Violently intense body-beat movements... Nerve risk
Local warnings also issued for "substandard service"
A female singer who was receiving a massage in Thailand suffered from aftereffects such as total paralysis and ultimately passed away. The massage reportedly included dangerous procedures such as "twisting the neck."
On the 9th (local time), local media including the Bangkok Post and Thai PBS reported that Chayada Prao Hom, a traditional Thai singer, died the day before at a hospital in Udon Thani Province in the northeast due to blood infection and brain edema.
She had previously revealed on her Facebook account in early last month that she had visited a massage shop in Udon Thani Province three times over about a month starting in early October, and afterward experienced paralysis in her body.
During the first two massages, the masseur performed neck-twisting massages. Two days after the first massage, she developed pain at the back of her head, and after a week, symptoms of paralysis in her arms and legs appeared.
Two weeks after the second massage, her body became stiff and the pain worsened. Eventually, she reached a state where she could not turn over in bed. Chayada tried to relieve the pain by taking painkillers but complained that the pain was so severe she could not sleep properly.
She explained, "But my mother was a masseuse, and I studied Thai massage since I was young. I loved massages so much that I did not suspect anything, and I thought the (whole-body pain) was simply the result of getting massages again."
After receiving the third massage from another masseur with strong hands, Chayada’s body became swollen and bruised. Subsequently, sensory paralysis spread to her torso, and two weeks later, she was unable to lift her right arm. Despite expressing her situation, she conveyed her hope, saying, "I want to recover and work."
She added, "I hope my story serves as a lesson to those who have received many massages." Local media reported that her condition worsened in mid-last month, making her unable to get out of bed, and she eventually died. Her boyfriend reportedly wants to take legal action against the massage shop but is uncertain whether there is enough evidence to win the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Arkom Praditsuwan, Deputy Director of the Health Service Support Department under the Thai Ministry of Public Health, told the media, "It is necessary to examine whether the massage service provided by the massage shop (to the deceased) was a proper procedure and whether it complied with the standard patterns of traditional Thai massage."
The Ministry of Public Health pointed out, "Currently, some Thai masseurs use various techniques," and "there are also services that fall below standards or may cause injuries."
Local health experts warn that vigorous twisting or snapping motions of the neck during Thai massage can pose a risk of impact to the body's carotid and vertebral arteries. This can lead to the risk of paralysis, and if the motions are repeated multiple times, they can affect not only nerves but also blood vessels.
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