The last entry I wrote about pain during a massage; what about after?
When your muscles are tight, the fibers are shorter b/c some of the fibers are stuck in constant contracture. When this happens, the muscles are not able to function at its maximum capacity. That is when other muscles come in to help out and compensate. After you get a massage that loosens thing up, your muscles let go and therefore elongate. At this stage, your body has to what I like to call reorganize. The tight muscles let the other ones know they don’t need help anymore and move towards functioning on their own. At this time, some people experience a little bit of pain or discomfort. It can happen the next day or right when you stand up from the table. This is why I always encourage you to take a moment before getting up, when you do, act very slowly.
Another reason is inflammation. Many times my clients come in with tightness and discomfort due to overworked muscles. Since I am predominately a NMT, my sessions can pretty deep and intense. This can cause some inflammation after the massage as well. If you tell me that you tend to get sore afterwards, I can apply Biofreeze (a topical anti-inflammatory gel) after I am finished with a particular muscle group. Also, taking Advil or the like afterwards helps. It is important to not take pain medicine prior to the massage, as your nociceptors are not acting as they should and will not be able to give me appropriate pressure feedback. And the number 1 thing you can do to help prevent soreness….. Make sure you drink plenty of water before and after your massage!
11/11/2008
10/28/2008
Music
Speaking of speaking; or not….. What do I do for a whole hour if we are not talking?!?
Well, one thing is to relax and listen to the music. Music is such an important part of your massage session. It can totally affect and alter your mood at any given moment. Like I said before, this is your massage not mine. If you do not like the music I have playing, tell me. I have about 10 different playlists on my IPod that contain any genre of relaxing music you can think of. If you have a preference for a composer or genre, tell me, I most likely have it. Also, I can fit any size IPod in my speaker system, so I am more than happy to plug yours in! My office has a CD player as well, so if you have a favorite album, please feel free to bring it if you want to listen to that during your session.
Well, one thing is to relax and listen to the music. Music is such an important part of your massage session. It can totally affect and alter your mood at any given moment. Like I said before, this is your massage not mine. If you do not like the music I have playing, tell me. I have about 10 different playlists on my IPod that contain any genre of relaxing music you can think of. If you have a preference for a composer or genre, tell me, I most likely have it. Also, I can fit any size IPod in my speaker system, so I am more than happy to plug yours in! My office has a CD player as well, so if you have a favorite album, please feel free to bring it if you want to listen to that during your session.
10/14/2008
It's my party and I will talk if I want to.
Every once and awhile someone asks me if it is alright to talk during the massage. I say it is your massage, talk if you want. If it makes you more comfortable chit-chatting in the beginning then tapering off, please do. If you want silence, that works too.
When you come in for an appt, I will ask how you are etc, and I really do want to know. I am an incredibly friendly person and am happy to hear about what is going on with you and your life if you feel like sharing. However, once we get on the table….. I WILL NOT TALK TO YOU UNLESS YOU TALK FIRST AND IT REQUIRES A RESPONSE. Of course, I will need to ask about pressure a few times, but that only requires 1 sentence by me and a few words by you.
So please do not feel obligated to talk to me or to remain in absolute silence. It is your massage and your time, speak if you must…
When you come in for an appt, I will ask how you are etc, and I really do want to know. I am an incredibly friendly person and am happy to hear about what is going on with you and your life if you feel like sharing. However, once we get on the table….. I WILL NOT TALK TO YOU UNLESS YOU TALK FIRST AND IT REQUIRES A RESPONSE. Of course, I will need to ask about pressure a few times, but that only requires 1 sentence by me and a few words by you.
So please do not feel obligated to talk to me or to remain in absolute silence. It is your massage and your time, speak if you must…
9/29/2008
No Pain No Gain
One of my all-time favorite bands is U2. A very powerful line from Mysterious Ways is “To touch is to heal, to hurt is to steal…”
“If it doesn’t hurt, I feel like it is not really doing anything.”
“The pressure is perfect.”
“No pain, no gain, right?”
WRONG
A huge misconception with massage is that it has to hurt. It doesn’t have to hurt, but it can hurt in a good way. Let me explain. ;)
I like to call it ‘exquisite pain’. This is what we feel when a therapist is working out a particular stubborn “knot”. It is kinda painful, but not really, it feels oh so good, and just a liiiiitle bit longer and it will all be gone; the pressure as well as the discomfort from before. If you regularly receive deep tissue or neuromuscular massage, you are used to this and know what I am talking about. Like everything in life, there are levels. It is OK to feel a bit of discomfort, but I do not want you uncomfortable on my table. I have various levels of deep pressure that work at different speeds. I can easily adjust my technique so that you can get deep therapeutic work without hurting. If it just plain hurts, you will mostly likely get anxious and tense up. When this happens, your muscles will tighten up and I am not getting any work accomplished. It is counterproductive.
I don’t normally look at a client while I massage them, but if I am working on a Trigger Point, I will look down to make sure you are still breathing and not wincing. The first I can easily remind you to keep taking deep breathes. The latter, I will back off slightly until your face looks serene again. At this point, the client will sigh or take a deep breath and I know we are back to working together.
There is nothing wrong with asking, me to adjust pressure at any time during your session. I am there 100% for you and am more than happy to adjust the pressure for you; after all it is your massage! Even if you would like it adjusted form one muscle group to the next, which is fine. I’d rather you let me know then be disappointed later.
I have also had a few men ask what level of pressure I am using comparatively. It is not more masculine if you can take more pressure, especially since women can take much more pressure than any male counterpart!
“If it doesn’t hurt, I feel like it is not really doing anything.”
“The pressure is perfect.”
“No pain, no gain, right?”
WRONG
A huge misconception with massage is that it has to hurt. It doesn’t have to hurt, but it can hurt in a good way. Let me explain. ;)
I like to call it ‘exquisite pain’. This is what we feel when a therapist is working out a particular stubborn “knot”. It is kinda painful, but not really, it feels oh so good, and just a liiiiitle bit longer and it will all be gone; the pressure as well as the discomfort from before. If you regularly receive deep tissue or neuromuscular massage, you are used to this and know what I am talking about. Like everything in life, there are levels. It is OK to feel a bit of discomfort, but I do not want you uncomfortable on my table. I have various levels of deep pressure that work at different speeds. I can easily adjust my technique so that you can get deep therapeutic work without hurting. If it just plain hurts, you will mostly likely get anxious and tense up. When this happens, your muscles will tighten up and I am not getting any work accomplished. It is counterproductive.
I don’t normally look at a client while I massage them, but if I am working on a Trigger Point, I will look down to make sure you are still breathing and not wincing. The first I can easily remind you to keep taking deep breathes. The latter, I will back off slightly until your face looks serene again. At this point, the client will sigh or take a deep breath and I know we are back to working together.
There is nothing wrong with asking, me to adjust pressure at any time during your session. I am there 100% for you and am more than happy to adjust the pressure for you; after all it is your massage! Even if you would like it adjusted form one muscle group to the next, which is fine. I’d rather you let me know then be disappointed later.
I have also had a few men ask what level of pressure I am using comparatively. It is not more masculine if you can take more pressure, especially since women can take much more pressure than any male counterpart!
9/16/2008
More H2O
This is my first blog and I am very excited to get back into writing. What better way than to communicate with my clients and others searching for answers.
If you have ever had an appt. with me you know that I strongly urge you to drink plenty of water after your session. I see some of you gulping down your glass before you leave, while others roll their eyes at me like I am their nagging mother. Either response is fine, as long as 2-3 extra glasses on top of what you normally drink is imbibed.
Many massage therapists explain that “it flushes out the toxins”. What the heck are toxins and doesn’t my body naturally do that anyways? Your body does flush out the “toxins” on its own, but there are other forces at work during a massage. Number 1, your circulatory system is being amped up regardless of what technique you are receiving. Keeping this in mind, know that your blood is carrying more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles as well as taking away excess lactic acid and other cellular waste products. On another level, the “gunk” in your body is moving faster, hopefully to metabolize as waste. This includes all the chemicals in your food and the pollution in the air. Keeping hydrated helps your body cope with all of this…
On a side note: beer, wine, and anything alcoholic does not count. I have been asked this many times, mostly in jest. Alcohol dehydrates the body which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to accomplish. It has been noted that receiving a massage prior to drinking alcohol can increase its effects. This why it is best to have someone else drive if you are going to go out and have a few glasses the day of a massage.
So going back to what I always say, “Please remember to drink plenty of water today.”
If you have ever had an appt. with me you know that I strongly urge you to drink plenty of water after your session. I see some of you gulping down your glass before you leave, while others roll their eyes at me like I am their nagging mother. Either response is fine, as long as 2-3 extra glasses on top of what you normally drink is imbibed.
Many massage therapists explain that “it flushes out the toxins”. What the heck are toxins and doesn’t my body naturally do that anyways? Your body does flush out the “toxins” on its own, but there are other forces at work during a massage. Number 1, your circulatory system is being amped up regardless of what technique you are receiving. Keeping this in mind, know that your blood is carrying more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles as well as taking away excess lactic acid and other cellular waste products. On another level, the “gunk” in your body is moving faster, hopefully to metabolize as waste. This includes all the chemicals in your food and the pollution in the air. Keeping hydrated helps your body cope with all of this…
On a side note: beer, wine, and anything alcoholic does not count. I have been asked this many times, mostly in jest. Alcohol dehydrates the body which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to accomplish. It has been noted that receiving a massage prior to drinking alcohol can increase its effects. This why it is best to have someone else drive if you are going to go out and have a few glasses the day of a massage.
So going back to what I always say, “Please remember to drink plenty of water today.”
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