Meet Kim

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In 2002, Kim was diagnosed with kidney failure, which caused her to have severe low back pain. In 2003, she started dialysis at least 5 days a week, and she found that to be a difficult and painful process.

“I was not sure how to deal with it because it also took the mental part of me away.”

When looking for some sort of treatment for the low back pain she felt as a result of her kidney failure, Kim turned to massage therapy and found it to be so beneficial for her that she continued going for years.

“I’ve been seeing my RMT for over 10 years now, and she knows the ins and outs of my back, and the pressure that helps as well.”

Even after she thankfully received a kidney transplant in 2015, Kim continued to visit her RMT for relief from ongoing pain in her back and shoulders. When she wasn’t able to access massage therapy treatments during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, she had a difficult time managing her pain.

“I always have had the lower back pain but when COVID hit unfortunately I just took Tylenol,” Kim said. “It’s not the same.”

As soon as RMTs were able to continue working after the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim was happy to be back, and wishes it could have been sooner. She especially appreciated the relaxing feeling she gets from massage therapy treatments and the pain relief it provides her, and continues to feel that massage therapy is the right treatment for her.

“I am very thankful to have a massage therapist that understands me,” Kim said.

Because of the thorough precautions taken in her RMTs office to keep both patients and practitioners safe from COVID-19, Kim felt safe returning to treatments and not worried at all. Seeing her RMT in a mask, wearing a mask herself, and being aware of the handwashing, sanitizing and disinfecting that RMTs are required to do has made Kim very comfortable returning to massage therapy care.

Kim feels that people who have experienced kidney failure and who have been on dialysis may not be aware of how massage therapy can offer them pain relief, and may be a bit nervous to seek massage therapy treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Massage therapy is the right treatment option for her, and she encourages others to try massage therapy to see if it’s right for them.

“It depends on each patient but I know it has helped me a tremendous amount,” Kim said. “I say give it a shot.”

Tags: massage therapy, Massage Therapy Awareness Week