Here are some helpful tips regarding the right pressure for your massage:
- Both therapeutic and relaxation massage can be provided at a variety of pressure levels.
- The level of the pressure that is comfortable varies widely from person to person.
- Some people like really deep pressure and some people prefer a much lighter touch.
- What is light touch for one person might be heavy pressure to another.
- A person can enjoy a heavy pressure on one area of their body, but need a lighter pressure on another area
It is very important that you communicate with your therapist whenever you feel the pressure is not suiting your taste, need or comfort level. Keep communicating until you feel the pressure level is comfortable. The best massage is co-created between the therapist and the client. The therapist will begin your massage with a moderate pressure and ask how that pressure is for you. This is your opportunity to say that overall you like that pressure or you would like a heavier pressure or you would like a lighter touch.
KNOTS AND TRIGGER POINTS
- Be aware that if you have knots and trigger points they can feel very tender and it can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful to have them worked on.
- There is no way for a therapist to know if you have a hot trigger point; it is up to you to tell your therapist if they hit a particularly painful spot.
- A painful trigger point may be helped with massage.
- Releasing a trigger point or know is very beneficial to the muscles, but can be uncomfortable.
PAIN OR DISCOMFORT AFTER A MASSAGE:
-
- Sometimes the pressure during the massage can feel great, but the next day there may be some discomfort and pain, especially after therapeutic work.
- It can feel like bruising. This is caused from adhesions being released from the muscle tissue and needing to be eliminated from the body.
- Adhesions are lactic acid which gets trapped in the muscle that has not been able to relax.
- Pain can also be caused by destabilizing a protection or holding pattern that the body is using during spasm or long term misalignment or injury.
- Massage itself can cause inflammation as circulation is brought back into the muscle.
If you should experience pain after your massage we recommend using the following therapy: alternate ice and heat over the painful area for a few minutes. Alternate the ice and heat approx. 4 times ending with ice. Drink lots of fluids to help flush the system. Soak in an Epsom Salt Bath or use a Castor Oil pack to help relieve discomfort from massage, too. In extreme cases you may need to use ibuprofen.