Hurts so Good

Yesterday, I went for a deep tissue massage.  I have a  membership at a local massage place.  For about $60 a month I get a massage every month that rolls over if I don't use it, and additional 1 hour massages are $30.  My back has a habit of knotting up and then completely going out, which usually means two days off from work while I recover in a pain pill and muscle relaxer induced coma.

This time around my back (and really the rest of my body) was pretty bad.  Everything ached and my posture was seriously terrible because it hurt so badly.  The manager at the massage place told me that this therapist was great at deep tissue.  I told him not to be afraid to dig.  He was careful to ask about my RA and whether anything hurt (of course it did) and to ask if I had any bruises; the last time I went in I had IV bruises up and down my arms.

This therapist was darn good; he definitely got all of the knots out and my back is loose for a change.  The popping noises it made when I sat up were completely astounding.  He also found trigger points everywhere else, which is not surprising.  I think with any chronic condition affecting the joints, muscles tend to overcompensate and end up tensing up, which in turn just makes the joints hurt worse.  It's a cycle.  My ankles and elbows also feel a lot better today.

Unfortunately, I am sore and bruised.  Below is a picture of the middle of my back.  You can see the visible swelling on either side of my spine as well as the impressive bruises.  For the record, I have done some research and with deep tissue massage some bruising is normal if you're really tense.  Bruising on this level, maybe not, but I also suspect that all of the meds are causing me to bruise quite easily.

I'm loading up on the ginger and tylenol and am taking epsom salt baths alternating with ice packs on my back. I'm also considering a ginger bath tonight to sweat some of this out.  Either way, my back still feels better than it did two days ago!