08/30/2025
I've been getting a lot of questions and comments about massage therapy and what I offer, so I'm going to post some articles to the site for my followers and friends to read. Hopefully, these will help answer your questions. Here is the first one:
Q: What are the benefits of getting regular massages?
A: Lots of people think of getting a massage as a luxury, when it should be a regular part of your personal care routine. Sure, massages feel great, and there is a certain sense of decadence that goes along with that feeling of being pampered. Just one massage increases circulation and eases muscle soreness. Therapeutic massage aids in recovery from sports, heavy workouts, and other strenuous activities. It reduces blood pressure, anxiety and stress, and helps balance blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that receiving just one hour of body work has the equivalent effect on the body as getting eight hours of sleep. Receiving regular massages helps manage a whole variety of autoimmune and chronic pain disorders. Just imagine how much nicer life would be with MS flares being shorter and farther apart or being able to move easier because the inflammation in arthritic joints is reduced. Just one massage a month can do wonders!
Q: But, aren’t massages expensive?
A: The price of receiving just one massage in a month is less than what you’d spend in just one week on fancy coffee drinks, and the positive effects on the body are greater than all those lattes. Besides, just think of the calories you’re not ingesting if you just skip 2 of those specialty coffees a week and replace them with a monthly massage! The same goes for to***co and v**e products and junk food. Just cut back a little each week and use the money you save for a monthly massage. Your body will thank you – not just for the bodywork, but for the added health benefits of cutting back on those products!
Q:I have never had a professional massage. What do I do, and what should I expect?
A: For your first massage, you should arrive on time, and if your therapist sent health forms to fill out before hand, you should have already filled those forms out completely. Your therapist needs to know about the kinds of health conditions you may have and any medications that could affect how your body reacts to a massage. He or she needs to know if you’re on blood thinners, hypertension medications, or medicines for diabetes. They also need to know if you’ve had blood clots, recent surgeries, cancer treatments, or if you’re pregnant.
Once your therapist has met you and has discussed your massage needs, he or she will leave you to undress and get on the massage table. If you are comfortable un******ng completely, take off all your clothes. If you’re not comfortable completely un******ng, leaving your lower undergarments on is acceptable. Necklaces, dangling earrings, and other jewelry should be removed. And don’t forget to take your socks off if you want your feet worked on. Once you’re undressed, lie on the table underneath the top sheet and blanket, kind of like you’re going to go to bed and face up or face down as directed by your therapist.
Relax and enjoy your massage. Let your body go limp and your mind to go blank. Allow your therapist to move your arms, legs, head without your help. If the pressure is too firm, or not firm enough, ask your therapist to adjust accordingly.
If you find yourself getting too cold or too warm, let your therapist know.
Don’t try to stay awake during your massage. Most therapists find that it’s a real compliment when a client’s body relaxes enough for them to fall asleep during their session.
Q: What some other things I should know concerning massage therapy?
A: Do drink lots of water after you have a professional massage. The act of manipulating the muscles moves fluids as well as toxins out of the tissue and if the fluids aren’t replenished, you can dehydrate and experience soreness the next day.
Do give your muscles time to recover. Avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day and take a hot bath with Epsom salts after receiving a massage.
The effects of alcohol are often multiplied when one has a massage. Don’t drink heavily right before or within 24 hours after a massage. Just one or two drinks can make you feel really drunk. Try mocktails instead of cocktails.
Licensed massage therapists offer therapeutic services, and they take their jobs seriously. Please respect the hard work they have done to earn their credentials. Don’t ask your therapist about inappropriate services (i.e. happy endings), even if you are only joking. Depending on the therapist’s interpretation of what you say and local laws, you could be asking for big trouble.
Did you have a great massage? Let your therapist know what you liked best about the massage they did for you. If there’s a little something they did during the session that you didn’t care too much for (i.e. massaging your toes, or a spot you didn’t realize was sensitive until it was touched). That way, they can make notes so your next session will be even more awesome.
Do give your massage therapist excellent reviews on social media, Yelp, and Google. More positive reviews put your therapist at the top of searches, which can go a long way toward helping an independent therapist’s business.
If you get a survey request after your massage, please be sure to fill it out and give your therapist the highest marks for the great massage, especially if you had your massage at a branded spa. Spas often use experience surveys to help determine pay increases when reviewing hourly paid therapists.
Do share your good massage experiences with your friends. A lot of independent therapists as well as spas offer referral credits to their regular clients toward free sessions or enhancements to their massages when they spread the good news about their sessions. Besides that, just knowing that their clients are sharing their good experiences goes a long way toward making your therapist feel appreciated.
