When should I get a massage?

You can get a massage anytime. You don’t need to wait until you are stressed, in pain or injured. Too often I see clients who have waited until they have reached this state before they come and see me. Massage is great for preventative care. Get a massage before your back feels so sore that you can barely move or headaches make your head pound or even just everyday stress makes your head spin.

Whether you’re already in pain from an illness or injury or you are just stressed out and need to relax a bit, get a massage before your problems get worse.

Are there times when I shouldn't get a massage?

There are a few contraindications for massage. If you have any of the following, you should not get massage:

• Fever

• Systemic infection

• Severe cold

• Any type of infectious disease

• Blood clots

• Bleeding, burns or fractures

• Pregnancy-induced diabetes, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, toxemia

• Any injury in the acute phase

If you aren’t sure if your condition prevents you from getting a massage, call your massage therapist and ask before receiving bodywork. If you are suffering from a chronic problem, make sure you ask your doctor before receiving a massage.

Usually your massage therapist will have you fill out intake forms to inform them about anything that might be a contraindication for massage. Make sure you are completely honest. It’s also important to let your therapist know if you have any allergies, the therapist may simply have to adjust what they use or their techniques to best benefit you.

Also, don’t forget to inform your therapist if anything changes after your first visit.

What if I'm overweight or embarrassed about my body?

You wouldn’t believe how often people have apologized for their cellulite or because they haven’t shaved their legs or that they are overweight. These are not good reasons at all to miss out on the benefits of massage therapy.

As a massage therapist, I can say we have seen many bodies, probably every type you can imagine (and a few you haven't even imagined!). Small people, larger people, young people and old people. Every shape and size. No professional therapist will be focusing on the hair on your legs or cellulite, or thinking about how you ate one too many cookies last week. We focus on your muscles and the excitement of being able to provide people with what they need most — touch and healing. If that’s not enough to convince you, it’s usually dark in the room!

What happens during a massage?

Before the massage you usually will talk to the massage therapist about what has been bothering you and your medical history. The therapist also will ask questions that pertain to the massage such as: Is anything bothering you? How long has it been bothering you? Be as honest as possible and let the therapist know if you have had any major injuries or surgeries. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked clients if they've had any major surgeries, to which they respond no, and, moments later, I find a massive scar across their back! So make sure you fill in your therapist about any problems, injuries or surgeries you’ve had anytime in the past as that may affect our work.

Next, the therapist will step out of the room so you can disrobe. Don’t feel you have to take off any item of clothing if you don’t want to. Just keep in mind that the more you remove, the easier it will be for the therapist to access your musculature, which overall will give you a better massage. Also keep in mind the focus for the massage. If you only need work in your upper neck, you probably could leave on your underwear, shorts or even pants. If you have been having problems with your low back or hips, it might be easier for the therapist to work if you remove your underwear. Bottom line: ONLY REMOVE WHAT IS COMFORTABLE FOR YOU.

Working within your own comfort level is the most important part. The therapist always will drape the area they are working on and will never expose you. Also, feel free to let the therapist know if you are more modest and if you want them to show you where they will undrape you and to ask if that is okay. Also, if you realize at any point during the massage you are uncomfortable with anything at all, let us know! The massage is about you and your comfort, not ours.

Next, you will get on the table, usually between two sheets, just like you would in bed. Typically, most therapists will have you lay on your stomach or on your back, but sometimes on your side. The therapist will instruct you what to do before they step out of the room. Make yourself comfortable and if anything doesn’t feel right for you, make sure you tell your therapist.

As the therapist is working, try to just relax and breathe. Many people try to help us, which actually just makes things harder! Many therapists will move your limbs all over and only we know where we want them and what we want them to do, so, again, just let us do the work! As always, if anything makes you uncomfortable, let us know.

Keep in mind we cannot read minds (contrary to popular belief!) so speak up! I’ve heard people say they had a horrible massage because the pressure was too much/too little and they didn’t want to say anything and offend the therapist.

The massage is all about you, not us. It’s about what you need and what you want. Medium pressure can differ from person to person so let us know if anything is too much or too little. The rest is the easy part, lay back, relax and enjoy the massage!

Can I talk during a massage?

Yes, feel free to talk during the massage. Both clients and therapists have different preferences. Me, as a therapist, I don’t mind either way. Many people do ask me how many people talk or don’t talk, and I would say it’s close to 50/50. Don’t feel like you have to talk or you have to be silent. Again, it’s about what is comfortable for you. Most therapists don’t mind either way as long as you're relaxing and enjoying yourself!

How often should I receive a massage?

Depending on your situation, it really varies. I would advise you to speak to your therapist and work out a plan that works best for your situation.

If I have someone suffering from an injury that is pretty bad, I typically tell them to come in more frequently, usually once or twice a week for a month or two. The reason that I have them come in more frequently is both so I can work on the problem without being overly aggressive and causing you too much pain, but also so I can work on the affected area again while it’s still relaxed, before it reverts back to its original state. Once the problem is corrected, I suggest the client come in regularly for maintenance usually about once a month to every six weeks, depending on your own personal situation (stress levels, job, and bank account!).

It really depends on the person and situation, so talk to your therapist and find out what works best for your specific situation.

Will the massage be painful?

It depends. If you are stressed at work and need a relaxation massage, no, it should not hurt.

On the other hand, if you come in because you have specific pain, and you want it worked out, most likely it will hurt. Generally, therapists will work with a scale from 1-10. One being no pain at all, 10 being severe pain. Most deep work should be between a six and an eight. Other therapists will work with other scales, like colors. Red for stop, too much pain, yellow is go on but it’s slightly painful, and green for no pain at all.

Many times clients equate more pain with a better massage. That is not always true. Damage to the tissues can occur if it is too much pressure, so more isn’t always better. If the pain is over an eight on the scale, most likely it will be doing more harm than good.

Should I eat before my massage? Or after?

It depends on how you feel about it. Mostly, I recommend that you don’t come in starving and you don’t eat something that is the equivalent of a Thanksgiving dinner before you come in!

Also, keep in mind that a massage will relax you, kicking your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system into gear, which means your food will be digesting during the massage. Which also means your stomach might start talking more than you would like, but don’t worry, it just means you are relaxed!

What should I do after my massage?

After the massage therapists often will give you “homework” that will help complement their work. These usually include stretches and baths, and sometimes just overall relaxing. Make sure you do these! Don’t underestimate how much this can help.

Usually after the massage you might have some tenderness for a few days. Normally, the next day, you might feel like you have slight bruising in some of the areas of deep work or a feeling like the day after an intense workout. This is pretty normal. If the pain is too much, take some ibuprofen (if your doctor allows it) or apply ice to the area.

Don’t apply heat! Many people think heating it will make it better, but you have to treat it like an injury. Heating will bring in too much inflammation and make it worse.

Also, you can take an epsom salt bath. You can buy these almost anywhere for pretty cheap, and they work wonders! Just sprinkle some in a warm bathtub and soak. Add some essential oils if you have some!

The most important rule after a massage is DRINK PLENTY OF WATER! Usually, it’s good to drink a glass right after the massage and another glass after about an hour or so. Drinking a gallon immediately after the massage won’t help. Drink a glass full of water a few times throughout the day. I’ve had a few people report back to me that they felt hungover or sick the next day after a massage as a result of not drinking enough water so I can’t stress this enough. The reason is that the massage releases toxins in your body (think of it like lactic acid that is in your muscles that makes them ache after a work out) so toxins are floating around your blood stream. If you don’t drink water to flush them out, they will go back into your body. If you can’t stand to drink straight water try adding lemon, lime, cucumber or something to give it more flavor. Be creative!

What can I do to help complement my massage?

A great idea is to start your relaxing before the massage! Many people are in such a rush that they take half the time of the massage just to relax. So set aside enough time before and after the massage so you don’t feel rushed.

Make sure you take your time getting to the location, and you leave enough time to talk to the therapist briefly (allow more time if you are a first time client) and time to get changed for the massage. If it is possible, take a nice warm shower or bath before your appointment or even take time to take a few deep breaths and do a few stretches.

Also, allow time after the massage to get to your next appointment if you have one. Sometimes a massage can run a little long, and the last thing you should do is jump up after the massage and run off! Enjoy the benefits after the massage by being calm and centered.

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