Do you disclose PTSD for a massage?

[piratelady]

I'm getting a massage later this week. They gave me a questionnaire to fill out beforehand. One side has a section where I can mark off various physical and mental conditions I have so they are aware. Aside from some physical issues I have like migraines, I checked off "Sleep issues" and "Extra Stress". Would you disclose that you have PTSD? One one hand, I can't imagine it has any bearing on the massage, but he's also my yoga instructor, so maybe it's best he knew?

Who all do you guys disclose your PTSD to?

 

[EveHarrington]

If you don’t have problems with touch, and you’re not going to start flinching, kicking, or flailing unexpectedly, then I see no need to disclose something so personal.

 

[Teamwork]

For me I would have to, but then on the other hand you would not see me anywhere near a massage session. right now in sessions when asked to do bilateral tapping on my legs my mind goes into refusal that, that would be touching my body and I just cant do this simple tapping thing. Now if he said to do my head at the temple probably. So ya, I'm pretty aware of what's out and agree with eveharrington, know yourself.

 

[piratelady]

Thank you both! I think I'll decide on the day of. Touch never used to bother me, and I've had massages before. But I've been more symptomatic than normal lately. Maybe if I'm feeling calm that day I'll keep it to myself, if I'm really struggling then I'll add it to the sheet before I turn it in to him.

I've known him for a couple months now, he teaches one of my yoga classes. He's super calming, so I feel like maybe that will calm me down enough and I won't need to say anything regardless. We'll see.

Thanks for the input, both of you! :)

 

[somerandomguy]

I get massages every few months and I don't have any problems with my massage therapist touching me for some reason, so I haven't disclosed.

You could always say that you sometimes have issues with people touching you if you're afraid of reacting. But you don't have to say that it's because of PTSD.

 

[Friday]

When I wasn’t symptomatic I disclosed (that I used to have PTSD) all the time without a second thought. The same easy way I talk about being ADHD or used to play XYZ sport. If it came up I could talk about it without a care in the world. Now that it IS an issue? I am very very careful about who I say boo, or word one about anything, to.

<chuckling> In retrospect one of my fav massage therapists (I used to get weekly massage, for years and years... gorgeous $8 copays!!!) kept hinting about trauma & PTSD. But it all totally went over my head. Looking back, all of her references to “the body keeps score” :facepalm: and grounding and such is about as subtle as a lead brick. But none of those things were in my vocabulary at the time. So it was just random kicking it with my LMP conversation.

I really have no idea about why she kept bringing it up, except that my body isn’t exactly scar free, and even where the skin didn’t break I’ve got a lot of broken bones and damaged tendons and schtuff that you can palpate pretty easily.

 

[Abstract]

getting me to disclose, even to myself ;) , is pretty near impossible so there is that. Agreed with the others. Will add of course that if you feel it would be useful to you and you trust the person then you could do so. It will be relvant to the things you are treating in the massage sessions and "stress" may suffice but its entirely up to you.

I "had" trauma aware massage at one point when highly symptomatic. They were trained to deal with trauma.

Good luck and enjoy.

) kept hinting about trauma & PTSD. But it all totally went over my head. Looking back, all of her references to “the body keeps score” :facepalm: and grounding and such is about as subtle as a lead brick.

??? I sooo relate to this! Story of my past!

I think these poeple can also be pretty intuitive at times and pick up on all sorts! They know the body and its nuances. I had a very weird experience before even thought of the word trauma with a massage therapist and looking back I think ??? I thought I was a picture of togetherness.

 

[piratelady]

I carry all of my stress in my neck and shoulders (as I imagine most do). As my PTSD has gotten worse over the last month or so, my neck and shoulder have gotten really bad. For a bit I struggled to turn my head anymore. He fixed it quite a bit with yoga, but it's still pretty painful, so I'm hoping he can get the knots out. It may become a regular thing for a little while until I get through the worst of this.

I do worry that'll flinch or tense up a bit. Or if I've had a bad day that I'll just start crying (I almost did that in yoga once).

Then there are the scars. I imagine the room will be dim, so maybe he won't see them! But yeah, my arms are covered in white raised scars from all the cutting and my new cuts may not be 100% gone by then (they leave the pink marks like every time now) so I worry that he'll ask about them.

I didn't care with the last massage lady, I'm not sure why I'm so worked up about this guy. Maybe because I see him like twice a week every week...

 

[Abstract]

You know what though? This won't be the first time he has dealt with any of that. And yoga reaches tend to be very open minded and open to the idea of bigger stresses on the body and mind. You dont deserve to feel any shame.

 

[EveHarrington]

Do you use a TENS unit? Do you have a muscle roller? I find both to be helpful, even though the muscle roller does leave bruises (not uncommon).

 

[piratelady]

@EveHarrington, I can’t use a TENS unit, y ex used to use one to abuse me. I have a roller, but haven’t figured out how to use one on the area between my shoulder blades.

My boss gave me a thera-cane, I’m going to see if that helps at all.

 

[EveHarrington]

Oh, so sorry. I had a guy put one on me in a sensitive area and he almost got decked. He thought it was funny, me, not so much.