Client experiencing nausea during massage

[purplepolkadotsrules007]

Hi,
Was massaging a client earlier this evening when had to stop massage after 20 minutes as the client was feeling extremely nauseated (to the point of almost vomiting). Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar.

As a bit of background, I massage this client on a fortnightly basis and have been doing so for about the past six months. She mentioned that this has never happened before during a massage and she has had many massages. It has happened once before for her during a session with a manipulative physiotherapist.
I had only worked the lumber/thoracic areas of the back during the 20 minutes I was working with her tonight (all prone, no neck/shoulder work by the time we called it a day). She felt better once she got up from the table, although still a little queasy.

Is it just one of those things or can someone shed any light.

I will contact her in the morning to see how she is.

Thanks

 

[Kreerk]

Honestly, it sounds like she's coming down with something.

I did have that happen with a client, once, but it was doing neck/anterior neck work, and his head was mobilized for the first time in years. It made sense to me that it would upset his stomach.

 

[ARBOB]

Considering the number of cases of gastro I've heard about going around Sydney at the moment, I'd say she's coming down with something, pregnant or just one of those things.
Really nasty gastro going around, I know of a few people that have ended up in hospital with it, rather than being able to suffer through it.

 

[AlissaPie]

Thx - have to admit that gastro (or pregnant) was my initial reaction. However when I contacted her this morning I received the message that she woke up this morning with an intense stiff neck and is off to a physio tomorrow.

Maybe there was something underlying going on (she mentioned that her posture at work hadn't been the best) and releasing back may have triggered some reaction or maybe she just had her neck in a slightly awkward position when prone (as mentioned in the original post - I did no work on her neck by the time the massage was abandoned). Have to see what the physio has to say.

 

[prettykitty]

My massage instructor was speaking of this very topic last night in class. She said it is very normal for this sort of thing to happen. If there is a build up of toxins in the body then they can make someone ill after a really good massage. As a matter of fact just the other night the dean of the school called her in the middle of the night because his daughter had received a massage somewhere and ended up becoming very nauseated and he was pretty sure our instructor would know the answer.

Keep us informed on what you find out!!

 

[Spike]

If the nausea happened during the massage, the toxin release should not be a factor. When you stated that you only worked the thoracic and lumbar regions, respiratory diaphram tightness came to mind. Since the vagus nerve pierces the diaphram, tightness in this region can trigger nausea as well as a host of other issues. The client may have specific tightness in the T12 region or a spinal/rib issue here, as the respiratory diaphram is innervated by the T12 nerve root. Osseous work (adjustments or myofascial release) to the thoracolumbar spine and region, as well as specific releases/stretching to the diaphram and related areas may be quite helpful.

 

[Pompal 09.]

If the nausea happened during the massage, the toxin release should not be a factor. When you stated that you only worked the thoracic and lumbar regions, respiratory diaphram tightness came to mind. Since the vagus nerve pierces the diaphram, tightness in this region can trigger nausea as well as a host of other issues. The client may have specific tightness in the T12 region or a spinal/rib issue here, as the respiratory diaphram is innervated by the T12 nerve root. Osseous work (adjustments or myofascial release) to the thoracolumbar spine and region, as well as specific releases/stretching to the diaphram and related areas may be quite helpful.

:iagree:

 

[Mike J Kobe for MVP!!]

Or, your client simply could have been dehydrated.
That's one of the reasons we tell clients to drink plenty of water before and after a massage, in addition to the increased tissue pliability factor.