage. I especially like deep tissue and Chinese massage. I was lucky to have found a chiropractor that offered massage (with massage therapists not with the chiropractor) and 30-min was covered by Medicaid. I used to go every 2 weeks. Then he stopped participating in Medicaid. Sigh.

 

[valentinelynx]

I feel good immediately after my Thai massage. I definitely have improved motion of my joints and less pain. Later though, I have a period of worsened fatigue and irritability. Even healthy people can get sick after a good deep massage. I once recommended a great Thai massage therapist to a friend in Hawaii. She had been under prolonged stress. She got so sick she had to skip our outing the next day. I felt bad, because I should have predicted that outcome and warned her: it will do you good, but you will temporarily feel lousy. On the other hand, I think massage therapists should warn people more (other than just recommending drinking lots of water). Sure, it might scare a few off, but I'm sure it also scares off people from returning when their first massage makes them ill. If you get a massage on a regular basis (I do it every 2 weeks if financially feasible) the effect diminishes. If done frequently enough (it'd be great to live in Thailand where you could afford a massage every day!) the effect will probably vanish.

 

[wabi-sabi]

I've never found the drinking more water advice to have any effect either before or after ME/CFS. At this point I am just avoiding massage as I avoid anything that gives me PEM (at least as much as I can). I just can't think that a bout of PEM benefits me in any way whether it's induced by doing errands or getting a massage. There are times when I know I will have to overdo and can push through, but I keep that for emergencies.

I will say when I first became ill (and was less sick) massage took the pain away and I really loved it. I got as many as I could afford. Now that I'm sicker it causes more pain than it solves. This makes me sad, and I keep hoping it will change, but no such luck yet. Honestly, I don't feel it's releasing toxins so much as it's creating toxins. I mainly watch massage on youtube and soak up the relaxation vicariously without actually being touched. It's a massage for the brain!

 

[Remi]

I used to feel better after massage when ME was still mild. Now with mod/severe ME it doesn't help much anymore. PT massaged stiff back several times, but it did not loosen my muscles like it used to. Also my lower back exercises don't really have effect, while PT says i'm doing them right. Stretching does help, though only temporarily. Probably all because I don't move my body to keep it supple - obviously.

Taking this back. I just had bad PT before, apparently. Yesterday I had a great massage and now I feel much better. This was shoulders and I hope she will fix my lower back as well.

 

[Dechi]

It varies from time to time. Sometimes it hurts or makes me dizzy, sometimes I seem fine during it but sort of crash afterwards and need to lie on the table for a few minutes after, sometimes I’m okay. I never feel good after, like I did when I was well.

 

[taniaaust1]

You need to take extra water if getting a massage due to the toxins it can release.. a glass of water before a massage and a glass right after is recommended.

Also if massages are making you ill, I think those who have ME/CFS should also consider what the person doing the massage may have on (chemical deodourants etc) seeing they will be so close to you the whole time while doing the massage. It may not necessarily be the detox reaction making you ill.