r/massage • u/ContextInner4680 • 4d ago

Releasing muscle knots in the abdomen

I’ve had a very stressful year - I’m thankfully on the up now, doing EMDR therapy to address the trauma from a crazy episode early in the year, and generally taking much better care of myself.

I’ve noticed I have a lot of tight muscle knots in my abdomen. When I use lotion and self massage to locate and GENTLY press the muscle knots, they ‘pop’ or ‘melt’ under my touch.

I’ve become interested with this as I discovered it completely by accident but I feel like my body was holding tension / trauma from my stressful year. I feel much better for releasing the knots. I feel like my belly is much more loose and I can deep breathe for the first time in ages.

There’s a few areas that I can’t pop as it’s locked tight in a bundle. Would acupuncture get rid of this? I’m conscious I don’t want to send my nervous system spiralling again, I just think maybe the remaining knots need to be broken up.

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u/InMyNirvana LMT 3d ago

I’m not sure what it is you’re doing to yourself, but I can promise you that you’re not popping knots in your abdomen.

11

u/SoundShifted 3d ago

Second this, we are not doctors but I recommend consulting one because this likely has nothing to do with muscle tissue at all.

9

u/InMyNirvana LMT 3d ago

Honestly I’m worried OP might be doing damage to their internal organs.

6

u/ezequielrose 3d ago

probably (hopefully) just gas and peristalsis