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?

Out of interest, what are the toxins that are released?

So bloody rude? Where?

Come on then, if you are certain, show me the scientific paperwork that massages releases toxins.
Thanks.

Yes. If that were the case, A&E departments would have emergency massage therapists.

The essiential oils used or any strong smelling perfumes could give you a bad headache as some people are sensitive to them. My ds cannot be in a room with any of these things as highly sensitive.
As for the toxins..its actually not toxins that are released although that seems to be a term everyone uses. Its more to do with inflammation but l don't know the correct term we should use.

Ha ha, good point!

Oh dear, I didn't mean to start a debate about massages and toxins 😅

@borborygmus1 it is more of a spacey/lack of balance type feeling, I don't feel like the room is spinning as such.

The headache has totally gone now (48 hours post massage) but I do feel a bit of a migraine-type hangover.

To PP who asked, it definitely was not a chiropractor/neck cracking thing, it was very gentle.

But I will certainly never have it again!

Get some boost hydration sachets from Co-Op and drink one of those to hydrate yourself and replace salts. If you're normally not drinking enough water - then you should look at getting an electrolyte drink in you at least once a day. There are better options on the market other than Boost - but that one is most accessible to you today.

In all honesty, a cup of tea would do. Any fluids.

Did they do that sudden neck twisting thing? I'd think it was fairly unusual for the type of massage you had - it's more usually done in a chiropractic setting - but be aware that it does carry a risk of stroke. If they did that then I don't think it's a bad idea to get checked out.

https://www.google.com/search?q=chiropractic+stroke&udm=14

Hope it's, as others suggest, just a normal consequence of having a massage and nothing more problematic.

Jo

Take a proper migraine pain med and see how you feel after. Ideally one with a muscle relaxant.

I had a reiki session once which left me feeling like this. I felt extremely nauseous and had a splitting migraine which painkillers wouldn't touch. Nothing healing about it!

AI almost always tells me to go straight to A&E, and I always tell it no, sitting on the floor with infectious people for 6-8 hours will not help.
Having a worse headache than you've ever had would send me to A&E because I knew someone who died of a stroke, and that's how it presented, but now the headache has gone I think you'll be fine.
Definitely skip the massage next time though. 💐

I get my back massage once a month but only my back.
I had my head done once and had a migraine never again.

You are just dehydrated, have a dioralyte and keep drinking the water.
you will be grand tomorrow

I have a regular Chiro who does treatment on my neck and back but he's never caused headaches or anything like that. Last time I went I just had a bit of neck and shoulder pain for 48 hours but I didn't feel anything else.

Coudl you give them some feedback? It sounds unpleasant.

Also alarmed that so many posters seem to believe this pseudo science crap about toxins. No wonder Gwyneth Paltrow and others laugh all way to the the bank.

My understanding is that "toxins" is a bit of a catch-all nonsense term, but massage helps push stuff through the lymphatic system to the lymph nodes where it can be dealt with. This can include stuff like bacteria which your body then tackles, leading to flu like symptoms. Is that not true?

Best be careful. That kind of work should have relieved any headaches, not triggered a fresh one.

If you want to try to help yourself, there are certain points which if you massage them, can help prevent a migraine or stop it from worsening.

These points are in the eye socket, above your eyebrows, temple, and under your chin, deep in your neck where your head meets your spine, and the back of your head & neck. Next time you have a headache, press on one of those and if it's tender, that's the problem area that needs to be massaged, and if you feel relief after a few seconds of doing so, you'll know it's working.

I really recommend that you read - A New Approach to Headache and Migraine by Pablo Tymoszuk.

Disclaimer - I haven't read all of it but what I did read was interesting and made a lot of sense.

lol

I've always fancied a "proper" massage but never got round to it, I'm glad now!

Glad you're feeling a bit better, OP!

I thought a head massage would be lovely buf the first time I went it was completely feeble and didn't do anything for me.

The second time mainly consisted of pulling my hair!

Neither led to me having a headache though.

If you're interested, you can search vertebral artery dissection and massage or posterior circulation stroke and massage as there are plenty of case reports.

Deep massage posterior neck can cause it, particularly in those with underlying connective tissue disorders /ehlers danlos etc.

Sadly even non-fatal strangulation/sudden head turns can trigger carotid or vertebral artery dissections. It's not nice to see young people suffering stroke from a dissection and unfortunately it's easy to miss as a cause as a lot of healthcare workers won't connect neck pain and minor unsteadiness, and it may not trigger an emergency response from 111.

A normal massage doesn't. It's a manual lymphatic drainage massage that would do that.

I love an Indian head massage, the rougher the better. My family is not originally from Britain though.