massage

I recieved a massage and while being massaged I could hear like crunching in the muscles around my shoulders. The therapist said it was toxins in my muscles...lactic build-up. Is this true? I thought lactic acid was from ATP being produced without oxygen. And as soon as your activity decreases enough to utilize oxygen again lactic acid is converted back. Any comments?

I dont think lactic acid or toxins IN the muscle make crunching noises. Massage creates lactic acid as exercising the muscle would. I have a client who crunches when her arm is abducted,she says it doesnt hurt, and I have no idea what it is. But I think it has more to do with the articulating bones and the cartilage than it does with any metabolic reaction.

Hi! I am a massage therapist and an instructor of massage. The cruchies around your shoulder are trigger points. It is actually your bodies way of trying to help you when your body mechanics are out of whack. Trigger points are connective tissure that form in all parts of your body when your body mechanics and/or mind are stressed. They will form and keep the circualtion away from that area, causing a build-up of sacarmeres (toxins), and will create pain either in the area or refer pain to another area.

Our bodies are strange, huh? I hope that this answers your question. The therapist should have been able to remove the trigger points and free up your shoulders.

Aloha! i am also a massage therapist..and yes your therapist was correct.. i just hope she told you the most important part of releasing the lactic acid is too drink plenty of water..because all that work put into releasing those trigger points is absolutley pointless if you dont flush out the toxins..otherwise the same lactic acids will build up at the same trigger points the next day....

hola i dont think you can be certain it is toxins, frankly I doubt it. Some therapists will plunk my Levator Scapulae muscle like a bass guitar string and tell me "its toxins". Michelle also makes some valid points about trigger points but a sarcomere is the basic unit of a muscle's cross-striated myofibril. Sarcomeres are multi-protein complexes composed of three different filament systems. sarcomere info from wikipedia

DavidA. in Temple, Texas said: I recieved a massage and while being massaged I could hear like crunching in the muscles around my shoulders. The therapist said it was toxins in my muscles...lactic build-up. Is this true? I thought lactic acid was from ATP being produced without oxygen. And as soon as your activity decreases enough to utilize oxygen again lactic acid is converted back. Any comments?

I'm sorry but I had to laugh. I agree with tk thai, I am betting it's your levators and I bet you were more sore after having them crushed over and over trying to squeeze out the 'acid'.

tk thai in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic said: hola i dont think you can be certain it is toxins, frankly I doubt it. Some therapists will plunk my Levator Scapulae muscle like a bass guitar string and tell me "its toxins". Michelle also makes some valid points about trigger points but a sarcomere is the basic unit of a muscle's cross-striated myofibril. Sarcomeres are multi-protein complexes composed of three different filament systems. sarcomere info from wikipedia

Finally someone else realizes it! I hate getting the "Selling pitch" from other therapists saying oh come on in a few more times and we'll get these worked out when the entire time i'm lying there thinking it's my levator scap... Most "crunchies" I've found to be trigger points. But, if there was one definite answer / cure we would all know it and would all be rich. If there's no crunching when moving joints, arms legs etc then more then likely a trigger point. Hope that helps

David, I have the same crunchiness in my muscles between the scapulae and the spinal column. I have also experienced this in others when massaging them. I don't have a scientific explanation, but I agree with Michelle in Salt Lake that it is related to trigger points and overworked muscles. It most certainly is NOT lactic acid. Lactic acid is a liquid, for heaven's sake! All acids are liquids and liquids can't crunch!

What you are referring to is a hardness, like the muscles have grown shells. I wonder if these are calcifications. I have seen pictures of injured joints in which the ligaments and tendons have run amok and calicified (like hard water deposits on your tap). These areas are painful and do not stretch properly. Nor do they contract correctly because they are always in a mostly contracted state and can't pull effectively. So they are painful, weak, hard and ineffective areas of muscle.

My theory is that they are muscles that are exhausted to biomechanical or postural imbalances. Perhaps a synergist muscle is weak due to insufficient training, non-ergonomic work style, or insufficient innervation, e.g., an impinged nerve). I massaged someone 2 days ago who had crunchy muscles in the upper back due to leaning his head forward while working all day, forcing those muscles to hold his head up, instead of letting his head balance on his neck.

In my experience, you should have the areas worked on using moderate pressure and hard surfaces like knuckles and elbows. It will be painful, so have the therapist start slow, use open hands, broad strokes and warm the muscles up progressively until he or she is really digging in and breaking up the adhesions. Don't do too much at once. Frequency and intensity are more important. Think about how you are using those muscles and what you are doing to drive them to exhaustion and make necessary corrections.

I humbly suggest that everyone now look up the definition of 'trigger point'.

My dear Humble,

I teach trigger point therapy. It's described differently in different books. The fact is, a trigger point is a build up of toxins due to constricted sarcomeres. Travell and Simons describe a trigger point as simply a small contraction knot in muscle tissue.

There are 4 classifications of trigger points. #1 Central - belly of the muscle #2 Satellite - from primary or secondary TrP
#3 Attachment - at or near the attachment
#4 Latent - Asleep

I hope that helps.

Michelle

It's called muscle tension. :-)

steve in San Francisco, California said: Lactic acid is a liquid, for heaven's sake! All acids are liquids and liquids can't crunch!

I don't want to get into a debate about trigger points - but Citric acid is a "white crystalline substance" Maybe acids are only liquid in vivo ....?

When working on muscles,please remember to start light and increase/decrease pressure as client gets used to pressure,as you don't want to hurt client!Crunchies may be calcifications on underlying bone structures,release of said toxins from pressure point therapy,knots in muscle structure,or any one of a number of
possibilities.I agree that you need to remind client to drink H2O, as this flushes toxins out of the body that the therapist releases. If they do not, the toxins resettle in body, and client may become severely sore from resettlement toxins,possibly worse than that of before said treatment.As always,stay healthy by eating more fruits/veggies,less meat,some dairy!I lost 4# in 7days,have more energy,am regaining positivity!

www.bodyworkandmassagecenter.com

Good subject

Trigger points are very different from what I think of as "Crunchies." The "crunchies" as I have felt them in myself and in clients and as I have been taught about them feel like little bubbles popping under your fingers usually along edge of a bone e.g. scapula medial border or medial and lateral edge of fibula. One teacher told me no one knows for sure what they are, but in the book and DVD Myaofascial Trains the teacher says they are Calcium Lactate, but I haven't been able to find any confirmation for this.

"Crunchies?" Are you talking cornflakes? I have no verification on this, but I believe what you are referring to are either calcium deposits or other toxic buildups in body, that are re-released into the body when given a massage. Just be careful,as there are underlying bones,muscle,arteries and veins, and other structures that you do not want to harm by asserting too much pressure.Always start light and increase pressure to client's tolerance.By taking your time and working slower,this almost always gives the client deeper pressure.Good luck in college!

DavidA. in Temple, Texas said: I recieved a massage and while being massaged I could hear like crunching in the muscles around my shoulders. The therapist said it was toxins in my muscles...lactic build-up. Is this true? I thought lactic acid was from ATP being produced without oxygen. And as soon as your activity decreases enough to utilize oxygen again lactic acid is converted back. Any comments?

You guys are over thinking. Most of you are knowledgeable about soft tissue. Sounds to me like adhesions in the tissues. Where fascia is stuck to fascia. One muscle group stuck to another. Probably fibrotic tissue. Fibrotic tissue will hold on to acid waste because it has poor circulation. So, when you release the adhered fibers, you bring in fresh blood and oxygen and it takes away the waste. Trigger points are are usually a neuromuscular spasm that will also hold on to waste. I think a lot of schools have therapists teaching in them that are not that experienced or only partially ignorant of what they teach. Will not hurt anyone, but it leaves a bunch of ignorant(not dumb) therapists and clients out there. Eric from Nashville. I have been a massage therapist for 8 years.

Eric in Atlanta, Georgia said: You guys are over thinking. Most of you are knowledgeable about soft tissue. Sounds to me like adhesions in the tissues. Where fascia is stuck to fascia. One muscle group stuck to another. Probably fibrotic tissue. Fibrotic tissue will hold on to acid waste because it has poor circulation. So, when you release the adhered fibers, you bring in fresh blood and oxygen and it takes away the waste. Trigger points are are usually a neuromuscular spasm that will also hold on to waste. I think a lot of schools have therapists teaching in them that are not that experienced or only partially ignorant of what they teach. Will not hurt anyone, but it leaves a bunch of ignorant(not dumb) therapists and clients out there. Eric from Nashville. I have been a massage therapist for 8 years.

I can't believe it took over a year to get that it's most likely it's adhesions. Don't over think it! (been a LMP for 10 years)

LOL that was very entertaining.. yes adhesions ..lactid acid was a silly answer. liquid doesnt crunch but may lead to it.

to the best of my knowledge,i believe that the "crunchies," what I call them< are just shortened muscles that need lengthening

1st of all No Massage Therapist is qualified to answer this question.

2nd most of these responses make me ashamed to be a Therapist, as the answers are all off base or just plain wrong.

3rd The person asking these questions obviously has knowledge of Physiology just read his question, and is apparently attempting to get people to step outside their realm of practice which those here sure did do. He even gives his own answer to the question in an apparent attempt to bait those here, his answer while also wrong did however work to get those to bite.

Lastly as a former RN I can take a stab, and say what all of us here should've said. REFER TO HIM TO HIS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. This issue is most likely Bursittis, and inflamation of a joint space or the depletion of a buffer between the bones which when moved make a sometimes audible grinding or poping sound, it's rarely painful and will possibly lead to arthittis in those effected joints.

By the way Lactic acid occurs in 2 scenarios, when a muscle is over worked and depleted all it's glucose stores (which is the reason you are sore after working out to hard or doing something that you haven't done in a long time), the other way lactic acid can form is due to inability to move or use a muscle / joint enough to allow O2 and adequate blood flow to nourish the area.

Lets keep it on the up and up here folks. We are care givers not miracle workers.

DOCMAC22 in Asheville, North Carolina said: 1st of all No Massage Therapist is qualified to answer this question.

2nd most of these responses make me ashamed to be a Therapist, as the answers are all off base or just plain wrong.

3rd The person asking these questions obviously has knowledge of Physiology just read his question, and is apparently attempting to get people to step outside their realm of practice which those here sure did do. He even gives his own answer to the question in an apparent attempt to bait those here, his answer while also wrong did however work to get those to bite.

Lastly as a former RN I can take a stab, and say what all of us here should've said. REFER TO HIM TO HIS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. This issue is most likely Bursittis, and inflamation of a joint space or the depletion of a buffer between the bones which when moved make a sometimes audible grinding or poping sound, it's rarely painful and will possibly lead to arthittis in those effected joints.

By the way Lactic acid occurs in 2 scenarios, when a muscle is over worked and depleted all it's glucose stores (which is the reason you are sore after working out to hard or doing something that you haven't done in a long time), the other way lactic acid can form is due to inability to move or use a muscle / joint enough to allow O2 and adequate blood flow to nourish the area.

Lets keep it on the up and up here folks. We are care givers not miracle workers.

Dude, your no better than any of the other posters!
Hes asking why muscles crunch when you massage them, why does he need to go see a physician? If someone asks why the sky is blue you going to refer them to Sandia laboratories?

DOCMAC22 in Asheville, North Carolina said: 1st of all No Massage Therapist is qualified to answer this question.

2nd most of these responses make me ashamed to be a Therapist, as the answers are all off base or just plain wrong.

3rd The person asking these questions obviously has knowledge of Physiology just read his question, and is apparently attempting to get people to step outside their realm of practice which those here sure did do. He even gives his own answer to the question in an apparent attempt to bait those here, his answer while also wrong did however work to get those to bite.

LOL!!!! Right On!!! Although I totally agree with you that he most definately should be "refered to his Physician" because that would be the "right" thing to do (or really being the c.y.a. thing to do) I myself come across this while massaging and found that if the "crunchies" are at the top corner area of the scapula closest to the spine(im just not gonna try to pretend I even care to remember the "dorsal area" etc blah blah blah anymore)(plus Im tired)so If its in this area...the shoulder needs to be popped..or rather "compression of the muscles" (because that would be in a massage therapists scope of practice) is needed. If you know how to do it-and 99% of people do not, even some chiropracters dont know how-it gets rid of the "crunchies" and helps with tight traps etc so on and so forth. See a Chiropracter dude and tell him you need to have youre shoulders popped because it is technically out of the realm of a massage therapists practice.

Personally, as a therapist of 17 years, I like the cornflake theory myself.

CONGRATULATIONS ALL OF YOU THERAPISTS YOU ARE INVOLVED AND GIVING YOUR HONEST OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU DO. AND SOME OF YOU HAVE GREAT IDEAS AND GREAT COMPASSION FOR YOUR CLIENTS AND PATIENTS.BUT WE ARE NOT PHYSICIANS OK JUST A REALITY CHECK. ALSO, IF ALL OF YOU WOULD SPEND ALL OF THAT PASSION YOU HAVE AND DIRECT IT IN A POSITIVE WAY YOU WILL PROSPER.THIS IS WHY I DONT ASSOCIATE WITH MASSAGE THERAPISTS,AESTHETICS PROFESSIONALS,MANICURISTS, SPA PEOPLE OR SPA EGO MANIACS ANYMORE.I HAVE BEEN IN THE INSUSTRY 13 YEARS AND IM SICK TO MY STOMACH TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE LASHING OUT AT EACH OTHER. WE WENT INTO THIS FIELD BECAUSE WE ARE COMPASSIONATE,EMPATHETIC,LOVING CARING PEOPLE WITH A GIFT AND THAT GIFT WAS TOUCH , IT IS A GIFT AND THOSE OF YOU WHO WENT INTO THIS TO FIGHT AND LOOK DOWN ON OTHER PROFESSIONALS AND BATTLE EVERYDAY AND HAVE JELOUSY FOR EACH OTHER AND THROW STONES SHAME ON YOU. BY THE WAY I DO THINK ALOT OF YOU HAVE GREAT POSITIVE ANSWERS. IM GETTING OUT OF THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THIS TYPE STUFF THIS EVEN GOES ON IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS ETC BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED IN A HOSPITAL AS WELL...SO IM NOT JUST EXPERIENCED IN THE SPA INDUSTRY. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HELP EACH OTHER PULL TOGEATHER AND BE POSITIVE INSTEAD OF CUTTING EACH OTHERS THROATS WHATS THE WORLD COMING TOO LETS BE NICE...GOOD GRIEF..............DISSAPPOINTED IN SOME WAYS TOO. I LOVE THE WIT SOME OF YOU HAVE TOO...ITS GREAT TO BE FUNNY AT TIMES AND JUST LAUGH LIKE PATCH ADAMS HAHAHAHAHAH LETS BE NICE TO EACH OTHER.....

I just wanted to reply to comments three and eight. For three I just wanted to say while I don't think it's a toxin, the sarcomere is the dark band in the muscle between the z lines. Also to eight, umm..... no not all acids are liquds. I think what's confused you is that almost every acid a person will come into contact with has already been dissolved in water.

Finally and don't quote me on this since I'm not a professional or anything. I've heard that what happens is that this only happens when your muscles are chronically tense. This causes your muscles to constantly pull at the sites where they're attached and eventually can cause them to start pulling away. In order to prevent this your body sends osteocytes to the area of attachment to reinforce it, and caused you to kind of get like a bone spur thing. Or so I've read.

What are the crunchies I feel in clients plams, bottom of the feet and just about the knee? I have no idea, but if I work these areas, I can work most of the "crunchies" out.

Well, they say those little crunchy things are calcium deposit build-ups. For me, it shows me which part of the body may need a little more work by which reflex area it's sitting on. If I feel it's an organ (such as the heart), I work it through the foot until I don't feel the crunchy anymore. The hands, feet, and ears all have reflexology points. The knees however are not part of reflexology, but do take a lot of daily abuse, and need to be worked during a session. Don't forget to include the leg muscles to release the knees.

Thanks Michelle, that's what I suspected. I'll check the reflexology charts, and I never forget the legs unless otherwise instructed by the client:0).

DavidA. in Temple, Texas said: I recieved a massage and while being massaged I could hear like crunching in the muscles around my shoulders. The therapist said it was toxins in my muscles...lactic build-up. Is this true? I thought lactic acid was from ATP being produced without oxygen. And as soon as your activity decreases enough to utilize oxygen again lactic acid is converted back. Any comments?

Hi David
Couple of things that could cause the crunching not enough water thru the day and maybe not enough stretching.
Thank you
Cynthia
hern.cynthia@yahoo.com

I believe the "crunchies" are possibly calcium deposits and other waste deposits created and stored in your body, that when worked on, get released into your system. that is why it is crucial for them to drink plenty of H2O afterwards, so deposits do not resettle.

Just wondering, has no one bothered to ask a DR. what these are? I have felt them tons of times and they surely do not feel like what I would call trigger points. I too have found them in feet and knees. I would assume they are some type of calcification but how to know???

What kind of Dr. would know this. For some reason I don't believe a GP would have any idea.

Can I just say (from personal experience) that most back-related things you take to a Doctor you are either told "Nothing is wrong with you...crazy" OR referred for invasive procedures or toxic medications or all three. The only real help I have every gotten has been from MTs and Manual PTs. Besides, in my experience of this "crunchy" phenomenon, oftentimes they are nowhere near joints.

DOCMAC22 in Asheville, North Carolina said: 1st of all No Massage Therapist is qualified to answer this question.

2nd most of these responses make me ashamed to be a Therapist, as the answers are all off base or just plain wrong.

3rd The person asking these questions obviously has knowledge of Physiology just read his question, and is apparently attempting to get people to step outside their realm of practice which those here sure did do. He even gives his own answer to the question in an apparent attempt to bait those here, his answer while also wrong did however work to get those to bite.

Lastly as a former RN I can take a stab, and say what all of us here should've said. REFER TO HIM TO HIS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. This issue is most likely Bursittis, and inflamation of a joint space or the depletion of a buffer between the bones which when moved make a sometimes audible grinding or poping sound, it's rarely painful and will possibly lead to arthittis in those effected joints.

By the way Lactic acid occurs in 2 scenarios, when a muscle is over worked and depleted all it's glucose stores (which is the reason you are sore after working out to hard or doing something that you haven't done in a long time), the other way lactic acid can form is due to inability to move or use a muscle / joint enough to allow O2 and adequate blood flow to nourish the area.

Lets keep it on the up and up here folks. We are care givers not miracle workers.

Michelle in Salt Lake City, Utah said: Hi! I am a massage therapist and an instructor of massage. The cruchies around your shoulder are trigger points. It is actually your bodies way of trying to help you when your body mechanics are out of whack. Trigger points are connective tissure that form in all parts of your body when your body mechanics and/or mind are stressed. They will form and keep the circualtion away from that area, causing a build-up of sacarmeres (toxins), and will create pain either in the area or refer pain to another area.

Our bodies are strange, huh? I hope that this answers your question. The therapist should have been able to remove the trigger points and free up your shoulders.

I get this all the time in my body, I get it everywhere, but mostly in my neck and down my spine. I think it could be related to working at a computer, I have nystagmus and am short sighted with tunnel vision so my neck and back muscles are always tense to stop my head shaking with my vision when trying to focus.

What can I do to stop/correct this?

You wanted a DR you got one. I am a world renowned Dr of Massage. The "Crunchies" are definitely cornflakes!

Dr. Pepper

Hi Laurel,
My first instinct is to say "yeah sure, of course you'll get over your phobia of touching people" but my second thought is to ask the question "why would someone who's afraid to touch others want to go into a field that ALL you do is touch people?". If the answer is to make money, well then, don't bother - your phobia coupled with your misplaced intention(monetary vs. desire to help others) will far overwhelm your progress in becoming a skilled therapist and thus you ability to earn a meaningful living.

If though, your desire to help others Through-The-Power-Of-Touch is so great that you're willing to face your own fear of touching strangers, then I'd say that you're well on your way toward becoming a Real Healer.

Let me eloborate on that last part. Think about this: there are a lot of people out there with the same phobia as you and often times those who are afraid to touch are also afraid of being touched. That usually stems from societal issues such as low self esteem, physical and mental abuse issues, distorted body image, etc. These are people whom you could help because you can relate; not neccessarily to the root causes but to the fear itself.

Hi Fusion Massage -

Thanks for your insight & taking the time to reply. This really helps a lot in confirming what I felt I knew.

No, I'm not going into massage therapy for the money. Actually, it is going to take me stepping away from money at this point and a pretty big risk in order to go to school for it. I don't think that my phobia of touching people is really extreme, I just know the obvious thought would be that if you are interested in the concept of massage therapy, then you must love touching people! However, I wouldn't say that is true concerning myself, so obviously it has given me some doubt concerning it being the right choice for me. However, I know that most of my fear comes from it simply being something I am not used to and it is new to me. I touch those I love on a regular basis, however have never worked in the health field before (I've always been a computer magnet). Yes, I am sure this is a fear that I will need to overcome and believe I shouldn't have much of a problem in doing so, it's just my brain can sometimes take over & leave me in a world of fear! I also agree with what you said about it having to do with my own personal hang ups concerning touch and being touched. Not everyone is comfortable in that realm and I agree that it may work in my favor concerning getting that population on board and believing in the healing power of it.

Thanks again,
Laurel

Hi Laurel,
You are more than welcome! Your honesty is admirable and your willingness to overcome your "hang ups" will help make you a stronger, more compassionate therapist. Good Luck - as if you need it!

Pete, aka
Fusion Massage

Thanks! (Hugs) :)

I RECEIVED TOO MANY DEEP MASSAGES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MY BODY BECAME VERY SORE AND WHILE WALKING DOWN STAIRS I HEARD A POP THAT SCARED ME, I DID NOT GET BLACK AND BLUE BUT MY CALF FELT TIGHT. I WAS CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING WAS DAMAGED, I AM GOT EVER GOING TO HAVE A DEEP MASSAGE FOR A LONG TIME. I AM TAKING IT EASY CURRENTLY. I HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER FELT THIS WAY. COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME ADVISE.

Lorraine,

Concerning your calf. I would definitely go see my doctor as soon as possible. The first thing that came to my mind was "deep vein thrombosis". I'm not saying that this is what it is.............but you should go and see your doctor for a possible ultra sound to see what is going on in your calf. It may or may not have something to do with massage. When something like this occurs out of the blue - a physician should be sought out immediately.

Heather in Mount Vernon, Ohio said: I dont think lactic acid or toxins IN the muscle make crunching noises. Massage creates lactic acid as exercising the muscle would. I have a client who crunches when her arm is abducted,she says it doesnt hurt, and I have no idea what it is. But I think it has more to do with the articulating bones and the cartilage than it does with any metabolic reaction.

I do massage more than 25 years. 4 certificates on massage I have received the in Russia. Each 5 years the masseur долэен to pass a curriculum and to hand over the test. Each masseur was under supervision of Ministry of Health. Now I have the American certificate on massage. I was in many clinics and salons...... I saw awful massage and a deceit.... Your doctor is not right....... I do not understand as it is possible to deceive the patient.... It is awful......

Hello crunchies= calcium deposits, from inflammation in the tissues, when are massage therapists going to do real research, the body will automatically send calcium to areas that are inflammed (ever wonder why they tell you to tell your clients to take epsom salts bath....) epsom salt is magnesium and magnesium dissolves calcium deposits...I use magnesium oil in my practice every day and it works on crunchies and I have not gotten tender or sore hands in over 5 years...I also take epsom salt baths twice a week with 4 cups of epsom salt...also your body will deposit calcium which people eat way too much of, when you get over 40 into the tissues and joints because you should no longer need it in the bones...
Hope this helps clear up this question...
Roxanna Williamson
Got Pain? Massage Therapy
Roswell GA

I went and got a deep tissue massage today and am now in incredible amounts of pain. My husband went to hug me and at his touch on the middle of my back, he dropped me to my knees in intense pain. The only place it really hurts it the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. I have had deep tissue massages before but never had this kind of pain after one. Is this normal or should I seek medical treatment?

Sabrinawaterfield in Columbia City, Indiana said: I went and got a deep tissue massage today and am now in incredible amounts of pain. My husband went to hug me and at his touch on the middle of my back, he dropped me to my knees in intense pain. The only place it really hurts it the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. I have had deep tissue massages before but never had this kind of pain after one. Is this normal or should I seek medical treatment?

seek and consult your physician.:)

Have had fibromyalgia since after a severe car accident in 2004. Whiplash, far more damaging thn most medical professionals care to acknowledge. Myofascial adhesions, bundles of tight damaged muscles, calcification - all create the lumpy, crunchy, gritty, and hard muscles. I have that all over my body, I receive myfacial release therapy and deep tissue massages regularly. (In combination of medications, diet, gentle exercise, stress reduction, magnesium soaks, etc) It is very possible to do more harm than good - don't be eager to 'crush' the crunchies out. In people without FM, it's common to have these muscle issues in areas of our bodies that are overworked and/or incorrectly used (not paying attention to body mechanics and ergonomics). A great complimentary therapy to the massage is trigger point injections with a solution of b12,saline, and lidocaine (or other local anaesthetic). Done properly, it is not very painful. The Dr injects it in to the most tender and large trigger points, then gently massages in into the tissue. This results in a relaxing of the muscle tissue so that it has a better chance to heal.

Sabrinawaterfield in Columbia City, Indiana said: I went and got a deep tissue massage today and am now in incredible amounts of pain. My husband went to hug me and at his touch on the middle of my back, he dropped me to my knees in intense pain. The only place it really hurts it the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. I have had deep tissue massages before but never had this kind of pain after one. Is this normal or should I seek medical treatment?[/QUOTE

Something went wrong, dont get Deep Tissue, try a Swedish with good pressure.