Type of Massage Therapist to See?

[Right Wing Extremist]

Hi there,

My wife is suffering from acute back pain under her shoulder blades in the area between the scapula and the spine. She first started suffering it about two weeks ago, and its been getting worse. Lately she's been losing sleep.

I think it has something to do with her myofacial makeup, and her computer usage and posture during the day at her job, but it's gotten to the point where she can't turn her head to her right hardly at all.

I'm wondering, if I'm looking to get some opinions and possibly some starting therapy for her condition, and we're thinking about pursuing a deep tissue related massage therapist, is there a type of massage that anyone would recommend starting out with?

BTW, I've checked out the AMTA website, have a page up listing licensed therapists in Washington state, and am ready to go. But I wanted to get some opinions here too.

Thanks in advance for any advice given, and feel free to ask questions.

 

[alias]

Recommend you contact the Potomac Massage Training Institute - you can PM me for their phone number and/or email address if you are interested - they will be able to give you details of the various massage therapies available, and possibly contact numbers for therapists in your area. You may need to get checked out by a chiropractor first, or your MD.
(I did an advanced reflexology course at PMTI in 1991when I lived in Virginia - now home in Scotland)
Hope your wife gets help soon

 

[bvbfcjgg]

Hi Jabba, thanks for the quick reply.

Would this still apply for Washington state? The reference looks like it's for Washington DC.

 

[Duddeee]

Have you also got Treat Your Own Neck by Robin Mackenzie?

If you haven't then get it. Really helps.

 

[STAN V]

Hi,
I have had same problems as your wife and most help I have got from osteopath, chiropractor and aromatherapy oils combined with massage!

I have used all 3 options at different times and all have helped almost instantly!!!

 

[lovechild]

I would recommend Osteopath. Aromatherapy massage. Shiatsu Practitioner. The SHiatsu I received really seemed to free me up with all the tension i was holding within muscles and emotions.x

 

[zAika]

Hi there all,

I just showed the thread to my wife, and she's made a note of the suggestions here.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to this thread. You've made a world of difference.

 

[Loving My Baby Monkey!]

Pain in the area in which you describe is often refferd pain from the lower neck. Typically from C5-7 and usually from a simple facet joint lock that could be released by an osteopath or chiropractor.

It is likely that you've hit the nail in the head, by making the connection with excessive computer use, as this is likely to aggravate it.

IMHO most of us have stiff or 'locked' vertebral facet joints of the spine, but it's only when poor posture, repetative use over a limited range or a susceptability to inflammation, that it actually turns nasty and the nervous sytem can no longer ignore it - resulting in pain.

Neck stretches, as suggested may be enough to calm it down or even release the offending joints. If not, then osteopath or chiropractor, which can also rule out or treat other possibilties i.e. that the problem may be more local in the thoracic spine, rib, shoulder or even referred pain from elsewhere, i.e gall bladder if it's the right scapular area.

Andrew.