Is there anything I should do to prepare for the massage ahead of time?
I haven’t had a massage before, what should I expect?
Do I have to take my underwear off?
Does massage have to hurt to be effective?
Massage Therapists always say to drink tons of water after a massage. What’s the big deal?
I’ve noticed at some massage places that they advertise that you are getting a 60 minute massage, but the session is really only 50 minutes because your meeting with the therapist includes 10 minutes of talking. Is that typical?
- If you pay for an advertised 60 minutes you should receive 60 minutes of hands-on massage or bodywork time! Healing House believes in excellent, fair, respectful care for our clients. The time necessary to determine what session will be best for your needs and wants will come out of our ‘pocket’, not yours.
- Massaging the entire body effectively at a pace that feels soothing and comfortable for the client in 60 minutes is tight enough as it is, shortening that time to 50 minutes is a rush, and not in a good way. We prefer to slow down to a more relaxed pace and give you the quality session you deserve.
How will I feel after a massage or bodywork session?
How often should I receive a massage or bodywork session?
When shouldn’t I get a massage? When is it ill-advised?
If you have a nerve issue, such as pinching, radiating pain, tingling, neuropathy, or fibromyalgia, massage should relieve what you’re experiencing to some degree as it soothes the nervous system, reduces pain and releases stress in the system. Reiki or cranialsacral and other energetic healing modalities are advised.
If the issue is in the muscle layer, such as a strain, tear or muscle rupture, it’s the timing that matters most. If you’ve had such an injury, ice immediately and often, drink extra water and rest. 24-48 hours after a muscle strain or tear, massage should be helpful to ease inflammation and pain. If you have ruptured a muscle, waiting 48-72 hours for any bleeding in the muscle to stop before seeking massage work is advisable, especially with your doctor’s ok. Reiki and cranialsacral and other forms of energy healing are acceptable as well.
If you are experiencing joint pain and inflammation due to arthritis, new or old injury, again timing is everything. Let’s say you are a level 10 on the 1 to 10 pain scale and the joint is very swollen and hurting, it would be better to ice and use a natural or over the counter anti-inflammatory to help the body reduce some of the swelling and pain on it’s own first. Massage at this time of flare up could cause further swelling. After your number on the pain scale has dropped back and some of the swelling has lessened then massage at this point can help your body flush out more of the inflammation and reduce more of the pain. Reiki, cranialsacral and other energy healing modalities are fine.
If you have experienced an issue at the bone level, such as a fracture or break, the severity and timing are key here as well. Massage after a bone fracture should be fine, although working directly on the area may be avoided if very recent. Massage after a bone break depends on the severity of the break and how recent. Typically waiting until 36-72 hours after a severe break to let the body do some of it’s own work naturally is advised. Massage after that will help ease swelling and pain but direct pressure on the break will be avoided. With a compound fracture or break, more time for the body to heal on its own and your doctor’s advice would be recommended. Reiki, cranialsacral or any of the energetic healing modalities would be suitable as well.
If you experience immune system challenges, the key here is timing and pressure. If you come in on a day that you are feeling your worst, extremely taxed, exhausted and ask for a deep tissue massage, you could feel uncomfortable afterwards. The flow of toxins and metabolic waste coming to the surface and sped through to release could be too much with the load your body is already carrying and leave you too vulnerable to illness. It would be better to wait until you are feeling a little stronger and ask for a light to medium pressure massage. But Reiki, cranialsacral or other gentle energetic healing modalities would be helpful, even on your worst day.
If you have a fever or feel a nasty cold coming on, please stay at home and rest! Not only can you spread it to our therapists and other clients coming through our office, but receiving massage or energy work during this time will double the load your body and white blood cells are doing in trying to combat the illness at hand. If we then add the load of your body battling increased toxins on top of the oncoming illness you could get quite sick. Better to see us after your fever is down and you’ve had the illness a couple of days, then massage or energy work should help your body heal faster.