I want to share with you all an interesting experience I had. Over the last week, ~3x/day I had extremely intense Level 10 stabbing pains under my R rib cage that lasted 15-20 min each. Friends and family warned me this problem may be an issue with internal organs. I started researching classic shiatsu points, which correlate with our organs, and was indeed showing signs of gallbladder and stomach dysfunction. This led to a costly E.R. visit with no conclusion except a script for painkillers and a recommendation to follow up with a surgeon.
Feeling discouraged, I decided to investigate my initial intuition: that these pain episodes were due to a classic muscular referred pain, especially after reflecting on other contributing factors like dehydration, poor nutrition, and overworking myself over the last 3 weeks. I booked a session with a fellow medical massage therapist, and sure enough we found a classic trigger point in a muscle called iliocostalis (Pictured below). Delighted to finally have results and a significantly smaller bill, I left his office with today's lesson:
Be aware that excessive muscle tension can mimic the signs of more "serious" disorders.
So before you run to the hospital, I encourage you to REFLECT upon your recent lifestyle. Have you been drinking enough water? Have you fed yourself properly? Have you had enough rest? Are you facing a particularly stressful situation? Does your job require repetitive motions or sustained positioning? Did you get a new pillow? If these are relevant factors, then consider the fact that tight, dehydrated muscles can cause more problems than you would imagine.
So next time, consider stopping by Body Plus or your local holistic practitioner, wellness center before undergoing unnecessary surgeries or consuming unnecessary drugs.
Stay healthy and well, everyone!
Jared Ruban 🕉☯️🙏👊🏽
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