Pop Singer Ping Chayada dies after Thai massage. Here's what went wrong - The Economic Times

[mnews]

A 20-year-old Thai pop singer, Ping Chayada, died on Sunday, December 8, after experiencing complications following a series of massages. Chayada sought massage therapy for neck and shoulder pain.
She detailed her worsening condition in a final social media post to her 22,000 followers: “The first time I got a massage, my symptoms were normal. I went for another massage, the same therapist in the same room, this time twisting my neck. After two weeks, I started to have very, very tight pain to the point that I couldn’t lie on my back or stomach. I've been learning massage since I was a child. I really like massage. I thought it was just another side effect of the massage, this kind of body pain. I went again. But this new person massaged hard and it was swollen and bruised for a week. After that, I took medicine to relieve the symptoms all the time. I started to have an electric shock in my fingertips. The right side, I realised was numb after the third round of massages. After another two weeks, I couldn’t lift my right arm. I want to leave this as a lesson for anyone who really likes massage. I will recover. I'm in so much pain. I want to work now. But now I'm just waiting for the right time.”

Chayada's condition deteriorated over several weeks. She initially experienced stiffness and numbness after the first massage, which prompted her to seek additional massages. Her symptoms worsened, eventually leading to hospitalization on November 6. Chayada suffered from septicemia (blood poisoning), which ultimately led to her death.
The provincial health chief stated an autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death. All seven masseuses at the parlor where Chayada received treatment were licensed. An investigation is underway to determine if the massages adhered to traditional Thai massage practices.

Dangers of massages​

According to US NIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health), massages have very low risk of harmful effects. "However, there have been rare reports of serious side effects, such as a blood clot, nerve injury, or bone fracture. Some of the reported cases have involved vigorous types of massage, such as deep tissue massage, or patients who might be at increased risk of injury, such as elderly people," NIH warned.

Professor Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, an advisor to the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, told ThaiPBS that neck massage and violent neck tilting to ease muscle or back tension could be at risk of paralysis."Dr. Thiravat quoted a report by 177 American neurologists,who said they had encountered 55 patients, aged between 21and 60, who became paralysed after having undergone neck therapy. He said that neck therapy, by massaging, may have an impact on blood vessels leading to and from the brain, adding that he has treated patients himself who regularly practiced tilting of the neck, believing that it would strengthen the muscles," the report added.