Udon Thani, Thailand-
Chayada Prao-hom, a beloved singer in the Luk Thung and Mor Lam genres (Thai country/Issan music), passed away following alleged complications from three massage sessions in Udon Thani province.
Chayada Prao-hom, visited a local massage shop in Udon Thani seeking relief for a backache after a performance originally on October 5th. The massage sessions, two of which included intensive neck manipulations, were intended to alleviate her discomfort. However, instead of relief, Chayada began to experience severe symptoms. According to her boyfriend, whose identity was withheld, Chayada reported numbness on one side of her body and an inability to use her left arm shortly after the sessions.
The situation deteriorated further. Chayada shared on her social media that she first noticed only a shoulder ache before her visits, but post-massage, she suffered from intense pain in the back of her head, arm numbness, and progressively worsening full-body stiffness. Her symptoms escalated to the point where she could not move or even help herself, leading to her becoming bedridden. The singer had revealed that on her third visit, the masseuse had an alleged “heavy hand,” resulting in swelling and bruises that lingered for a week.
Her health took a worse turn as she experienced sensations of both cold and heat, tingling in her fingers, and further spread of numbness across her torso. Chayada’s condition was ultimately diagnosed as a result of a blood infection and brain swelling, leading to her death in the early hours of Sunday morning, December 8th, while in ICU.
This tragedy has sparked lots of online discussion on the safety of Thai traditional massage techniques, particularly those involving the neck. Professor Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, an advisor to the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University, warned about the dangers of neck twisting or flicking, which can lead to damage of the carotid and vertebral arteries, potentially causing strokes or paralysis.
The Department of Health Service Support (HSS) has announced plans to inspect the accreditation and licensing of the massage shop in question to ensure compliance with safety standards. The name of the shop and exact location, however, were withheld by authorities pending a further investigation as is Thai law.
