Anyone tried massage therapy for NDPH?

She gave her deep muscle massage for over an hour, working on her back, neck and head. Becca did pretty well... it was a bit painful, but not unbearable. She warned us that she'd feel like she was hit by a truck after 24-48 hours afterward.

Well, she was correct. When she got home from school on Thursday, she came to me crying because she was in so much pain. Her head was an 8 and she hadn't had one that bad in a couple of months. She had maintained a 3-4 for several months and was thrilled with that! But this one was a doozy. She works parttime in a pharmacy and was scheduled to work that night, but of course couldn't. She missed school the next day as well.

Fortunately, by Friday night, it was starting to let up some. She's now back down to a 3-4 and her back pain is totally gone.

My question is, has anyone else tried Massage Therapy and has it done any good?

Bev

Sorry to hear about your daughter's saga -- she sounds like a brave and determined girl. I didn't have any luck with massage therapy, after trying it with several therapists over the years. But different people get results from different treatments, and I'm glad it at least helped her back pain. Nonetheless, I'm a bit skeptical about someone who's never heard of NDPH and then says they can relieve them!

The good news from reading your various posts is that Becca has already learned how to manage her pain. I know you'd rather it just go away, but until and unless it does, what's important is that she's able to carry on as normal a life as possible -- going through school, having fun with friends, etc. Things like school may take a bit longer (but few kids seem to finish college in four years anymore!!), but she seems to get done what needs doing. I've been suffering NDPH for many years, and have completed graduate school and earned a PhD -- slowly, but eventually.

All the best to Becca and to you. In many ways, I expect this is as hard on you as it is on her.

Mark

It is definitely as hard on me as it is on her, as any parent will agree. I would do anything for me to have the pain instead of her. She was never sick when she was younger. She was always my healthy one until this all started. Since then it's been one thing after another....

Bev

I also got NDPH in high school, as a junior. I haven't done massage therapy, but I've been treated by osteopathic doctors (DOs) who do Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) for most of my life. OMM has really helped my NDPH. OMM is a way of helping the body remember to help heal itself--for example, my DO works on the membranes surrounding my brain to release tensions and restrictions that occur, to help the membranes remember how to work properly. Some health insurance will cover it as an "alternative" therapy, in the acupuncture and massage category--mine does.

On the abdominal pain that you mentioned in your last post, could it in any way be related to Becca's menstrual cycle? I have endometriosis, an abnormality of endometrial tissue that causes it to leave the uterus and implant in the abdomen, which causes large amounts of pain when left untreated. It is worth investigating, and an early diagnosis is priceless. Note that endometriosis is often left undiagnosed because it usually does not show up on ultrasounds--the only sure diagnosis is surgery. I would also look into Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, in which the ovaries release too many eggs and the follicles become cysts on the ovaries, which can cause pain as well. However, PCOS is treatable, more so than endometriosis. I have both of these conditions, so please let me know if I can answer any questions for you.

Tell Becca we're all rooting for her. I managed to graduate with honors from high school, even after a semester of medical leave due to NDPH. I'm now a rising junior in college.

-Caroline

Every time we hear, "all the tests came back good!" I want to scream. Yes, I'm glad it's nothing serious, but what the heck is it??? With her history of Bladder cancer, which is extremely, extremely rare in anyone under the age of 30, I don't want them blowing us off on the abdominal pain... so I just keep pushing...

We have not tried a DO for her headaches... maybe that's something we can look into if the massage therapy doesn't do anything. Thanks!

Bev

I'm with you--I absolutely hate normal test results. My parents have an absolute library of pictures of my head, my totally normal head--MRIs, CTs, neck xrays, the works. I actually had a colonoscopy in Dec. 2005 for an undiagnosed condition, which turned about to be nerve pain, and I hate tests that turn out to be unnecessary. However, I know that you get to the point where you'll do ANYTHING to make it better. I've been there several times.

And a note--PCOS DOES cause pain, I've had pain that has been proven to be PCOS. But it's usually on the sides of the abdomen, near the ovaries, not in the middle.

PLEASE keep pushing. When doctors don't get it, it's the advocates who get through to the medical professionals. I want to be a doctor myself, and with all this medical experience behind me, I hope that I'll never doubt a patient or patient advocate.

-Caroline

I know that I'm my child's only advocate because as soon as I stop making phone calls, all the behind the scene work stops. Unless I'm constantly on them about what our next move is, they are fine with just letting her alone and see if it passes. Nope, no way. I'll not let my daughter have daily pain in her head and in her stomach too. I've finally got a diagnosis for the headache, but so far have no idea what is causing the abdominal pain. It's also a daily thing... it never goes away either.

Thanks to all of you. I can't believe what a relief it is to have someone to talk to about this who understands!!!!

Bev

2 years ago, I have severe GERD, and out of sudden, one day, I was down with a headache that never once went away.

The main point about my post is that I think it may be more important to focus on 1 area, such as the abdominal pain rather than the headache, since the pain may be a referred one. Or it could be the other way round.

For me, I have referred pain down the left side of my body. I feel weird on my left side, but that doesn't impede my movement during any physical exercise.

We're concentrating on the abdominal pain right now since her head is somewhat controlled with the pain being at a 3-4 everyday that she's able to tolerate. She's had every test imaginable run on her for the belly pain and they can't find anything...

I'll have to do some reading on referred pain because I'm not really familiar with it. Thanks for the info!

Bev