No massage can be the same for every client. Therefore, it can be dangerous to seek treatment from therapists who are unqualified or who do not take a medical history. Your therapist should always discuss symptoms of pain prior to a treatment. Synergy Massage Therapy customises treatment, pressure and techniques so that you get the most out of your treatment. In this article, remedial massage therapist Carolyn Sharkey provides some tips for new massage clients.

Massage treatments are adjusted for each individual depending on many factors such as age, history of massage treatment, illness, the type of pain they are having, past injury, pregnancy and medications taken to name a few. Some factors such as taking Warfarin rule out massage as a safe treatment and care must be taken with specific trigger points for pregnant women.

So as you can see, advising your therapist of medical history is very important!

Everyone responds to massage differently, which is why it is also important to communicate with your therapist as to what level of pressure you are comfortable with. This is especially important throughout the treatment as different areas of the body will respond differently depending on the level of tension in that area.

Effects of massage

Massage effects the body in many different ways including:

• • • Decreasing blood pressure
    • Relaxation and improving sleep quality
    • Improving circulation (Effecting blood flow in the body)
    • Assisting healing from injury and illness
    • Improving lymphatic flow and removing toxins
    • Relieving stress, anxiety and depression
    • Improving joint mobility and range of motion
    • Assisting in postural change
    • Reduces muscular tension and ‘knots’ through elongating muscle fibres

If you have not had massage before (or have been receiving treatment from different therapists) it is best to opt for lighter pressure in your initial treatment. You can then judge how your body responds. Level of pressure can be adjusted in subsequent treatments in response to this.

If you have not received a massage before you may feel tired or a bit ‘yuck ’after your first treatment. This is due to blood, lymph and toxins moving around your body. The same may happen if you’ve had a gap since you last massage. Some people report getting headaches after a massage. This is often due to dehydration as massage has a diuretic effect, flushing water from your body. Therefore it is important to drink water before and after your treatment to prevent this.

Contact Us for more tips for new massage clients and to discuss how massage can help you, or Book Now to experience the benefits of massage yourself!