If your client experiences searing, shooting electrical sensations during a massage, what are you likely hitting?

When a client reports searing, shooting electrical sensations during a massage, it typically indicates that you may be interacting with a nerve. Nerves are responsible for transmitting signals throughout the body, including sensations of pain, touch, and temperature. The specific sensations described—“searing” and “shooting”—are often associated with nerve irritation or compression, which can occur if pressure is applied to an area where a nerve is located.

In massage therapy, placing too much pressure on a nerve can elicit these uncomfortable sensations, which are sometimes described as a tingling or "pins and needles" feeling. Understanding this response is crucial for the therapist, as it signals the need to adjust technique or pressure to avoid further discomfort or potential injury to the client. Recognizing nerve involvement helps in providing safer and more effective treatment during a massage session.