Docs warn of massage risk
2007-10-26 08:22
New York - Getting a massage to
relieve muscle tension and pain could raise the risk of
suffering a nerve injury, researchers warned.
They told a medical meeting they believe a healthy
38-year-old woman suffered a compressive nerve injury that was
caused by massage.
"Our report is the first to call attention to this
relationship and we are making additional reviews to learn more
about how often it may occur," Dr Mark Ross, of the Mayo Clinic
Scottsdale in Arizona, said in an e-mail.
He explained to a meeting of the American Association of
Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) that the
woman started to have pain in her left shoulder while getting a
massage.
The pain persisted after the massage and eventually she
experienced weakness in her left arm. An MRI showed swelling in
her upper back on her left side and further tests led doctors
to diagnose a nerve compression injury.
The woman had physical therapy and gradually improved over
six weeks. But two years later, she still had persistent mild
left shoulder pain and weakness.
Ross said there are no data or studies on how often massage
might cause nerve injury.
It's possible, he said, that "some people with unexplained
nerve pain or injury may have a complication of massage that is
not recognised".
He advised massage therapists to be careful about applying
very hard pressure in the upper shoulder area and to avoid such
pressure if the patient complains of pain.
Dr Sara Schrader, co-author of the report, said in a
statement that people who experience pain or shoulder weakness
after a massage could benefit from a visit to the doctor to
find out if nerve damage is the cause of their symptoms.
"Their doctor can determine if electrodiagnostic testing is
necessary and what would be the most appropriate treatment for
the individual," she added.