finding lumps...

[Eclipse Vancouver]

today, I had a client come in for abdominal massage related to long-term issues with digestion, amennorhea and generalized ab pain. She wanted to see if ab massage, and particularly psoas and triggerpoint work would help her with constant cramping. She is a long-term client, so I know her quite well, she comes in normally for massage to deal with neck pain and headaches, so this is only the second time we've done any work at all on the abs.

Well, within 2 seconds of putting my hands on her tummy, I could tell there was something not quite right. I could feel on her descending colon what feels like a whole bunch of bbs. (beebees. However you spell that,) spanning about a 2" area. I start to feel them when pressing in about 1/4". They roll around under the fingers just like a bb too. Very odd, I've never felt anything like it. One of them in particular, the first one I felt, had a sharp point. The client feels no particular discomfort at that depth/location.

I have NO idea what it could be, but I told her to go to her doc ASAP if for no other reason than to get the A-OKAY. I think I may have scared her a little, but she says she has been procrastinating with her check ups. They think she may have endo. I'm wondering if endo could possibly deposit as hard little lumps on the outside of the colon? Or any other thoughts?

 

[Pompal 09.]

Have you thought of colonic polyps????

Tim

 

[Lozz]

finding lumps...

I have NO idea what it could be, but I told her to go to her doc ASAP if for no other reason than to get the A-OKAY. I think I may have scared her a little, but she says she has been procrastinating with her check ups. They think she may have endo. I'm wondering if endo could possibly deposit as hard little lumps on the outside of the colon? Or any other thoughts?

I have been in similar situations. Sometimes I want to take them to the Dr right then so I can find out what is going on. In a selfish way I just want to know what I am feeling.

As far as endo, I have heard of cases where it has attached to lots of different parts/organs (livers even) in the abdomen. But having never palpated it in an educational setting where someone says, "feel this, it's endo" I can't even tell you what it might feel like.

 

[Kds]

i've had a similar situation where a dr flat out told me there was no way i could feel that - :roll:

that being said, having suffered from it - i think it's too pliiable to feel sharp points on it.

am VERY interested to hear how this goes.

VERY interested.

amanda

 

[KellyC]

Oh yeah, an additional piece of information: everything else feels normal. I ONLY feel the bbs in that small area. Other than some triggerpoints in R Psoas and the lower attachments of the R obliques, all is very healthy tissue.

Here's hoping she gets in to the doc today.

 

[MzConception]

Not meaning to be fascetious here, but, doesn't something like this sometimes make you wish you could just "unzip" the skin and poke around inside to figure out just what in the world is going on? What a puzzlement this is.....

Have had similar experiences with fibroid cysts, etc but not the descending colon .... the suggestion about colonic cysts makes some sense....

Let us know if your client finds out what's going on......

Blessings....

J

 

[ILuvAnimals]

make you wish you could just "unzip" the skin and poke around inside to figure out just what in the world is going on? What a puzzlement this is.....

J

THAT is the best part of my "day job". I truly love it and will miss it come the Fall.
Most probably little fat cells. they squish, roll, and can form odd shapes.
Just for demonstration purposes only......whenever there is an incision the fatty cells just about fall out. You can roll them around between your fingers(they are out of the body..attached to parts of other tissue).
Ex: breast biopsy/breast aug. There is copious amounts of loose adipose.
I do have little lipomas (1 or 2) along my left side. I can palpate them and wiggle them...harmless.
Best and only thing you can do is point them out to your client like was done.
Good job.
Robyn

 

[Pompal 09.]

finding lumps...

I could feel on her descending colon what feels like a whole bunch of bbs. (beebees. However you spell that,) spanning about a 2" area. I start to feel them when pressing in about 1/4". They roll around under the fingers just like a bb too. Very odd, I've never felt anything like it. One of them in particular, the first one I felt, had a sharp point. The client feels no particular discomfort at that depth/location.

Could this be folding of the fascia on the surface of the abdominals or the colon? Or perhaps fat tissues that have expanded some what? This seems too shallow to be endo or polyps. Just a thought........

 

[Suz C]

Could be any of those things... but the little lumps were very hard. We'll see. She was going into the doctor, so I may have some more info this week.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Someone just PM'd and asked me about this. Her original diagnosis (before we found the "bb's",) was interstitial cystitis. I made the observation that it felt like the lumps were on her small and/or large intestine. She started looking for other conditions with similar symptoms to IC. A week later she asked her doctor for a test for Celiac's disease, which it turned out to be positive. Within less than two weeks of starting a gluten free diet, the lumps had diminished to the point that I could barely detect them.

So that's that.

 

[fast eddy]

Wow, Celiac! I never would have thought of that!

I think it is far more common than anyone realize - especially doctors.