[debbiehub]

For a while now I have noticed that my back is becoming hypersensative. When I went for my massage on thursday I felt like jumping out of my skin everytime she put her hands on my back, This spread has really got me downl

Do you guys think it is good to keep up the massage to try and desensatize my back or leave my back alone and try and get the nerves to calm down?

Any medications that may help this??

Thanks
Debbie

[ali12]

SO sorry to hear that you are dealing with all of this right now, Debbie!

When I went onto the Intense Physical Therapy Course last year and told the Doctors there that the desensitization therapy I had been having hadn't helped, they asked what I was having. When I told them that I had to touch my foot with feathers, cotton wool etc during PT, they told me that that was no good for RSD and would probably aggrivate it even more as the nerves were getting mixed messages (one minute my foot was being touched, the next it wasn't).

After that, the PTs started me on some aggresive desensitization therapy. I had to wear socks every day (something which I hadn't done for over a year!) and then try and wear socks! It was absolute h*ll and I spent many days crying in pain but it was worth it in the end! I'm not going to lie to you and say that I don't still have hypersenstivity, I DO but it is a little easier to cope with than what it was previously.

Of course, everyone is different though and what worked a little for me, might not help for you!

Do you think that the massage therapy is helping you at all?? If you feel it is, i'd stick with it but if it's making things worse, i'd stop.

My PM Doctor told me that there wasn't really that many medications that can help with the hypersenstivity but I was given additional pain medications to try and help me through the therapy so it might be worthwhile speaking to your Doctor about that.

I hope you feel better soon and you are in my thoughts!

[debbiehub]

Thanks for you reply. Still have not decided what to do, I think the massage is aggravating the situation but now that is one more thing I have to give up

[SandyRI]

Originally Posted by debbiehub

Thanks for you reply. Still have not decided what to do, I think the massage is aggravating the situation but now that is one more thing I have to give up

Why don't you ask your doctor what to do? Maybe you shouldn't stop touching it, but just go very lightly for a while. I've never let anyone touch my shoulder (but I can wear clothes, just not scratchy fabrics), and now I'm totally squeamish about it. And the RSD is bad there. In retrospect, I would have been better off if I had let people touch it from the beginning. Desensitizing is really important.

Just a thought...

The best of luck to you. XOXOX Sandy

[AintSoBad]

Debbie,
I've come to the opinion, after so many years of trying to deal with this monster, that a general massage, is just not good for RSD. It seems to "wake up" all the nerves, and I came out feeling so much worse, than say, Going to my Chiro, and letting him put on warm packs, and electrical stim (tens), and getting a very gentle, fine tuned adjustment. Sometimes, just some stretching.

One massage that I found to be great, was called "Alexander Technique". (Try to find one of these specialists, you certainly may!).
They concentrate on not massaging, but drawing your pain/energy away from your spine, down through your extremities, and out through your fingers and toes.
A dark room, soft music, aromatherapy and candles.
Warm oils, and gentle, gentle fingers, working from my spine, and pushing, gently, the pain outwards. Until it could be massaged right out of each finger and toe.
Absolutely remarkable. The days I could do that, after a chiro treatment were just heaven sent. Remember.
ALEXANDER Technique!

A "Rub Down" massage, imho, is the last thing we need, with RSD.

I'm certain, that doing years of this, and chiro, have kept me from being overly sensitized. So I needn't do any desensitizing therapy.
That, and wearing Patagonia "Capilene" undergarments...


I urge you to seek out an Alexander practitioner!
Check out Patagonia "Capilene"
www.patagonia.com
And, find a gentle chiro. who understands rsd.
(My Chiro, actually diagnosed my rsd, before Dr S did!)

You'll be glad you did!


pete

Feel Better!