Massage therapist or Chiropractor?

[Betticus]

Okay, when I was moving my furniture and stuff from my apartment into my new house I did something to my neck. I have at times a burning/tingling sensation that shoots from the left side of my neck just above the shoulder and runs down my arm and numbs my index finger and the other two over but not the thumb.

WTF? I think I need a cookie!

 

[SweetCherry]

Sounds kinda like a pinched nerve. A trip to the chiro is always helpful.

You could always hit the chiro, then a day or so later, get a massage. That way, the nerve could be taken care of, and then the soreness massaged out.

 

[Hooper_X]

Personally, I'd see a neurologist.

 

[brioche]

Why not a normal doctor? They should be able to tell you what's going on, tell you whether further help is necessary, what that help would be, and prescribe painkillers/muscle relaxants or point you toward the appropriate over-the counter ones.
Or is that just the view of a Canadian who gets to go to doctors for free (well, after the health premium on my taxes)? Do you not have a health plan?
A good chiropractor can help if it is a pinched nerve.
A good massage therapist can help if it is a tissue injury.
A good doctor can tell you which it is.

*I love my family physician. She rocks! *

 

[brioche]

Not to hijack the thread, but are massage therapists really helpful? My new health plan at work covers a few visits a year and I do get stressed out, do they help a lot? How long does the relaxation from one last? And do you really have to strip?

Can anyone who knows a lot about them PM me? I've been wondering. (Or Betticus could tell me. It's his thread)

 

[shaymless]

Not to hijack the thread, but are massage therapists really helpful? My new health plan at work covers a few visits a year and I do get stressed out, do they help a lot? How long does the relaxation from one last? And do you really have to strip?

Can anyone who knows a lot about them PM me? I've been wondering. (Or Betticus could tell me. It's his thread)

I'm a big believer in a good massage - but finding the right massage therapist can be as tricky as finding a good doctor and like anything, good communication beforehand leads to a better massage - at least in my experience.

I carry a lot of anxiety and find that a deep muscle massage helps me let go of it for a bit. Does it last forever? Mentally, no, not for me - but it certainly alleviates the additional stress of having sore muscles, so I try to have a professional massage at least every other month. I'd go more often, but the cost is prohibitive and it's a "necessary luxury" I allow myself. I have a friend who goes every week and it's the only thing barring back surgery that keeps her functioning.

Before I found my current massage therapist, who I would marry if I were a lesbian she's just that damned wonderful, it was a hit and miss process of different day spas and trying different types of massages. I really don't care for your basic 30 minute relaxation massage, but many do. I ended up with my best luck at a bargain price - she works at a gym that's affiliated with our local hospital and does medical massages for the physical therapy patients as well....so she's a third of the price of a typical day spa 30 minute deal and I get her for an entire hour of bliss. Honestly, I feel about 4 inches taller when I leave her and she goes after those knots between my shoulder blades like it's a personal vendetta.

Yes, you do have to strip as far down as you feel comfortable, but honestly, you get over that after the first time and you're covered with a sheet except the area he or she is working on. When you have to turn, they generally hold the sheet up like a wall for you and cover you all back up...and done well, by the time you get done, you don't care if you're naked or not

Long story short (too late!) I say if your health plan is willing to pay for at least part of it, you have nothing to lose to try it.

shay

 

[Netzach]

I'm an advocate for chiropractic done by the right people. They'll refer you to an MD if that has to happen. NO MD's will say "you should try chiropractic"

a million people feeling better without drugs must all be insane.

 

[DVS]

If your fingers are numb, it's an inflamed nerve...maybe just because it has been injured, or maybe because you have a vertebra in your neck that's out of alignment, depending on how long ago you moved the furniture.

If it's been a month, it's not just injured, unless you continue to re-injure it, with kinky sex positions or something else that's related. But, if it's been long enough and your same fingers are numb or tingly, I'd say you have a vertebra out of position, riding on the nerve. It doesn't take much, and when it's riding on the nerve, it can get painful. A numbness is more extreme.

I have a reoccurring nerve that gets inflamed. The last two fingers on my left hand can become numb. Whatever fingers are involved, tells the Chiropractor which vertebra is involved. In my experience, in a case such as this, MDs will just say it's something you have to live with, or maybe give you a muscle relaxer and tell you to call them in the morning. (my lame joke)

The longer you wait, the more those muscles around the affected vertebra will get used to being the way they are, and it will take more visits to keep it in place. The muscle on one side has contracted and the other is stretched. The contracted one will tend to pull the vertebra back towards the nerve.

A hot bath or shower pointing the stream right at the base of your skull and neck, right where it meets your shoulders might help the muscles relax. As hot as you can stand it, without burning yourself, obviously. But, doing the same movements that cause the injury should be avoided, because re-injury is very easy and possible.

Remember, this can happen more often, from now on. Be conscious of how you do things so it doesn't. I did exercises and stretching techniques to strengthen that area and to keep the vertebra in place.

And, don't go to the Chiropractor too much. Finding ways to keep the vertebra in position is much better than going to have it adjusted too much. The more it moves, either by injury or adjustment, the easier it will move.

 

[Betticus]

Maybe a kind and generous lil subbie will come over and give me a massage?

It's a tingling and it will go away depending on how I tilt my head. I'm always looking towards the left at work and that seems to make it worse. Looking down at tech procedures and stuff like that.

Not that anyone is very interested I've been on a new targeted metabolic thing and have lost twenty pounds so far. In the last five weeks or so. Go me!

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

Maybe a kind and generous lil subbie will come over and give me a massage?

It's a tingling and it will go away depending on how I tilt my head. I'm always looking towards the left at work and that seems to make it worse. Looking down at tech procedures and stuff like that.

Not that anyone is very interested I've been on a new targeted metabolic thing and have lost twenty pounds so far. In the last five weeks or so. Go me!

laughs.......I knew it from the cookie comment in your first post Betticus........ohhh dude..........smiles

 

[SweetCherry]

I'm an advocate for chiropractic done by the right people. They'll refer you to an MD if that has to happen. NO MD's will say "you should try chiropractic"

a million people feeling better without drugs must all be insane.

I agree with that. When I was pregnant, years ago, I'd go monthly to my chiro. My lower back was out a lot, and the static nerve was often pinched and causing leg pain and numbness. I commented to my doctor about this, and he looked at me like I was crazy. It seems like doctors view chiropractors as voodoo doctors or something.

 

[brioche]

I'm an advocate for chiropractic done by the right people. They'll refer you to an MD if that has to happen. NO MD's will say "you should try chiropractic"

a million people feeling better without drugs must all be insane.

Actually, not true. My doctor not only did but withdrew her name from my WCB case so that my chiro was covered. But then, I did say she rocks.

I like chiro - again, done by the right people.

Way to go Betticus! Good for you! 20 pounds is a lot. Any time you think it's not, go pick up (carefully) something that's 20 pounds and remind yourself that that's what you have lost. Which diet are you on? What d'you mean by metabolic?

 

[Betticus]

laughs.......I knew it from the cookie comment in your first post Betticus........ohhh dude..........smiles

It was unplanned, I swear!

 

[Betticus]

Way to go Betticus! Good for you! 20 pounds is a lot. Any time you think it's not, go pick up (carefully) something that's 20 pounds and remind yourself that that's what you have lost. Which diet are you on? What d'you mean by metabolic?

The Rosedale Metabolic Diet. Here's a link to a short author bio.

http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/author_xml.asp?authorid=26530

 

[catalina_francisco]

Not that anyone is very interested I've been on a new targeted metabolic thing and have lost twenty pounds so far. In the last five weeks or so. Go me!

Congratulations...it isn't easy to do. We recently visited a freind we hadn't seen for a few months...LOL, lucky we knew we were in the right house talking to his wife otherwise we would not have recognised him. He has lost a little over 60kg in 6 months on a special programme he had to pay a lot for for but was supervised by doctors, trainers, nutritionists throughout. He is now planning the operation to remove the excess skin and he will be a new man. Despite paying for the programme though, he said he was the only one out of the group he began with who lost any significant amount.

Catalina

 

[Betticus]

Congratulations...it isn't easy to do. We recently visited a freind we hadn't seen for a few months...LOL, lucky we knew we were in the right house talking to his wife otherwise we would not have recognised him. He has lost a little over 60kg in 6 months on a special programme he had to pay a lot for for but was supervised by doctors, trainers, nutritionists throughout. He is now planning the operation to remove the excess skin and he will be a new man. Despite paying for the programme though, he said he was the only one out of the group he began with who lost any significant amount.

Catalina

Wow, that's really good. Thankfully I do not have anything like stretchmarks or extra skin to worry about. For 36 I'm pretty youthful. People usually say I look about ten years younger than I am. This isn't really a diet so much as it's a permanent change that I've added to my lifestyle that builds on other changes. I've been doing it just over a month and haven't really even added in the exercise schedule that I'll be doing, today is the first day of making that lifestyle change. I guess you can say that I'm training myself. Reminds me of my old I'm Domming myself topic I once started. I have been doing some strength training though and I'm seeing the biceps starting to form definative peaks just like they should.

I gotta stop this line of reasoning before my ego swells to ginormous proportions!

Who wants to come massage me?

 

[FurryFury]

Massage therapist or Chiropractor?

I've never liked the idea of a Chiropractor though I've heard many say they can be great.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a massage therapist but a massage always sounds GREAT!!! I've had quite a few. Some have been better than others. One professional one I had a few years ago, the effects didn't even last as far as my car!!! *I'm still pissed about that*

Again, I've know people that get regular massages and say they can be great. I can't see indulging in that myself. I mean it costs money, takes time and I rarely feel so needy or entitled.

At my first Demo and play party I got a GREAT massage for free!!! From this man/child looking creature that, honestly, I'd have loved to take home and feed just for the massages alone!!!

Once I was given a day at the spa. I had all sorts of treatments and massages. My favorites were the scalp, oh, la la! Heaven!!! And the neck and shoulders where I keep ALL my stress. Take me away!!!

When I was younger my Dad used to have me massage him by climbing on his back and using my feet.

When I was a bit older I took care of my Grandpa while he recovered from breaking his back in three places one summer. My massages (with hands and fingers this time) were one of the few things that eased his neck, shoulder and back pains from time to time. It made me so happy to be able to take care of him all by myself!!

Cats need to be touched or massaged in certain ways too.

Babies and children have their special touch and massage needs.

Then of course there are lovers. *GRINS*

I am not a professional in any of the above massage areas but I enjoy what I can do for others. I enjoy pleasing, relaxing, exciting and/or soothing them very much.

For a pinched nerve btw, I find massage, heat and muscle relaxers for 24 hours to do the trick!

Fury