No Pain No Gain

I have a bad back. I've had back pain ever since I was in my late 20's. It all happened when I bent over (not using my legs in a squatting position) to pick up a piece of kleenex that I had thrown into the trash can but missed. Then BAM! Something happened and I was in debilitating pain. And my back hasn't been the same ever since.

I've seen doctors, gotten cortisone shots, got poked and assessed by sports therapists and physical therapists. Eventually I got insoles for my shoes (for alignment), a lumbar cushion for my lower back for where ever I sat and regularly did my back strengthening exercises (aka my 'mermaid' push-ups).

As I got older, I had to be more conscious of my back and how I use it. For the past few years, my back has been okay (knock on wood). It's been okay even through two pregnancies. I think it's because of the conscious investment I put into it that it is pretty much pain free for now. That investment is called: massage.

Now I know that it's a 'splurge' to get a massage. But hear me out. I know money doesn't come easy. So we have to spend it wisely. Some just spend and don't think about the debt they've incurred; others save save save (usually the asian way). But no matter how much or little we have, there is always something that we need to spend on that is 'luxurious' or 'self-satisfying'. It may be an investment in supping-up your car, purchasing high quality sports equipment, going golfing or skiing, receiving spa treatments and/or regular mani/pedis, or ordering your weekly/daily 'Grande Hot Chocolate 2 pumps mocha 1 pump vanilla Extra Hot with Whip No Drizzle' at Starbucks. Nevertheless, there may be one thing that we do 'splurge' on that we just need to make us feel good.

I have discovered that a regular massage for me keeps me physically and mentally healthy. It really does. It helps take away my back aches, prevents future back pain and de-stresses me at the same time. Now for many a massage is a time of relaxation and provides that 'calgon take-me away' type feeling. My cousin seems to always fall asleep when she gets a massage. She is that relaxed.

Not me. Nope. That is not my kind of massage. The massage I need is the deep tissue kind. My kind is the 'screaming-in-my-head' kind because it's that painful. Yep. No pain, no gain I say. If I can't feel pain, I don't feel the tightness and tension going away. I don't feel the muscles getting loosened. Those 'sleep-induced' massages are what I call 'wimpy' massages for me.

My massage therapist, Shelley, is an incredible masseuse. I-Love-Her! Her massages are so painful sometimes that when I haven't seen her for months and go to her, I still have the ache from the massage for days. Her focus is muscle therapy which specializes on pain relief.  (I know.. it's really not relief until you go a couple of times.) Deep tissue massage is her expertise. Each time I go, the less pain I feel. Bottom-line, I feel that she's really doing her job well and I can feel it. And it feels good. I feel like my upper body is getting a huge workout and thankfully, I'm not the one sweating and tired.

Recently, I was diagnosed with plantar fascilitis in my foot (inflammation of the tissue in my heel). I've been getting physical therapy for it. Denise, my PT is also awesome. Been seeing her since I've had my back pain. Denise heats, massages and ices the inflamed area. While seeing Shelley for my regular back massage, I told her to massage my foot too. She did and boy, did it hurt since she tried to deknot all the tiny knots in my foot. I iced it when I got home and it's feeling better. Much less painful when I walk.

Massage, I believe, is essential in our lives when we age. Have you not checked out all the electrical massage gadgets at Brookstone or Sharper Image? How about those massage chairs in the middle of the malls? They are all on to something. There is a need. And an important one at that.