massage/ acupuncture and symptoms of MS

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi all

Have been relatively quiet as late as not felt too bad. That was until maybe I overdid it over the weekend. Monday I had a little of my pins and needles back, leg felt slightly numb, neck stiff on L and tired but not terrible. I’d booked a massage and acupuncture session for the evening which went okay. Felt a bit disoreientated after the session and nauseous so got home and just relaxed, felt not too bad on waking the next day but by late afternoon my neck had tensed and was painful and just feeling tired, nauseous and out of sorts so again had a calm evening. Today the top of my neck still hurts and feels very tight, my arm on that side hurts, and I feel a bit nauseous when I move my head too quickly around.

Never had issues with nausea before but it certainly feels like my neck is on the verge of spasming again as it did twice last year.

Just wandered what everyone elses experiences with massage/acupuncture have been? I’m not sure whether this is all because I’ve overdone it over the weekend or because of massage and acupuncture or even a combo of both. At moments I feel like I just want to curl up in bed for a good few hours I’m feeling that bad and I’m not the time of person to lounge around and ne unproductive even after a day at work when I get home.

I’m seeing the new MS specialist for the first time next wednesday (got referred by general neuro who I saw 1month ago for a second opinion but I’m not diagnosed).

Thank you

Reemz

X

2

Hi Reemz… hmmm difficult one. The problem with acupuncture and MS is that acupuncture was developed in China and Japan where they hardly have any MS at all. I saw a Chinese acupuncturist a few years back and she didn’t know what MS was.

I went on to have acupuncture with someone who did know what MS was but said he wasn’t taught anything about it in his training.

Acupuncture can over-stimulate the nervous system esp if the person doing it isn’t that good and doesn’t know about MS. That might be what has happened to you esp as you noticed the feeling right after having the treatment. On other hand it could just be coincedence that you’ve had an increase in symptoms since having the treatment.

I did find it to be very relaxing but after a while it didn’t make any difference to my symptoms and so gave it up as it was expensive.

Dizziness and nausia can be caused by MS but also a whole bunch of other stuff. Glad you’re seeing the MS specialist next week. Hope he/she can give you some answers.

Hope you feel a lot better soon,

Pat x

3

Hi Reemz,

It sounds as if your symptoms were already brewing before you attended the alternative therapy sessions, so I wouldn’t necessarily see cause and effect here. If you’d been absolutely fine up to that point, I’d say yes, but you do report being a little out of sorts that day, which might have been the warning signs of a natural flare-up.

I’ve never had any adverse effects from acupuncture, although I never found it particularly helpful either, and quit after a while - on acupuncturist’s own advice. At least he was decent and honest enough to tell me he didn’t think we were getting anywhere, and not to let me keep pouring good money after bad.

Massage is slightly different: I have had a bad experience with that! But it was quite an aggressive sports massage, not a nice, gentle, aromatherapy-type massage. I didn’t know I had MS at the time; if I had, I might have thought twice about going. He was a great big burly bloke - like a rugby-player type, as a lot of them are, and he massaged the hell out of my poor calf muscles, which he commented were “the shortest he’d ever seen”, and asked whether I’d been ill!

Naturally, at the time, I had no idea, and said: “No!” I now realise the shortening he found must have been spasticity.

Anyway, net result was I couldn’t walk next day - couldn’t even put my heels down on the ground - my calves had such a massive reaction to the massage. It was as if they went back even shorter, in protest.

I don’t remember having any nausea, just being so stiff I could barely hobble.

Isn’t hindsight strange? Looking back, I should have realised that was a pretty extreme reaction to a massage: people aren’t usually left unable to walk, even if there’s some discomfort. But it still didn’t occur to me I was ill.

I’ve never had a massage ever again, although I’m sure there must be gentler styles, more suited to people with MS.

I’m sorry you’ve been feeling rough, whatever the cause.

Tina

4

Hi Pat

Thank you for your comment. I completely agree - they don’t understand MS and there thinking is different to western medecine. I know experiencing disorientation or nausea can happen after acupuncture (my partner just told me this as well as my work colleague) but usually disappears after a few days. The nausea is better than monday so I’m hoping it gradually goes. The neck stiffness / spasm I wonder whether like Anitra it was the massage rather than the actual acupuncture… either way at least I’m seeing someone next wednesday. I’ve had it twice and its so uncomfy and makes me ever so grouchy!

Thank you again

Reemz

X

5

Hi Anitra

The massage I had wasn’t a sports one but she did do a lot of work on my neck and shoulders so it just makes me think. Also because part of my neck and back on that side are numb I can’t actually tell how much pressure sometimes (there’s been a few times I’ve said to my partner you’re not doing anything and he’s turned round and said I can’t go any harder on your back).

I’ve had two neck spasm on the L before so I know I am susceptible but had been fine after seeing the osteopath back in feb really. So I wonder whether I’ve had the same sort of experience as you.

It’s certainly put my off going for massages and acupuncture. Think I’ll stick with the osteopath I know and leave the rest to meds and mother nature.

I’m feeling less and less sick as the days go by since monday so I’m hoping that it was just the acupuncture on that. Just hope the damn neck rights itself - it really makes me really grouchy and uncomfy.

At least I’m seeing the neuro next week. If it’s no better I’ll try and get something for it.

Thank you for your comment it was really helpful :slight_smile:

Reemz

X

6

Reemz, sorry I just started a thread extolling the virtues of refloxology and massage that I had last week, having missed your own thread

I had a classico massage, so more than a relaxing one but not a sports massage and it was phenomenal…I tend to concurr with Tina that you were maybe feeling out of sorts on that day but I felt incredible and “lightened” after it and have pledged to make sure it is something that I continue until I am in better health.

I would say try reflexology if you haven’t already…I haven’t tried acupuncture but it is on my list to try

Gillian