Q. Do I have to remove all my clothes to receive a massage?
A. Most clients do remove all their clothes, but others are more comfortable remaining in their underwear. During the massage, you will be covered by a sheet, and draped at all times. Only the area being massaged will be exposed.
Q. Will the therapist explain how I should drape myself? Will she leave the room while I get ready for my massage?
A. Yes. The therapist will explain how to arrange the draping materials and will leave the room while you get ready.
Q. Does a massage hurt?
A. No. While injured or painful muscles may be slightly uncomfortable, massage should not cause pain in normal tissue. Since each person has a different tolerance for pressure, it is important that you give feedback during your massage, so that technique can be adjusted to help you feel comfortable. As you become accustomed to massage, you may wish for stronger pressure.
Q. Will oil get in my hair?
A. It is a good idea to let your therapist know if you have any concerns like this. A good massage therapist will respect your concerns and do her best to accomodate your needs.
Q. How often should I get a massage?
A. There is no hard and fast rule about the frequency of massage. Your body is the judge. Some people elect to have one or more massages a week, while others find they feel good with less frequent massages. It is probably best to discuss this with your massage therapist. Above all, trust what you feel, and decide based on that.
Q. Why should I drink water after a massage?
Massage helps loosen muscle tissues, release toxins from muscles and get blood and oxygen circulating properly. Because many toxins are released, it's important to drink plenty of water after a deep-tissue session to help eliminate these toxins from the body.
Q. The pressure isn't deep enough, but I don't want to insult the massage therapist's technique. What should I do?
Communicate openly with the massage therapist. Keep in mind however that it's a myth that massage therapy has to hurt to be effective. Some of the most effective types of massage therapy are gentle and do not involve deep pressure or pain. In fact, too much pressure can cause muscles to seize up. Here is a good rule of thumb -- on a scale of one to 10 where one is no pain and 10 is extremely painful, the pressure should always be less than seven.
* Be sure to speak up if you experience pain, the room is too hot or too cold, you have any questions related to the massage or there's anything you forgot to mention during the consultation. |
