Would you

[Carron]

Hi

My boyfriend is begging me for a massage but he's had years of bother as he broke his coccyx twice years ago.

I give him a quick back massage every now and then but he's had this new problem for a year or two. His neck has became stiff and you can notice it when he looks left or right. His whole body turns instead of just his neck.

His doctor said its more like musscle spasmn and would benefit from seeing a chiropractor. He keeps asking me for a massage on his neck because he thinks this would help but i qualified over a year ago and fell pregnant, had the baby and not had time to get my confidence up and practice.

I keep saying I'm not going to do it as his neck is really bothering him and he gets shooting pains from his neck down to his side and i really think he should go elsewhere before i massage him because i've seen how much pain he's in with it and wouldn't like to do something wrong if i was to do anying

what would you do? and if you were to massage what technique would you use

 

[ValencianNails]

If it were me (as a non pro skin geek) I would book him in with a chiropractor for specialist treatment.

 

[pure]

I think I would go ahead and give him a massage. Keep to effleurage and light petrissage and it would probably benefit him alot.

I only qualified in massage in June last year and I have a regular client who comes to see me for back massage and she has a collapsed 4th and 5th lumber. Her doctor is keen for her to continue having the massages because it is helping to relieve her muscles which are working hard to compensate for her spinal problems.

Be gentle with him and slowly increase both the pressure and frequency at a pace which is comfortable for you both.

 

[huberella]

Chiropractors here are working in conjunction with massage therapists now. They send the patient to get a massage first, to loosen up those tight muscles, so that they can do their job better.

 

[beautynails]

Maybe you should book a massage with somebody more experienced, and I agree .... Massage and chiropractic together.

 

[*Ang*]

I think I would personally book him in with a chiropractor too - I'd be afraid that I would do more 'bad that good' on him. My hubby broke his back in a crash years ago and is always hankering me to massage him - but I won't do it just in case :irked:

 

[Elaine143a]

I'm with Debs on this one - I would do gentle massage on him but also refer to chiropractor. I suffer hugely with back problems, go to chiropractor, but have my 15 yr old massage me when I cant get there (obviously I tell him where to do it!) and even that helps.

If you really worried, you could get letter from his gp first, like you would with a paying client. This would also help with your own confidence - nothing like a home-grown ginea-pig!

 

[twid]

I'd do the massage myself, if he's been to the Docs and he thinks it a good idea then I would go ahead. But I would encourage him to see a chiropractor too, they work in a total different way to us so he'll benefit two-fold.

Personally I'd use heat first, maybe a wheaty bag or an infra-red lamp and an aromatherapy massage blend which will help relax or warm the muscles (pre-blended if you arent qualified to mix your own). I also find that hot stones are brilliant, they are very gentle but give a deeply theraputic treatment.

HTH
Karaxxx

 

[1999judy]

I've broken my coccyx twice and after recovery a massage has done the world of good for me. I have used heat myself to lessen the pain and medication...only after that did I ask my GP was I ok to have a massage.
JMHO I am NOT a skin geek x

 

[g.lo]

massage will really help him!!!! don't b afraid, just effleurage and some gentle around th emuscles of the neck ( but stay away from the inside neck if you don't know what you are doing). i use to work along side a chiropractor, and she used to send her client for soft tissue work with me.
i will recommand an osteopath instead of a chiropractor!!!

 

[Carron]

hi

thought i'd update you on my boyfriend.

i've refused to give him a massage ever since my first post.

after months of going to the doctors, paying for xrays, he's just had results today from an MRI scan and he has 'syringomyelia' it is very rare and the doctor has never seen or heard of anyone in his surgery have a patient with this

my boyfriend has now realised that all the chiropracter, massages and neck exercises he's done will not have helped. so i'm glad i never touched his neck.

he now has to get an operation on his spinal cord

i think because i seen how much pain he is in every day that was one of my reasons for not massaging him and also i thought he was jumping from one excercise to chiropracter and didn't think it would be doing bim good

it was the osteopath that sent him for the scan, thank goodness as no one was taking him serious