I like to consider myself a man of science. When I came down with flu-like symptoms (temperature of 102.5 F / 39.2 C, muscle aches, occasional cough) I of course realized that I must have been exposed to a flu virus, although it is unlikely I’ll get tested to know specifically which one it is.
But there’s just a little bit of me that rejects the rational science expectation. Here’s why: Sunday afternoon I went for a traditional Thai massage, something I haven’t done in at least nine months. Like shiatsu, Thai massage is about manipulating pressure points and working deeply into your muscle tissue. It can be painful.
Before going into the two-hour massage I felt fine but afterwards my muscles ached as if I had been beaten up. More than once I had to ask the masseuse to lighten the pressure a bit. Sunday evening my face and neck were flushed and warm although a check of temperature didn’t show any notable elevation. I drank plenty of liquids and got some extra rest.
Monday, though, it wasn’t getting any better. I got up and worked for a while and then went back in to take a nap. Checking my temperature, it was up to 38.1 C (37.0 is normal body temperature) and as the evening went on it spiked at 39.2 C. Ibuprofen didn’t seem to be making any difference. Fortunately, I’ve not had any nausea and my appetite has remained healthy. This evening my temperature seems to have dropped a bit (haven’t check it yet but I feel cooler) and I had a light dinner of whole grain rice and some “gaeng jut” – so called “bland” soup which is broth with some ground meat and soft tofu in it.
I’ll get a full night’s sleep tonight and see how I feel in the morning. If the temperature drops then I won’t go to the hospital.
Again, I know there’s a rational and scientific explanation for my illness. But I can’t help wondering if the masseuse didn’t manipulate my energy points in such a way that it brought on the symptoms or opened the door to the virus by messing with my immunity.
Maybe an unfair assumption but I’ll probably be hesitant to get another full-bore Thai massage for a while. Maybe just stick with the foot and shoulder massage, which is less painful.
Tuesday Evening: Despite taking ibuprofen for the fever, my temperature has gone up and down always staying at least a bit about normal. Right now at 9:10 pm it is 39.0 C (about 102 F). Chest congestion has built over the last twenty-four hours with a very deep, rumbling cough beneath my breast bone. I’ll head to the hospital in the morning and have this checked out.
christao408 
the doctor I worked for said if you feel like a truck has run over you -it’s the flu. It comes on sudden and you run high fever. I’m surprized you didn’t get the vaccine?I got it a few weeks ago and of course the season flu vaccine a few months ago.
Think of it as a vaccine once you recover
Hope it doesn’t get worse and feel better Chris.
Feel better!It’s probably not H1N1. My cousin’s a pharmacist and he said that H1N1 almost always throws your temperature up past 103, whereas the seasonal flu stays around 102. That’s one of the primary differences (supposedly).
Well hope you get better soon.
I hope you feel better soon!
Huh. That’d be pretty wild, if it was brought on in some way by the massage, but stranger things happen. Get well soon.
You know Chris, it’s interesting that you mention this.The reason why, is because I’m also a man of science and rational thought; who balances that with the metaphysical and spiritual. I believe that at some point, all things will be able to explain through science; and that things discounted as metaphysical bs will be explained some day.I practice Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Reflexology and Acupressure/ Acupuncture. As with all things, there is a balance. I can use what I know to heal someone; and I can use what I know to injure someone as well. I have injured people before; and I don’t like doing it. If I’m not feeling well (not necessarily sick, but in a state of having or exuding negative qi), I can injure someone, sometimes fairly severely. If I’m not feeling well, I refuse to do anything in which I can injure someone with my qi.It’s possible that whoever was doing your massage at the time did this to you, likely unintentionally.In any case, as much as I invest in this, I still never discount someone seeing a western doctor. Usually I can find ailments on people; and then tell them to go see a physician, who will then confirm it after examining them in the western method. In any case, you know the drill. I hope you feel better soon.
I have gone through experiences similar to yours a few weeks ago. Like you, I also suspected me to have contact the flu H1N1. Then I thought that if I had to contact the flu, it would be better to do so sooner than later, because I would have got immunity to it before the virus had turned more violent. But here I am, and I think that I can kill a fierce tiger with my bare hands. Don’t worry. You will be OK.
I think it’s the masseuse’s fault. They did that to me on one of my visits to the Big Mango, I felt much worse afterwards! Thank goodness you’re in the ‘Cool Season’ and it does not get into the 90’s. Stay indoors and get well soon!
arendi can probably confirm this, but the massage would have loosened up toxins in the body, some of which could possible have been flu-like or caused a flu-like reaction. It seems that you are doing what is necessary to flush them out of your system. I do think it wise to check it out after a couple of days, however, so make certain it isn’t anything else. Hope you’re feeling better real soon.
Massages move your lymph, which has no natural pump and needs the help of gravity and the movements of your muscles to cycle it through. You could have had a lot of buildup since you haven’t gotten a massage in a while. It is a bit concerning you’ve had an extended fever. I hope you feel better soon and don’t need to be hospitalized. Drink plenty of water and eat lots of roughage to get the toxins out of you.
Last month after my massage, I felt EXACTLY the same way as you have described. It took two or more days before I could feel better. If you continue to feel poorly, have the MD order some Tamiflu for you. That will do the trick.Feel good soon Chris.
It’s called blogsitis or excessive blogging. The body tells you it’s time to rest. You might be on to something with your theory. Try some ginger tea and see if that helps.
I agree with JillyCarmel. I had the flu earlier this year, and feeling like I got hit by a bus was the first thought that came to mind! lol
The last time my sister got sick (she is a teacher and can’t miss work), she made some curry – the kill you or cure you kind. It seemed to do the trick. Cleared the sinuses, broke the fever, and purged the system. She didn’t miss a day of work… then again it wasn’t H1N1.
@Jillycarmel – Vaccine is not widely available here. Since I work from home I have relatively less exposure to sick people so I figure better to let the virus be used by those who are a higher risk. Plus, I’m not entirely sure that this is H1N1.@Wangium – That thought crossed my mind. Next time this comes around in thirty years, I’ll be immunized. Assuming I actually had that particular virus.@secade – Interesting. Well, I’m only showing some of the symptoms of H1N1 and it seems to be developing into a chest cold so who knows what it is.@yang1815 – @vsan79 – @TheLatinObserver – @epiginoskete – Thank you.@murisopsis – Hmm… that might be a good idea. I have Zakiah’s cook book so I should look up some curry recipe and throw in a dozen extra chilis.@Rm2046 – Feels more like a light truck than a bus… =D@ElusiveWords – Ginger tea is tasty, if nothing else…@ZSA_MD – Thanks for the recommendation, Zakiah.@drsweettooth – Oatmeal three times a day, thanks. Do oatmeal cookies count?@arenadi – Thanks for the explanation, Mike. Glad to know I’m not alone in my rational versus metaphysical query.@jandsschultz – That could be. We’ll see how it plays out over the next few days. Thankfully my work schedule is moderate right now and since I work at home, daytime naps can be taken.@CurryPuffy – I’m going to go find that masseuse… Grrr…@choyshinglin – Bring on the tiger!
Had HN1N a couple of months ago (according to CDC and Virginia health experts it’s the only one circulating in a major way). My Father also had it. The sickly part of it for a few days is the easy part. If you get chest/lung congestion for longer than a week after the sickly phase, get to the doctor for some antibiotics. It will turn into pnumonia if you let if ride.
I just recovered from the flu; there isn’t much you can do except pop tablet and sleep. Of course, soup, ginger tea etc makes you feel better.
i’m a scientist as well, but i always leave open the possibility that asian medicine with its odd mixture of herbs and energy manipulations really does affect you. i always start out treating any cold or flu using asian medicine first, and only if the symptoms get really bad then i’ll turn to western medicines to suppress the symptoms. i think there are finally a few schools in the us that offer training in these sort of non-western medical techniques, but it will be quite some time before they are widely accepted as valid alternatives or are incorporated into the typical medical setting… which is unfortunate because i think there’s much to be gained by applying a bit of both.
@kunhuo42 – Very true – it doesn’t have to be an either-or situation.@DCRobbie – Second day the chest congestion has developed. Hmm…@Dezinerdreams – I’m going to go buy me some ginger.
so sorry and hope you’re feeling better by now.
Keep us updated yeah?
Okay I went to college for 3 years for Massage Therapy. We were taught that a fever is a contraindication to giving a massage… meaning you can’t massage someone that has a fever. Why? Their body is fighting something and giving them a massage will speed up their blood, their muscles, and in turn, spread everything out to essentially make sure your entire body is equally affected with whatever you have. That’s why you got worse. Never go for a massage if you have an infection, fever, or anything bringing you down. The best thing is to drink fluids and sleeeeeeeep. Avoid anything to get your blood, metabolism, etc, moving faster. Your lymph system will be struggling with the illness.
You take care now.
hope you feel better soon.
I hope you will be fine soon.
Aiya! Hope you get better soon Chris!! And I know what you mean about the Thai massage! Boy is it painful!
Well, I guess it’s has been 72 hours, and with a moderate fever, it’s better to check with a doctor. Get some rest and refrain from blogging for a while! And get well sooon!
Sounds like flu with the pulmonary congestion! Get well soon – sounds like it is Tawn’s turn to make soup – Chicken noodle.
Chris I hope you have been to the doctor and he has started you on antibiotics for the cough and tamiflu for the flu symptoms. May the massage therapist had flu the previous week, and she could have infected you.Please feel good soon.
@ZSA_MD – Just posted a new entry updating. Looks like bronchitis or possible pneumonia. Starting antibiotics and may check into the hospital tomorrow morning if no improvement.@murisopsis – Tawn’s turn to make soup. Ha ha!@CurryPuffy – How could I live without blogging?@brooklyn2028 – @choyshinglin – @XXKimPossibleXX – Thanks.
@Jillycarmel – Thank you@haloed – Very interesting. So my theory about it possibly being related to the massage could be valid then?
Oh no! Take care of yourself!
Hope you are feeling better. My daughter suggested eating food with curry….our family does love curry dishes. But, my remedy if taken when symptoms first appear is to drink apricot brandy in orange juice (like an Orange Delight but with much more brandy) and then go to bed. You will feel a lot better even good! If you use enough of the apricot brandy in it, you really won’t really give a damn. This is G’ma Joyce’s home remedy. Works for me!
@Gma_Joyce – That’s a remedy I can toast to! Or toast with… =D@TheCheshireGrins – Thanks