9 questions you may be too embarrassed to ask about your session

  

There seems to be a lot of unspoken etiquette involved when receiving a massage. For those who’ve had numerous massages, this may be well understood. However, for those who haven’t received massage regularly, you may feel a bit intimidated or overwhelmed by all the questions running through your head about it all.

So, instead of leaving these to be ‘unspoken’ etiquette, let’s rip back the curtain and talk about some of the questions you may have, but you’re just too embarrassed to ask.

What if I fall asleep?

Great! Most people arrive for their massage having been stressed, in pain, sleep-deprived, or otherwise unable to deeply relax for a while. It’s no surprise that many massage clients tend to fall asleep. Some may sleep through most of the session, while others only doze off a little here and there throughout. No matter what you do, this is the time to take care of yourself, so don’t try to fight what your body needs. If you drool, snore, pass gas, twitch, talk, or do anything else in your sleep, we won’t think twice about it. A large reason for your appointment is to get you to relax, so why shouldn’t you sleep if you want to?

What if I forgot to shave?

I promise, I really don’t care! For many women, the idea of having someone massage your legs when you haven’t shaved in a while can be a bit embarrassing, but there’s nothing to be worried about. As massage therapists, we massage both men and women, hairy to clean-shaven, and everything in between. There’s no need to be concerned about whether you shaved that morning or not. My focus is on your muscles, not on your hair.

What if I don’t want you to touch a certain area?

Whether an area is too painful to touch, you’re ticklish, or otherwise just don’t want anyone touching you in a certain area, that’s perfectly fine. A typical full body massage would include your scalp, face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, stomach, back, hips, legs, and feet. Some people don’t want their hair messed up since they’ll need to return to work or go out; others are too ticklish on their feet. Whatever your reasoning, it’s your body and the session is all about your needs. If you don’t want any of those areas massaged, all you have to do is tell me.

How much do I really have to take off?

The quick answer is, it’s completely up to you. Yes, to have the most effective full body massage, you’ll need to remove most or all of your clothing, but it’s your time and it’s your body. While a standard full body session is best done with no clothes, if that makes you uncomfortable, I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. There are ways to work with a client fully clothed, and that is a possibility, but please understand, that regardless of how much or how little you take off, you will always be covered in a modest fashion.

Should I tip?

Every therapist and establishment may have a different opinion on this, but the simple answer is, if you want to, sure. Tips are never expected but always appreciated. Just as tipping isn’t set in stone, neither is the amount. Do what you feel is best for the service you’re getting…period.

Should I talk to you?

This is, yet again, completely up to you. If you want to talk during the session, feel free. If you prefer silence, that’s fine too. There may need to be some communication in the massage to determine if the pressure is comfortable or answer some questions about any injury or pain you may be having. Other than that, I will follow your lead when it comes to conversation.

What if I get an erection?

This is a fear for many men concerning massage therapy. Physiologically, it is not uncommon for men to get an erection during a completely non-sexual massage; it is simply a matter of the parasympathetic nervous system relaxing the body and blood flow going where it may. Draping (the covering of the body with linens and blankets) is done in a way that usually prevents your therapist from even noticing such a thing. As long as there is no intent behind it or action upon it, it is a normal physiological response of the body that will be ignored

What if I have to go to the bathroom?

There’s nothing that will snap you out of a deep relaxation like the sudden urge to use the restroom. While it’s always advised to go before your massage session to prevent this, sometimes bodily functions don’t cooperate on our schedule. If you need to go, simply speak up and I will step out so you can get dressed and go to the restroom. Once you’re back on the table, we’ll resume right where we left off.

What if I don’t like what you’re doing?

Tell me! If the pressure is too much, too little, you’re ticklish, or something just doesn’t feel right for any reason, speak up. I can change technique, pressure, or end the session completely if you’d like.

I hope this answers some of your questions and if you ever have any others, please don’t hesitate to ask.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

Stretching your back safely

When your back is hurting, it’s common practice to stretch it. That usually means bending forward at the hips and allowing the low back muscles to stretch a bit. This can also help to stretch out the hamstrings, calves, and with the right arm position, the shoulders and upper back as well. But what if this sort of stretching is actually doing more harm than good?

Many people who experience low back pain don’t necessarily need to stretch it. Sometimes the muscles in the lower back are already too stretched and need to be strengthened instead. While doing that traditional low back stretch probably isn’t going to hurt you, it may actually be the opposite of what you need to help your low back pain. If you notice that you round your back, especially when sitting for long periods, many of the low back muscles are being put into a stretched position that entire time, effectively making them weak. Along with those weak muscles, come weak ligaments and fascia within the spine (the connective tissue that holds your vertebrae together).

When all of these components are weakened due to this chronic rounding of the low back, it puts abnormal pressure on the discs of the lumbar spine. This, in turn, can lead to bulging and herniated discs which put pressure on nerves, causing significant pain.

While the traditional low back stretch isn’t singularly going to cause a low back or disc problem, it can exacerbate an existing problem. So if you’re experiencing low back pain, why not try doing the opposite action. Instead, stretch your abs and shorten the muscles of your low back.

This can mean something as simple as lying on your stomach and propping yourself up on your elbows while watching TV in the evenings, or starting to implement regular back exercises into your routine.

Here’s 4 simple ways to strengthen your back and reduce your back pain.

*if you experience any sharp pain during these, stop immediately*

 

Standing Back Stretch: Stand with your feet together and reach your arms overhead until your palms touch. Reach your arms back as far as you can while arching your low back.

 

Press Ups / Back Extensions: Lie flat on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push your chest off the floor and look forward or up, keeping your hips flat on the floor. Try to use as little arm strength as possible and instead, focus on allowing your low back to do the work. Hold for 15-30 seconds, lower your chest, and repeat 10 times.

Plank: Lie flat on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push your entire body off the ground until you’re in a push-up position. Tighten your abs and old this steady for 20-30 seconds. Be sure your head, back, hips, and legs are all in a straight line. Lower your entire body to the ground and repeat 5 times.

Alternating Bird Dog Pose: Start with both hands and both knees on the ground. Reach and raise your right arm and left leg up until both are in a straight line with your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds and return to the starting position. Reach and raise your left arm and right leg up until both are in a straight line with your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds and return to your starting position. Repeat on both sides 10 times.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

Okay...why do I have to fill out this paperwork?

For many, the idea of massage as healthcare is still a foreign concept, so often it’s not understood why massage therapists require all clients to fill out a health/intake form. However, this is a very important part of how we assess your needs for the session.

While these forms provide us with the obvious contact information so we can get in touch if needed, more importantly, they give an overview of your health history and current conditions that may need to be taken into consideration. A general relaxation massage poses no danger to most people, but certain health problems may make even the most gentle massage contraindicated (not advised) or you may need to be referred to another massage therapist who specializes in certain techniques, or another healthcare profession entirely. For instance, someone with a history of, or a current blood clot may be turned away for their own safety. However, someone with significant lymphedema can often be referred to a specialist who provides manual lymphatic drainage.

Medications are also an important factor to disclose because some medications can have certain side effects we need to know about. If you’re on a medication that lowers your blood pressure, you may need extra time or even help getting up off the table at the end of your session, as massage can lower your blood pressure even more. If bruising is a side effect of your medication, we want to be sure to warn you that if you’re seeking deep pressure, you should expect to see some light bruises after your massage, or deep pressure may be ill-advised completely (depending on several other factors).

In addition to your health history, the intake form also provides us with a sense of what your goals are for your massage sessions. If you have any certain pain complaints or injuries that need to be addressed, this is where you’d list out the details of that. This helps us begin to develop a plan of care for you. We also keep notes on all clients to track progress and changes from one session to the next, altering the plan of care when needed.

While it can take some time to fill out the paperwork necessary to get a massage, remember, this isn’t just a massage, it’s healthcare. Those few minutes it takes to complete the paperwork can mean the difference between a mediocre or even dangerous session, and an amazing massage!

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

Don't hurt me! Wait...Massage Therapy really doesn't need to hurt?

To give a short answer, no, deep tissue massage does not have to hurt. There’s a common misconception that massage, especially Deep Tissue, has to be painful in order to be effective, but this is completely false.

First, you have to break down what Deep Tissue is, and honestly, it’s a debated topic, even amongst massage therapists. Deep Tissue Massage is typically considered any technique that is meant to affect the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. And while some people assume that means applying deep pressure, that’s actually not the case at all. In fact, some very light touch techniques can be used to still affect those deep layers.

When faced with the decision of Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage, it’s not about pressure, it’s about the results you hope to achieve. Swedish Massage is generally long fluid strokes, using whatever pressure makes you comfortable, with a focus on relaxing the body; while Deep Tissue Massage combines a number of more direct manual techniques, using whatever pressure you’re comfortable with, to relieve pain and tension on a deeper level within the body.

The most important aspect of your massage is communication. You need to let me know what results you’re looking for from the massage, and speak up at any time throughout about your pressure tolerance. I can give a deep Swedish Massage and a light Deep Tissue, or any combination thereof. It’s all about what you want.

Now, sometimes, especially with Deep Tissue Massage, there might be some discomfort as certain tender areas are addressed, and that’s normal. The thing to keep in mind, is that it should never go beyond a “good hurt”, the kind where it’s uncomfortable, but you can breathe through it easily, the muscles can stay relaxed, and it’s got a hint of relief mixed in with the hurt. That’s perfectly fine. But if the pressure exceeds that “good hurt” and goes into true pain, where you make funny faces, hold your breath, or feel like you need to tense up your muscles, that means we’re doing more harm than good.

The entire point of your massage, whether Swedish, Deep Tissue, or any other modality out there, is to relax the body and release any built up tension in the muscles. If you’re clenching or tensing up your muscles in response to something I’m doing, we’re defeating the purpose of your massage and I need to back off the pressure. So please, no matter what, speak up if the pressure is ever too much, or too little for that matter. Massage, whatever the type, does not need to hurt to be effective.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)