jladams
04-22-2003, 02:17 PM
Hi everyone,
I just started having some massage therapy done.(My father-in-law is a massage therapist). He does the thing where he finds the trigger points and holds pressure until they release. I guess it's called accupressure? Anyway, I had it done a couple times and was a little sore afterwards. My question is, how many times does it usually take before you start to notice a difference? Also, is it unusual for the muscles to tighten back up or spasm like a matter of a few hours later?
Thanks, jladams
I just started having some massage therapy done.(My father-in-law is a massage therapist). He does the thing where he finds the trigger points and holds pressure until they release. I guess it's called accupressure? Anyway, I had it done a couple times and was a little sore afterwards. My question is, how many times does it usually take before you start to notice a difference? Also, is it unusual for the muscles to tighten back up or spasm like a matter of a few hours later?
Thanks, jladams
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CherylLynn24
04-22-2003, 03:05 PM
Hi jl,
My son's been going to a masso. for about 2 months. He'll come out saying he's about 10 percent better sometimes, but a few hours later, the muscles are all tight again. She did some deeper tissue massage on his neck about 2 weeks ago, and said it would be alittle sore for a day, but it REALLY hurt for a few days, so when we went back I told her to go easy on the neck and explained why. He hasn't had any worthwhile improvement from masso. but if he feels just a tiny bit better for a short while, it's worth it to me. Maybe it'll work better for you!
Cheryl
My son's been going to a masso. for about 2 months. He'll come out saying he's about 10 percent better sometimes, but a few hours later, the muscles are all tight again. She did some deeper tissue massage on his neck about 2 weeks ago, and said it would be alittle sore for a day, but it REALLY hurt for a few days, so when we went back I told her to go easy on the neck and explained why. He hasn't had any worthwhile improvement from masso. but if he feels just a tiny bit better for a short while, it's worth it to me. Maybe it'll work better for you!
Cheryl
jladams
04-22-2003, 03:36 PM
Thanks Cheryl,
How many times a week does he go?
How many times a week does he go?
CherylLynn24
04-22-2003, 03:48 PM
Hey,
He goes once a week.(it's costly, and ins. doesn't cover it) She did show me basicly how to massage the muscles for him in between. Considering how bad his pain is, it always puts a smile on his face when that day of the week comes. He refers to her as "the lady with the magic fingers." If I could afford it, I'd take him everyday!
Cheryl
He goes once a week.(it's costly, and ins. doesn't cover it) She did show me basicly how to massage the muscles for him in between. Considering how bad his pain is, it always puts a smile on his face when that day of the week comes. He refers to her as "the lady with the magic fingers." If I could afford it, I'd take him everyday!
Cheryl
plymouth
04-22-2003, 05:20 PM
Hi,
Acupressure is very different from trigger point therapy.
Acupressure is used like acupuncture to balance the flow of chi energy along the meridians.
Trigger point therapy releases trigger points which are areas of low neurological activity that when stressed transform into areas of high neurological activity with referred symptoms to other parts of the body.
It's normal to be sore afterwards for some hours or a day. Soreness for more than a day indicates that the therapist worked too hard, too deep or too long. More is not better. Appropriate pressure is most effective. Sort of like goldilocks, just right! :)
It is also normal for ordinary massages to not give long lasting results. When the symptoms return quickly it usually means that there are undiagnosed perpetuating factors. Some of the more common perpetuating factors in TMJ are a forward head position, pelvic misalignments and leg length difference.
An experienced well-trained clinical or structural type of massage therapist would know how to assess and evaluate for perpetuating factors. One example is the St. John Method Neuromuscular Therapist, there are others.
------------------
~p
Acupressure is very different from trigger point therapy.
Acupressure is used like acupuncture to balance the flow of chi energy along the meridians.
Trigger point therapy releases trigger points which are areas of low neurological activity that when stressed transform into areas of high neurological activity with referred symptoms to other parts of the body.
It's normal to be sore afterwards for some hours or a day. Soreness for more than a day indicates that the therapist worked too hard, too deep or too long. More is not better. Appropriate pressure is most effective. Sort of like goldilocks, just right! :)
It is also normal for ordinary massages to not give long lasting results. When the symptoms return quickly it usually means that there are undiagnosed perpetuating factors. Some of the more common perpetuating factors in TMJ are a forward head position, pelvic misalignments and leg length difference.
An experienced well-trained clinical or structural type of massage therapist would know how to assess and evaluate for perpetuating factors. One example is the St. John Method Neuromuscular Therapist, there are others.
------------------
~p
CherylLynn24
04-22-2003, 05:42 PM
p,
Thanks for the info. I'm going to look into this. How do I go about finding one in my area-just see who uses the St. John Method?
Cheryl
Thanks for the info. I'm going to look into this. How do I go about finding one in my area-just see who uses the St. John Method?
Cheryl
HRevero
04-22-2003, 07:37 PM
Hey jladams,
I have been seeing an accupressurist in training. She is really good! My headaches seem to disappear when I go or at least minimize. I ususally see her 2-3 times a week. It helps when I go to her before my pt. In a way she calms my muscles down a little. I do end up having my pain come back eventually at night, but it lasts awhile for me. I also try to ice when I start feeling icky.
Heather
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I have been seeing an accupressurist in training. She is really good! My headaches seem to disappear when I go or at least minimize. I ususally see her 2-3 times a week. It helps when I go to her before my pt. In a way she calms my muscles down a little. I do end up having my pain come back eventually at night, but it lasts awhile for me. I also try to ice when I start feeling icky.
Heather
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jladams
04-22-2003, 07:46 PM
P,
I was told quite a few years back(by a chiro) that I had the leg length difference...would a chiropractor be able to adjust this? That's interesting that it's associated with TMJ.
Forward head position as in bad posture?
[This message has been edited by jladams (edited 04-22-2003).]
I was told quite a few years back(by a chiro) that I had the leg length difference...would a chiropractor be able to adjust this? That's interesting that it's associated with TMJ.
Forward head position as in bad posture?
[This message has been edited by jladams (edited 04-22-2003).]
hbep
04-22-2003, 07:52 PM
Hello,
Don't know a great deal about this but was told one thing that I found interesting. My neighbour, a hospital physio, who I got chatting to about my tmjd prob, said that although massage will bring temporary relief, it is massage followed by stretching that can actually make a long term difference. You should, apparently, be massaged, to warm up the muscles, then gently stretched once the muscles are warm. Think you have to go easy on the stretching at first as if your muscles are in a bad way, stretching them when they are still very tight can be harmful.
Don't know if anyone else has been told this? Or if this is what their massage therapist, physios are doing?
Don't know a great deal about this but was told one thing that I found interesting. My neighbour, a hospital physio, who I got chatting to about my tmjd prob, said that although massage will bring temporary relief, it is massage followed by stretching that can actually make a long term difference. You should, apparently, be massaged, to warm up the muscles, then gently stretched once the muscles are warm. Think you have to go easy on the stretching at first as if your muscles are in a bad way, stretching them when they are still very tight can be harmful.
Don't know if anyone else has been told this? Or if this is what their massage therapist, physios are doing?
CherylLynn24
04-22-2003, 07:58 PM
hbep,
Since you brought up stretching the muscles, have you or anyone tried or heard of the "spray and strech" technique? Apparently, they spray something on the muscles that numbs them, then strech them out. Was wondering if anyone has tried this, or if it works.
Cheryl
Since you brought up stretching the muscles, have you or anyone tried or heard of the "spray and strech" technique? Apparently, they spray something on the muscles that numbs them, then strech them out. Was wondering if anyone has tried this, or if it works.
Cheryl
jladams
04-22-2003, 09:06 PM
hbep,
What kind of stretches are good to do? My father-in law had me take ahold of my top teeth with one hand and bottom teeth with the other and gently stretch that way...the ortho that dx-ed me said not to open my mouth real wide, like stay away from big macs and such.
Also, I keep constantly cracking my neck because it's so stiff all the time, can this worsten my TMJD?
Heather,
You mentioned you put ice on your face alot...have you ever used heat? I can use ice on my head but when I try it on my face or ears it hurts like crazy!!
Thanks, jladams
What kind of stretches are good to do? My father-in law had me take ahold of my top teeth with one hand and bottom teeth with the other and gently stretch that way...the ortho that dx-ed me said not to open my mouth real wide, like stay away from big macs and such.
Also, I keep constantly cracking my neck because it's so stiff all the time, can this worsten my TMJD?
Heather,
You mentioned you put ice on your face alot...have you ever used heat? I can use ice on my head but when I try it on my face or ears it hurts like crazy!!
Thanks, jladams
jladams
04-23-2003, 10:46 AM
anyone? :)
hbep
04-23-2003, 12:16 PM
Hello there,
Apologies, only just saw your question. Wish I could tell you more, I spoke to this physio for a while, but it was an informal, neighbourly chat, so can only tell you the bit she showed me. She did work with people who had been severely injured, but was not a tmjd expert, so she merely demonstrated a quick stretch technique for the neck, placing your right hand on top of your head and then pulling gently to the right side, then the same on the left. She said it helps if someone else can do the pulling for you. I'm sure I will find out more if she does some work on me. I'm afraid she didn't go in to the jaw area specifically, I have mostly ear, back, neck symptoms. Although she did say helping the back/neck is definitely going to help the jaw. She also talked about various other techniques used, like massage, then stretching, then using some kind of implement (she's spanish, worked as a physio in Spain so did not know the name in English) which is then 'stroked' down the muscle to stretch it further.
By the time I'd finished talking to her I was desperate for someone to try out these techniques on me, they sounded fantastic. I will talk to my neighbour again, she mentioned possibly doing some work on me - although she doesn't have this 'special implement' with her in England. Obviously that was supplied by the hospital where she used to work in Spain.
Sorry I can't be more helpful, wish I could, I'll let you know if I find out more.
Apologies, only just saw your question. Wish I could tell you more, I spoke to this physio for a while, but it was an informal, neighbourly chat, so can only tell you the bit she showed me. She did work with people who had been severely injured, but was not a tmjd expert, so she merely demonstrated a quick stretch technique for the neck, placing your right hand on top of your head and then pulling gently to the right side, then the same on the left. She said it helps if someone else can do the pulling for you. I'm sure I will find out more if she does some work on me. I'm afraid she didn't go in to the jaw area specifically, I have mostly ear, back, neck symptoms. Although she did say helping the back/neck is definitely going to help the jaw. She also talked about various other techniques used, like massage, then stretching, then using some kind of implement (she's spanish, worked as a physio in Spain so did not know the name in English) which is then 'stroked' down the muscle to stretch it further.
By the time I'd finished talking to her I was desperate for someone to try out these techniques on me, they sounded fantastic. I will talk to my neighbour again, she mentioned possibly doing some work on me - although she doesn't have this 'special implement' with her in England. Obviously that was supplied by the hospital where she used to work in Spain.
Sorry I can't be more helpful, wish I could, I'll let you know if I find out more.
GenDen
04-23-2003, 06:53 PM
Whatever kind of bodywork, whether it is massage, accupressure, etc., it is important to be very gentle and go slowly. The same is true of stretching. It has taken me a long time to find out that when I stretch, it should be just barely. Anything more than that sets me back a notch or two and can take up to weeks to recover from.