Cruising at end of January.

[Harrywogan]

Was wonder about getting a couple of massages when iam cruising, but not sure if it's a bad idea or not with the P M R does anyone have massages done.Thanks x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I do but mostly from the physio who is very aware of PMR and ist foibles. If they work on trigger points or you have myofascial pain it can make you feel as if you are having a flare for a day or so - the massage releases inflammatory substances from the trigger points or muscle fascia and until you get rid of them it may feel like a flare. Drinking plenty of water and gentle exercise in the fresh air helps speed it up.

My daughter gave me a voucher for a hot stone massage for xmas - looking forward to it.

[MrsNails]

Personally, from someone who’s cruised many times & had Massages on the ship Pre PMR - l wouldn’t even consider it.

They may not be familiar with PMR & are often trained in deep tissue or Swedish Massage. Generally even though they are highly trained they may not understand the peculiarities of PMR & it could induce a Flare or at least make your muscles ache thus spoiling your Cruise.

When l first had PMR l continued to have facials but the head, neck & shoulder massage disturbed my muscles & left me in pain for weeks.

And, on a cynical note - they are very expensive (much more than on land) they expect a large tip & want to sell you expensive products. I’m going on a Cruise in 12weeks & l won’t go near the Spa!

I hope you have a lovely time - where are you off to? 🚢 We’re going to the Canaries from Southampton.

Kind Regards

MrsN

[Harrywogan in reply to MrsNails]

Thanks Mrs N iam also going to the Canaries we fly to Tenarife for ship and iam glad I asked the question won't go near spar and will save myself some money. Harry x

[Hidden in reply to MrsNails]

the Bay of Biscay did me in last time😳

[Blearyeyed]

Massage is complex.One of the main things it does is help the body remove toxins from the body not just improve muscle stiffness or tightness.

This sounds like a good thing doesn't it?

But that isn't always the case , especially if you have a pain related illness which could be linked to autoinflammation or autoimmunity.

First , the massage , especially if it is a deep tissue or sports therapy variety actually gives the muscle and joint an intensive workout. The intensity can cause a flare up of soreness and inflammation , just like too much exercise , in an under active part of the body. The pain afterwards can feel as bad as that after a walk up a mountain , it's called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness ( D.O.M.S) and is the most common side effect of standard therapeutic massage .

Second , the flow of toxins that are released may be good to get rid of but not so rapidly . It can cause an autoimmune reaction in various parts of the body which can cause pain , Migraines , stomach symptoms and a flare up in chronic health problems like PMR , Fibromyalgia, Inflammatory arthritis and even cardiac and neurological complaints. This type of Detoxification is actually a researched form of systemic poisoning in some severe cases.

If you plan to try massage you really need to undertake some research and , unusually need to be in a good period of health with your chronic condition if you don't want the chance of it doing more harm than good.

You need a person experienced in lighter therapy massage techniques with knowledge of your type of health issue.

You should only start with areas of the body least effected by your condition and for five to ten minutes so that you can assess in the 48 hours afterwards if you find relief or have a flare.

On your side , as well as ensuring you don't take massage when you are in more pain , or soon after an infection or injury you need to prepare the body.

Good nutrition and proper hydration both in the days before and after a massage.

Drinking water before and after a session.

Doing a few warm up and cool down stretches before and after a treatment.

Using heat pads or a warm shower before and after to prepare the body and make the muscle tissue less stiff.

You could contact the Cruise Ship and request information about the experience of the massage therapist and if they have short sessions on offer. Some cruise ships actually have trained physiotherapists on board with low impact massage and manipulation therapy experience so you could be lucky.

You could try a taster with a local well qualified physio massage therapist before going to see if it would suit you.

But , with all the extra activity and fun yet stress based activity of a holiday you still could react badly to the massage and cause a flare which could effect the rest of your trip . This is the risk you need to balance against the benefit. Will it be worth it, probably not .

You may benefit more from taking half sessions of some relaxing exercise class or gentle exercises or walking in their warmest pool or seeing if they have a hydropool instead.

[Harrywogan in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thanks Bleary-eyed, think I'll give it a miss,xx

[Janstr]

I have massages from a lady who used to be a physio & is well aware of PMR. A couple of times i was stiff & thought I was starting to flare, but the massage sorted it out

[Merryfield]

Had a massage on cruise. Luckily, no bad reaction but was on equivalent of 28 mgs medrol so fairly high dose. Helped loosen up glutes, hips and lower back.

[123-go]

Plenty of solid advice here. Enjoy your cruise and perhaps have the massage when you’re back home-just don’t go to this one:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ced_H...(Not working as expected?)

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 123-go]

Luv it!

[herdysheep in reply to 123-go]

🤣🤣🤣

[bussell in reply to 123-go]

😂😂. Good laugh to start the day!!

[Floridafan in reply to 123-go]

That’s so funny, I think I’ll watch this every morning!

[Spirograph in reply to 123-go]

That’s a ‘laugh out loud’ beezer. Thank you

[christi48 in reply to 123-go]

Hilarious!

[GrandmaPirate]

I take once a month a Thai massage. She is very good, knows to find the places in my body that need special care. A lot depends on the type of massage and the skills of the one doing it. Just try it out!

[herdysheep]

I have always avoided body massages onboard for the reasons others have given. However I did indulge in the foot soak and lower leg massage which was great in the days I could walk about a lot!

[123-go in reply to herdysheep]

Hopefully you’ll regain that ability 🤞.

[S4ndy]

I am a qualified former masseusse with anatomical and physiological qualifications. If you walked into my office when I was practising I would advise you not to have a massage as it could aggrevate your symptoms. I know this because of my own experience and training but not all massage therapists are equal. I trained for over a year after qualifying as an exercise teacher and specialised in exercise and massage for older people. A lot of massage therapists can get insurance by doing a day's training! Therefore you need to research your therapists qualifications and experience before letting them loose on your body. Loved the video though! Enjoy your cruise and spend your money elsewhere than in the spa. Bar perhaps

[Harrywogan in reply to S4ndy]

Thanks for that,will spend in bar lol xx

[Blearyeyed in reply to S4ndy]

So nice to hear sensible advice from a qualified therapist , as you say , so many do not have the knowledge that you do and will often try to convince people to have longer sessions and deeper treatments even when the client themselves is not confident or had experience of massage. Thanks for your input , do you still practice?

[S4ndy in reply to Blearyeyed]

No afraid not. I had to give up the massage about 2 years before I gave up the exercise teaching in 2016. My body is a mess what with PMR and several disc prolapsed. I can just about walk and that's taken all my resolve to keep that going Seeing a Neurosurgeon this Saturday as now Cauda Equina is getting compressed by the disc issues. Will be interested to hear what he has to say. If by any remote chance I am ever able to work again I think it would only be in an occasional teaching of other therapists rather than doing anything myself. I am resigned to a very different life now

[Blearyeyed in reply to S4ndy]

So sorry about the spinal progress you are suffering . It's such a loss , not just physically but mentally , when we are forced to give up exercise and being active when it was a big part of our lives. I hope you do feel up to teaching in the future , even if you could just do talks via video to therapists about the precautions they need to take with massage and other therapies based on a person's medical needs it could make a great contribution and huge change to the consistency of care people receive. I will keep you in my thoughts for your upcoming tests . Take care , Bee

[Groovykindoflove1992]

I personally couldn't bear a massage. I'm too sore everywhere. I've needed to see my osteopath for a while now, but I would dread going. The previously pleasant 'warm up' massage before she gets manipulating would have me screaming out loud. The past couple of times I went before covid were just excruciating, where they wouldn't have been previously, but as I had untreated PMR and fibro for 5 or 6 years I suddenly had a big lightbulb moment of realisation!💡I think I would end up punching the poor woman through no fault of my own 🥊I think I'd better stay clear, hadn't I 😳

[Tiggy70]

Hi Harry, I would avoid a massage on your cruise.

I had a bad massage experience in the Maldives last March. I knew that I had a shoulder problem (possibly a partial tendon tear) prior to the massage which I pointed out to the masseur. She was very young and possibly her English wasn’t that good. Anyway the first thing she did was to put a hot towel on my back and lean on my right shoulder. I felt a really sharp pain. It was on the second day of my holiday and the rest of the trip was ruined for me. I couldn’t move my arm, couldn’t snorkel or swim and had to visit the doctor on the island 3 times for pain killing injections. An MRI on my return to England revealed a full thickness tear in my supraspinatus tendon. I’ve ended up with two recent shoulder surgeries and a flare of my PMR which I’m currently struggling to get under control.

It’s a pity because having a massage in different countries was something I had previously enjoyed. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your holiday whether you have a massage or not.

[Harrywogan in reply to Tiggy70]

Thanks Tiggy I've decided against it after all you lovely people's in put. X

[christi48]

I learned something new today. Thanks for asking that questions and thanks to everyone for the replies!