Side effects of a massage???!


Question: I get a massage and I feel like a 90 year old woman the next day. Sometimes I get the flu... but mostly just SEVERE body aches... what happens?


Answers: I get a massage and I feel like a 90 year old woman the next day. Sometimes I get the flu... but mostly just SEVERE body aches... what happens?

In general, there are no side effects to getting a massage... but for your reactions, there are a few possibilities.
First and most commonly, it's very likely that your body is releasing toxins that have been stored up (because a massage is healthy in most cases and gets the blood flowing)... these toxins get back into your system and if they aren't eliminated (via diet, sweating, or system cleanse), they can affect your system and you can feel sick. After a few times of this happening, it shouldn't happen as much if at all (as the toxins are all worked out of your system), but taking a good cleanser and/or drinking more water will help get rid of that effect much faster.
Another possibility (and less likely than the first) is that you might be allergic to something in the massage parlor... maybe the massage oils/creams, maybe something aromatic (aromatherapy, candles, etc), or possibly something in the building (mold, mildew, cleaning supplies that are used, etc). If you've used different massage parlors, that's not as likely, but it's still possible.

Try out a few different things to find out what the cause is for sure. Rub some of the massage oil/cream in the palm of your hand to see if you get a reaction... try sitting in the room without getting a massage for the same amount of time... try a massage from a different masseuse... try to eliminate some of the different possibilities to narrow down what might be causing the problem. Good luck!


[edit]: Well, if it's a deep tissue massage, that could be the cause as well. I know people that have gotten such intense massages that their muscles take a day or two to recover... it's just like having a really intense workout as far as your muscles are concerned.
Basically, when you work out, your muscle tissues are broken down... the pain that's experienced is a combination of Lactic Acid building up in the muscles and the act of the muscles rebuilding themselves (although that part has more to do with weakness and soreness than the pain). When you get a deep tissue massage, it's very similar... it's breaking up the muscle tissues, just in a different way.
If that's the case (and you really like the deep tissue massages), you may want to also consider using some L-Arginine after a deep massage... that'll help keep your circulation going so the Lactic Acid doesn't build up as easily.
However, it's still possible that it may be one of the other possibilities I mentioned, your size, sensitivity to other things, or other allergies may have little or no bearing on what reactions you may have to chemicals in the massage parlor.

not much really

WOW... I have never heard of such harsh side effects before!!

I don't see how massage can be 100% responsible for all of that!

Hum... I know that after the hard, harsh, Medicle Rehab style massages I used to get I would hurt like hell the next day because the pushing and gouging at the recovering musciles did a lot of 'damage' that was, in the long run, good because I was attempting to rebuild muscile after surgery... A day or two later I felt GREAT though...

Is it something like that?

If you are VERY sensitive to pain, it might shock your body and make it over react... POSSIBLY...

Could there be something your alergic to in the office where you get your massage?

The "Flu" symptioms might be a severe reaction to something... An insence, dust, chemicals used to sanitize the table... Hell, even the purfume of the therapist!

That might have something to do with it...

This is a stumper...

I can't wrap my mind around massage causing such horrible after effects...

There HAS to be a secondary cause here that you haven't thought of yet...

Hum... I'll keep thinking and edit if I come up with anything!

If you hurt so bad... You could ask them to be more gentle? Hum...

This is a tough one!

When you have a massage, especially a deeper tissue massage, toxins, as the above poster said, are released from the muscle tissue. Mostly in the form of lactic acid. If you are not well hydrated already (as most people aren't) you will need to drink extra water to help flush those toxins out of the muscle. Otherwise the muscles will try to draw any hydration out of the blood that it can find, even in the form of the lactic acid that you've just "milked" out of the muscle, causing a cramping feeling.

As for the flu, if you are sick, massage, which speeds up circulation, can speed up your metabolism, helping to bring on your illness faster and stronger (although it usually ends up being for a shorter duration that way too). This is why massage is not good for people with circulatory disorders, such as certain heart conditions and metastisizing cancers, they can spread.

Chances are if you got the flu after you had massage, you were going to get it anyway, you just got it faster this way.

Up your water intake for the day before and the day after massage and you should feel better.

Your detoxing which means your body is releasing toxins from things like foods and soaps. The massage stimulated your body which is a good thing. I have been going for lymph massages and the day after I get one I get flu-like and then a few days later I feel much better. Its 100% normal as long as it doesn't last for long periods of time. Hope you feel better!

you are not drinking enough water after a massage!

i know the feeling! anymore when i go, they ask me if i want a light,med or hard touch.. cause the last time i said hard and was black and blue and so sore i could not move! that may be your problem.. tell them not to go overboard and a bit easier on the rubs.. good luck..:) *

Yes it is common to feel like you are getting the flu after getting a deep tissue massage.

While there are many theories on why, we don't really know. The whole toxins things sounds good but there really isn't any proof. It isn't lactic acid - that is a myth (see more in the sources)

I always just tell my clients to keep drinking water until they feel better. I also recommend that they go home and take a hot bath in Epsom salts and baking soda and rest. Of course many are unable to do that because of time.

I also tell people who come in feeling like they are run down and just starting to get sick not to get deep tissue as it could make them sicker. I think it may be that you were fighting a virus to begin with but who really knows.





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