Massage therapy advice?

What kind of massage should I get for this back pain? Sports, deep tissue, shiatsu... what's actually worth it?
Just a heads up, my job keeps me glued to a desk all day, even though I hit the gym every single night and crush specific back exercises. Any advice? Also, if you're in the Washington, D.C. area, please hook me up with a recommendation for a killer massage therapist. Thanks!

Are we talking just muscle cramps here, or is your spine acting up too? If it's the back itself... you might want to go see a chiropractor. 😉

Just muscle stuff... thanks anyway 👋

Honestly, don't get too hung up on labels like "sports" or "relaxation" massage... at the end of the day, what really matters is finding a therapist who actually knows their stuff and can tailor the session to what your back needs. Most of those fancy names are just different ways of describing a good, classic manual massage.

That being said, if I were you, I’d definitely give a Thai massage a shot! 😁

dustycanyon6 said:Is it just muscle tension, or is your spine involved? If it's the spine, you should probably see a chiropractor.
😉

There is a documented case where neck manipulation proved fatal: Kristi A. Bedenbaugh, a medical office administrator and former beauty queen from Little Mountain, South Carolina. Back in 1993, Kristi went to a chiropractor to help with sinus headache pain. During her second appointment, she suffered a stroke right after the chiropractor performed a neck manipulation.

She passed away three days later, just a day shy of her 25th birthday. The autopsy showed the manipulation had actually torn the inner walls of both vertebral arteries. This caused them to balloon out, cutting off blood flow to the bottom of her brain.

Later studies confirmed that blood clots had formed in the days following the procedure.

By 1997, the state board of Chiropractic Examiners of South Carolina issued a consent order. As part of the agreement, the chiropractor paid a $1,000 fine and committed to 12 hours of continuing education focused on emergency response and neurological disorders.

Casey Palmer5 said:Personally, I'd suggest getting a Thai massage 😁

Can you give me some actual details via DM? 😎

Look, Jamie Clark74, I’m not looking for a fight here—you could end up in a ditch the second you step out onto the road. But if those vertebrae are out of alignment and pressing on nerves or blood vessels... causing all sorts of issues, like poor circulation to the brain for instance... is it really smarter to just leave it alone? To let someone suffer for the rest of their life while things get worse because they won't fix themselves? Or is it actually worth seeing a solid chiropractor to get everything back where it belongs and finally solve the problem? (That was a rhetorical question 😉)

dustycanyon6,
We touched on chiropractic care earlier... if I don't know a thing about it, how could I? I'm speaking from experience here. I had an excellent chiropractor back in the States.
Over twenty years, I went through hundreds of appointments—acupuncture, naturopaths, all sorts of natural remedies... I've spent a small fortune on "alternative medicine."

All those "specialists" are really meant for healthy people, not the sick.
Anyone can crack bones or perform manipulations; clicking a joint doesn't actually mean anything.

And messing with someone's neck is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS . In the end, my own chiropractor had to admit he couldn't help me.

When you're dealing with a patient who’s had surgery or serious injuries where physical therapy isn't cutting it, a massage is your best bet—if you can afford it.
It always gives me a little relief, though it's fleeting. If I could afford to go twice a week, I’d definitely feel better... but money is tight.

My chiropractor once fell off a horse and wouldn't let his colleague manipulate him. Why?

He went to a neurologist... I think that provides a lot of necessary clarity.

It's easy enough to manipulate a healthy person; they get a little pop and think, "Oh, it's back in place now." I've watched about six different practitioners work. Most were too nervous to even touch me because of my surgery, while others just used a little gadget to click my spinal sides... honestly, my wife could do that. They give you a three-minute massage and send you the bill.

This might be new to you all, but I went through this whole "alternative practitioner" cycle thirty years ago.

👋 👋

I just started seeing this chiropractor who is a total legend—he’s actually worked on some huge celebrities before. 😉 My neck is pretty much a wreck, which shows up clearly on my X-rays, so we're talking real physical issues here. For now, my chiropractor is feeling optimistic and thinks he can really help me out. I mean, I don't know how much truth there is to all of it (though it sounds logical)... a lot of health problems could stem from a misaligned spine if those vertebrae start pressing on nerves and blood vessels. If an illness is actually caused by a displaced vertebra, wouldn't it make sense to fix it by getting that bone back where it belongs? Treat the cause, not just the symptoms! Anyway, I guess I'll just have to wait and see which way things go over the next few weeks... My roommate is actually a patient of his too, which is kind of why I decided to give him a shot in the first place... she was absolutely raving about him.

If I could see the X-ray, I might be able to tell you what's actually going on... but if someone is dealing with cervical vertebrae pressing on their nerves, they’re in serious shape. Their arms could be completely numb, leaving them incapacitated—and under NO circumstances should they go to a chiropractor.

In cases like that, seeking chiropractic care could lead to paralysis or even a stroke, which is something we've seen happen far too often.

🙂 😉 😎

I don't know what you're on about... I wouldn't say I'm in a bad spot, not really. My back and neck are acting up a bit, sure, but that's just the symptoms. Still, I know I need to get ahead of this whole spine situation. I definitely don't want to be dealing with a total breakdown in ten or twenty years when there isn't much left to do... 😉 And honestly, looking at the pros and cons right now, there isn't much to weigh. The risk is tiny, but the payoff could be huge.

Can anyone tell me if a standard massage—like a full-body session—actually offers any real health benefits for a pretty average person who isn't dealing with chronic pain or crushing themselves with heavy workouts? I’ve been hearing lately that there might not be any tangible medical advantages at all, beyond just feeling good or having that sense of, you know, "I treated myself to something nice."

Boosting circulation and just relaxing...
What more could you want? 🙂

Casey Palmer5 said:Better circulation and relaxation.
What more could you want? 🙂

Plus, it’s proven to help with stress... I wish I had some right now, but I'll get back to it later!
👋

Jamie Clark74 said:If I could see an X-ray, I might actually be able to tell you what's going on.

Look, I get that you’ve learned a thing or two about certain medical fields through trial and error, but this sounds like a massive stretch to me.

For what it's worth, my mom deals with serious spinal issues. When she was constantly dizzy and couldn't even move her arms properly, the only thing that actually worked was spinal manipulation. You can't "fix" worn-out vertebrae, obviously, but you can definitely get them back where they belong. Also, she used to rely on injections because she’d be so stiff in the morning she couldn't even walk—one leg would be so locked up she practically had to fall out of bed just to get standing. Standard medicine could only offer her pills, which absolutely trashed her stomach and gut, so now she can only handle basic Tylenol before things go south; everything else requires shots. We aren't exactly talking about treating a perfectly healthy person here. Plus, those migraines she used to get all the time? Gone.

I dealt with lumbar sciatica when I was 13 or 14. I still remember this one tournament where I begged a friend to sit on my back while I did that floor stretch—you know, the one where you sit and reach for your toes—just so I could get enough mobility to actually perform my kicks. I couldn't even lift my foot to my waist, and I needed to land headshots. I spent months in physical therapy, and then a chiropractor cracked my spine right back into place.

By the way, this is about a family friend living in Germany. He's only in the States occasionally, and he told my mom straight up that he has no clue who to send her to for treatment because he doesn't know which doctors are actually trustworthy.

Man, I honestly wish I could just head over to my aunt’s place for a massage right now!
I’ve been going to her for those famous anti-cellulite massages and lymphatic drainage treatments every single spring for a few years now. It’s such a killer way to relax—plus, after about 20 sessions, my legs and glutes look 👍

My mom's giving me a massage tomorrow 😍

alex,
In case you forgot, I completed two years of medical school—my sons covered the tuition. The idea actually came from my psychiatrist, who has become a close friend.
She’s a GP, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a professor of psychiatry who teaches at the university. She's dedicated her entire life to medicine and doesn't have children.

I took specialized courses for subjects that
directly impacted me and my health. I have training in reading X-rays and possess knowledge roughly on par with a GP... maybe even a little more,
but specifically regarding the spine and lung issues related to asbestos exposure.

I decided not to finish the full degree because the workload required a level of focus I just don't have anymore. My pain management clinic was also kind enough to let me take several three-month lecture series, since they understood both my struggles and my background.

======
Getting back to the health issues: most of us start dealing with spinal problems quite early, depending on how severe things get.
Your mother doesn't have neurological issues; if she did, she would likely need surgery to fix it.
What she has is osteoarthritis, which I also deal with in my cervical spine.
Spurs are growing there. Like anyone else living with osteoarthritis, she needs to maintain the muscles and ligaments that hold the vertebrae in place. That means physical therapy and regular exercises.

My two surgeries were for neurological issues: Laminectomy 1972 L5/S1 due to a pinched nerve and disc.
Then in 2004, it was spinal stenosis and two pinched nerves and discs.

A chiropractor might claim they "aligned" or "reset" your spine, but unfortunately, within a day or two, everything usually returns to how it was.
There isn't much else that can be done.
First off, as long as possible, movement and exercise are recommended to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Then there are anti-inflammatories; I've been taking them for 35 years. Just imagine what that does to my stomach, considering I take about 25 other pills a day. Some people prefer ice packs, while others prefer heat; I tend to alternate between the two.
When inflammation hits its peak, there's really nothing anyone can do to help. The body simply needs 4 to 6 weeks to recover from the inflammation. During that time, manual manipulation or any heavy physical exertion is definitely not recommended.

I wish your mother all the best.

🙂 😉 😎