There is a sports massage and physical therapy location called MASSALUD just around the corner from my house, and I finally decided to stop by a few Fridays ago.
All throughout my childhood, my mother complained of a large knot at the nape of her neck. She started getting monthly massages, but the knot never really went away until about 5 years after she retired. There's something about navigating all the stresses of work deadlines and the emotional toll of daily life that just gets some people all tied up in knots.
Over these past few weeks in Spain--sitting at my computer writing, bending over books doing research, reading election books on my phone--I've discovered a massive knot in my own neck. It's certainly something that has been building all throughout grad school, but for some reason, Spain has made it worse.
The thing about BFRBs is that your nervous system uses them to silence physical discomfort, like, say neck pain. If you can figure out what your body actually needs (a drink of water, a change in posture, exercise, a nice stretch, a good dance party, physical therapy, acupuncture, reiki, tai chi, massage and I could go on and on and on...) and give it THAT, the BFRB lessens.
So I splurged and got myself a 5-massage pass at MASSALUD.
I went for my first one a few Fridays ago, and it was the least relaxing massage I've ever experienced. AND YET, my neck and back were WAY more relaxed afterwards. I could even roll my shoulders without hearing my muscles and bones creak and crackle.
Self-care isn't always fun. That massage legitimately hurt. But it does need to be regular, and so I'm going to be going back every two weeks until my pass ends, and then I'll probably get another one.
All throughout my childhood, my mother complained of a large knot at the nape of her neck. She started getting monthly massages, but the knot never really went away until about 5 years after she retired. There's something about navigating all the stresses of work deadlines and the emotional toll of daily life that just gets some people all tied up in knots.
Over these past few weeks in Spain--sitting at my computer writing, bending over books doing research, reading election books on my phone--I've discovered a massive knot in my own neck. It's certainly something that has been building all throughout grad school, but for some reason, Spain has made it worse.
The thing about BFRBs is that your nervous system uses them to silence physical discomfort, like, say neck pain. If you can figure out what your body actually needs (a drink of water, a change in posture, exercise, a nice stretch, a good dance party, physical therapy, acupuncture, reiki, tai chi, massage and I could go on and on and on...) and give it THAT, the BFRB lessens.
So I splurged and got myself a 5-massage pass at MASSALUD.
I went for my first one a few Fridays ago, and it was the least relaxing massage I've ever experienced. AND YET, my neck and back were WAY more relaxed afterwards. I could even roll my shoulders without hearing my muscles and bones creak and crackle.
Self-care isn't always fun. That massage legitimately hurt. But it does need to be regular, and so I'm going to be going back every two weeks until my pass ends, and then I'll probably get another one.
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