Doctor's urgent warning to anyone who owns a massage gun - Surrey Live

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A doctor has responded to a video of a woman who was warned to never use a massage gun on her neck. And it's for a pretty terrifying reason.

Having just left her doctor's office, a woman said that she was giving strict instructions. She warned: "My doctor said don't you dare ever use a massage gun on your neck."

Sitting in her car reflecting on what her doctor just told her about message guns, she said: "You can use it on your shoulder or back and other body parts. But never use it on your neck.

"She said she had a patient who was using it on neck. She would have a lot of pain for carrying her baby."

Talking about the parts of the neck, including the jugular veins which take blood from the head back to the heart, she says she was warned using it on your neck can stop "blood flow from your brain and her patient was having strokes."

Replying to her video, Dr Joe, M.D aka @drjoe_md on TikTok said: "Using a massage gun on your neck is particularly risky due to the proximity of critical arteries, including the carotid and vertebral arteries."

If you use a massage gun, he says that the vibrations can "rip this internal lining causing a blood clot which can block flow." He adds that doing this mistake can lead to a stroke.

He explains: "These arteries supply vital blood flow to the brain, and the intense vibrations from a massage gun can potentially lead to dissection or damage of these vessels. Such injuries can significantly increase the risk of stroke.

"Therefore, it’s crucial to avoid using percussion therapy devices on the neck area to prevent any potential vascular injuries."

When should I go to the doctor for neck pain?​

• neck pain or stiffness does not go away after a few weeks
• painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen have not worked
• you're worried about the pain
• you have other symptoms, like pins and needles or a cold arm – this could be something more serious

What can cause my neck pain?​

The NHS stress that most common causes of neck pain are:

• the neck becoming locked in an awkward position while sleeping
• bad posture – for example, when sitting at a desk for a long time
• a pinched nerve
• an injury – for example, whiplash from a traffic accident or fall