Bright Lights, Big Spin

A new massage client had a history of vertigo and migraines. After about $20,000 worth of tests, she had been diagnosed with post-viral balance disorder and sent to a balance clinic. Her therapy was consistent: Flashing lights, juggling balls and teeter-totter devices.

         

She kept mentioning how the migraines and vertigo got much worse during each session.

         

By the time she came in, her vertigo approximated the deck of a rolling ship. The migraines were overwhelming and she had not slept for more than three hours a night. When she did sleep, it was on a mound of pillows to keep the vertigo down.

         

“I’m getting worse!”

Hey, I offered, the important thing is that all the scary things had been checked and ruled out (there’s a big scary list that goes with vertigo and migraines, stuff such as brain tumors and multiple sclerosis,) info I did not share.

I went right for her history. Any car accidents? Yes, a big one 8 years ago with lots of whiplash and torsion. No soft tissue therapy. The fractures took priority.

Ok. Let’s give this a try.

I put the lower half of the massage table down two notches, and she was able to get on the table supine. I went after the anterior trapezial “nausea points” and the headaches points in the ligamentum nuchae. Her vertigo retreated, as did the migraines. Encouraged, I also massaged the masseter and infra-hyoids.

“I think we may be on to something,” I said.