so just a few things you should know when receiving a massage.
~drink lots of water the day of and after your massage. u release a lot of toxins that travel through ur whole body before they are flushed out of your system. if u don't drink enough water to be fully hydrated, u can have signs of dehydration...such as slight headache, nausea, dry mouth.
~ don't eat anything too heavy before. might lead to an upset stomach.
~ no drugs or alcohol or even pain medications with massage. these are contradictions to massage.
~ if you feel like you are getting sick in any way shape or form, u need to cancel your massage. receiving a massage when feeling this way will push everything through ur system faster so you could feel worse off the massage table than before you got on it. also if it is the end of being sick and its leaving ur system, it would be great to get a massage then so that it can push it out of your system faster.
~ remember when your done with ur massage and u get up off the table...do it slowly. ur not in a race. take ur time cause you can feel a bit 'loopy' when u get up. your equilibrium might be off a bit. that is normal. (no matter what ur mother says about you.) take a few minutes if ur driving and chill out for a moment, gather your thoughts and self. Being 'loopy' could throw your judgment off when driving right away after getting off the table.
~ remember always to breathe in through the nose, deeply and fill up ur diaphragm, then slowly releasing out through your mouth slowly. doing this through the massage will help your body relax so that your not holding yourself and your muscles can relax. (especially if your doing a deep tissue or structural integration session.) it will also help you relax your mind. try to escape mentally to someplace that you enjoy and can relax. Believe me, it helps.
~ ALWAYS communicate with your therapist. This is a very important issue when your receiving bodywork. Let your therapist know if the pressure is not deep enough or too deep. What is light to me, maybe be firm or deep to you. I hear so many stories of people who were so dissatisfied from their past experiences of massage cause the therapist went too hard or not hard enough. Let me say it sucks when u walk out of a massage feeling like someone kicked your ass or feeling like u still need a massage. Either way, can be avoided with communication. And hopefully you have a therapist who will listen to ur wants and needs and fulfill them.
well till next time...take care and enjoy your week!
I just had my first deep tissue massage in about 22 years last week. I experienced the 'loopy' feeling afterward and I asked him if I was supposed to "feel drunk". He said that it was normal and that it told him he had used the right techniques for me to get the massage I needed. We also spent time discussing the massage. He showed me some stretching exercises to do that will help loosen the muscles that are causing my biggest problems. It was a great experience.
Jodi
those are wonderful tips and i appreciate the mention of drinking water. there are many people that have had massages that aren't aware of how important drinking water to flush out their systems can be.
if i may add to your tips---if someone is getting a massage for the first or second time, they may want to make sure that the massage therapist is aware of this (part of the communication mentioned above). getting a massage for the first time or two can make a difference as to the pressure that a therapist uses so that the work isn't too deep and create an unpleasant experience afterwards by way of sore muscles.
also, please let the therapist know if you are on any medications especially blood thinners such as cumin (sp?) or have illnesses such as diabetes.
thanks for starting this group
Thanks for the tips. After my last massage my therapist whispered Thank You to me. It was rather unexpected I was the one who was very grateful for the relief. She had to work so hard on my back to get rid of a bad knot. She was so wonderful. I am so grateful that I want to thank all whose work brings health and relaxation to people. Thanks..
Good information to know, I have never had a massage but I am looking forward to getting one as part of my weight loss.
I understand it's helpful and healthful to incorporate massage and wraps into such a lifestyle change.
Have a great day!!
