Can massage trigger a heart attack?

Is it actually possible for a chest massage at a spa to trigger a heart attack? I was thinking maybe all that pressure on the chest could mess with the main arteries near the heart, causing some fat buildup to break loose and clog things up.
Thanks...

I don't know, but I've heard somewhere that those anti-cellulite massages can actually dislodge some deep-seated blood clot, which could then lead to a heart attack or something...

Emily Sanders4 said:I don't know, but I heard that anti-cellulite massages can dislodge a hidden blood clot, which could then lead to a heart attack.

Wait, seriously?!? 😕

I am officially retiring from giving massages. No one is ever getting one from me again.

frozenhawk said:Is it actually possible for a chest massage—like at a spa or something—to trigger a heart attack? I was just thinking that if they press too hard on the chest area, they might mess with the main vessels near the heart, maybe dislodging some fat buildup and causing a blockage?
Thanks...

I mean, sure, if someone treats you like they’re performing emergency CPR during a routine session...😬 ....But seriously, you can't just "press on the main vessels near the heart" because all that vital stuff is tucked safely behind the ribcage and spine structure.
So, the short answer is definitely no—a standard "spa-style" chest massage isn't going to cause a heart attack.

Now, there's a different story if someone has an existing or hidden blood clot in their legs. In that case, massaging that specific area could shake a clot loose, which then travels through the veins to the right side of the heart and up to the pulmonary artery, potentially causing a massive pulmonary embolism and, honestly, sudden death.

Scott Allen10 said:It’s a whole different story if someone has a diagnosed or even an undiagnosed blood clot in their leg veins. In those cases, massaging the area could actually dislodge the clot—which then travels through the veins, hits the right side of the heart, moves into the pulmonary artery, and triggers a massive pulmonary embolism (a lung infarct)... which can lead to sudden death quite often.

Yeah, that’s exactly how I heard it described... thanks for providing the actual medical context. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the specific terminology at the moment, I just remember the gist of it being dangerous. 😘

I think it mostly comes down to WHO is doing the massaging 😬

Sophia Martinez65 said:I think it mostly comes down to WHO is doing the massaging.😬

Drake.

Studies show that sex within a marriage (or a steady relationship) doesn't trigger heart attacks. But those extracurricular activities—where you're dealing with stress, the fear of getting caught, all that jazz—yeah, that can do it. 😲 🤣

Anyway, staying on topic, Scott Allen10 makes a solid point. 😎

Drake, Scott Allen10, that sounds reasonable to me. As for massages, I actually agreed to a heavy-duty medical back massage once—first and last time in my life, honestly. I work out regularly and my back is usually fine, but this was something else entirely. It felt like someone was just taking swings at my spine. My skin was raw from all the friction and my muscles were aching from being squeezed way too hard. What’s been your experience with that kind of thing?

What kind of friction and skin irritation are we even talking about? Who on earth was working on you? It sounds like someone who clearly hasn't a clue what they're doing in that area...

Massage shouldn't hurt. The only time you should feel any discomfort is if they're working on specific muscle knots, and even then, it's just a localized sensation that stays within a tolerable limit. Otherwise, it's supposed to be a really relaxing experience.

I'm right there with you, Abraham Lincoln—it feels like you just fell right into the lap of some random nobody who didn't even break a sweat to help you out.
Honestly, after that one and only professional massage I ever actually went for in my life, I felt somewhere between...🙂...and....🙂 ....