Massage

Oh no, a massage should never be painful! Massage pressure and technique should always be adjusted to your comfort. If your massage was performed by the chiropractor then this doesn't surprise me. In most cases they aren't massage therapists, but take a couple classes as part of their chiropractic training. They don't learn all of the massage techniques and their training is focused on putting bones back into place in most cases. If an injury is why you were in there then of course it could hurt to have your body manipulated, but he/she still should have been able to treat you without hurting you. On the other hand if it was a massage therapist working for the chiropractor who performed your massage then that person did a poor job of adjusting their methods to your needs and comfort level. That is definitely something they learn in training, but some are better at it than others.

If at any time you are interested in trying massage again I would go to a licensed/certified massage therapist that has been in business for a number of years and has excellent reviews. Inquire about their training and specialties. They should ask you about any illnesses/injuries you have or have recently recovered from because there are techniques that should never ever be used on persons with certain health conditions. Explain clearly that you prefer light pressure/relaxation and if there's an area you don't want them touching just say so. A good therapist will ask throughout the massage how the pressure is and will adjust immediately upon your response. It really bugs me to hear of people having bad massages because there are so many wonderful benefits.

Oh how awful! I can't believe you had to endure that experience twice! Now a pins and needles feeling is usually from poor pressure/technique. But if you have a circulation problem it could have been that and you should talk to you doctor and find out if massage is ok for you.

Nausea is kind of a wild card. If you're the type that gets nauseous often and during a variety of activities then it might be related to something in your health. If you have a health problem or are taking medication that creates nausea then you should check with your doctor to see if massage is ok for you. In some cases it is not a good idea to have massages and that could mean chiropractic work is a no go as well. All of this is stuff your chiropractor should have known and taken into consideration and you should be steamed they didn't.

If you're almost never nauseous and the doctor ok's massage then it could have been caused by poor technique and positioning. I find if the head of the table isn't slightly elevated I end up with a sinus headache, but that is easily prevented. Ok I'm going to add one more suggestion to my prior ones should you decide to try again. Assuming your doctor says its ok for you to have a massage and you've properly screened your massage therapist, try a seated chair massage. It is just as relaxing, those weird looking chairs are quite comfortable, and you get to wear your clothes. You could also mention your concern about becoming nauseous so they can be mindful of technique and pressure.