Is this normal after a massage?

[Ras214]

I treated myself to a back, neck and head massage yesterday after a period of stress.

It was at a spa so more of a relaxing vibe and seemed very gentle at the time (I'm more used to sports massages that really hurt).

Yet it seems to have triggered a very painful headache (as well as back pain overnight, like I was all seized up, but this has lessened now). The headache is still going strong over 24 hours later. Paracetamol helps a bit but it is like no other headache I have experienced. The front half of my head is very sore, it feels very deep inside my head.

Is this normal-ish, what is going on?

I've only ever had one head massage (Indian) because it made me throw up quite violently afterwards. I felt sick as a dog for a good 24 hours.

Last year, after a full body massage which included my neck and shoulders, I got a cervicogenic migraine attack. I had to take 2x 30/500 cocodamol tablets just to get off the massage table!

So yes, it can happen OP, and I'm sorry you're suffering after your spa day. Take pain relief and rest but if things really aren't improving, call 111 💐

(Edited because I got the name of the migraine wrong.)

not unusual to get a headache but i wouldn't have expected it to still be going. have you hydrated yourself well?

Did you drink a lot of water afterwards? It is recommended. I have a full body massage done every 6 weeks or so and drink water before and after.

It is normal to experience a headache because the massage can increase blood flow and move fluid so you can feel dehydrated. Also just lying in a face down position can be something you don't usually do and there are a lot of nerves in the neck area which again can be aggravated by massage.

However your response does feel a bit outside of the response I would expect as a non-medical person who just has routine massages. Even though I feel the benefit my neck is always sore afterward as I hold tension there and the therapist works deeper in that area for me.

If the headache lasts over 72 hours then ring 111 (that part was from google)

Thank you! Yes to be fair I am usually fairly dehydrated by default and probably didn't drink enough afterwards. I drank lots today but it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

@baroqueandblue so interesting, it was an Indian head massage. I sometimes get mild tension headaches, it feels like maybe all the tension held in my neck has been released at once so I am now having a stress headache on steroids. It is a bit migraine like, at times I have felt dizzy and like I couldn't hear properly today.

Well, what a "treat". I'll think twice next time!

Maybe get checked out. It is a bit odd!

Massage hangover. You need to eat something salty and drink a load of water. My go to is salt and vinegar snackajacks.

Probably the masseur's bad negative energy. She could have been projecting negative thoughts towards you. Cancel them and say 'I reject all headaches and release from myself whatever came in to the person who did this

Yes it happened to me in 2020, my then-boss treated us all to a massage at her house (her home was HUGE, easily as big as many offices I've worked in). I had a neck and shoulder massage and was fine that day. It was the following day that I felt incredibly ill. Really flu-like. I read it was something to do with toxins leaving the body, but I'd literally rather have had them in there if that's how it was going to feel to expel them! 😂

Yep - did this once. Dizziness and migraine. Never again!

My thoughts exactly! I'll keep my toxins where they are next time, thanks!

Oh wow I’ve never heard of this!

I’ve been wanting to book one for years but now I’m not so sure.

How is your headache now? Has it eased at all

possibly it’s unrelated and just a coincidence. If it doesn’t get better go and get checked out.

This happened to me after a thai massage, the woman was on my back at one point! I felt really poorly afterwards and went straight to McDonalds for fries and a coke, i needed salt and sugar 🤣 i did feel rough for a couple of days after.

It's normal for me, but I don't think it is meant to happen! Suddenly relaxing big muscles which are used to overworking can cause pain. As pp said, it's worse with dehydration.

You should have been told to drink plenty of water afterwards to flush all the toxins out of your body. My massage therapist gives me a bottle of water at the end and makes sure I drink some before I leave. She is brutal though - brutal but wonderful!

Please take ibuprofen or aspirin - paracetamol doesn't do much for headaches or soreness and take with a little caffeine as it helps with headaches.
And no, apart from a little sore never had bad reaction to a massage. Could it be a coincidence?

Toxins leaving your body after a massage is total nonsense.

I had reflexology once and the next day it was like I had the worst flu ever.

It's probably ok but be careful- if it doesn't improve or gets worse, or you get any other symptoms in face or arms then seek medical help

I had reiki once, and that had quite an extreme - er - effect on my digestive system.

This happened to me after an Indian head massage

Urgh now I have been googling and my health anxiety is on fire - reading about artery injury and strokes. Though rare, AI is telling me to go to A&E RIGHT NOW!

Slightly reassured that others have had similar but I don't want to leave my children to grow up without a mother because I couldn't be bothered to go to A&E. What do we think?

I'd phone 111, but also, it is possible to drink loads of water but still be dehydrated. About 6 weeks ago I had horrendous flu (Don't know if it was covid.) I was drinking a lot but I remember my head was pounding, felt like it was trying to burst through my skull. I felt weak, I felt bloody awful. Google told me I was dehydrated. I ordered these from Amazon because it was late at night and I couldn't get access to a chemist. I read about making a drink at home to reydrate in the meantime. I didn't have all the ingredients but mixed sugar, salt and water and drank it. I felt so much better! The difference was incredable!

It really isn't nonsense

Other MNers will probably jump on me, but I don't like the sound of dizziness and hearing loss after a head and neck massage. I'm not a doctor and I don't mean to alarm you, but I don't think it's a daft idea to get yourself seen, or at least call 111.

Reflexology also releases toxins.