It sounds funny, doesn’t it? I mean, who doesn’t love massage? You get on that table, and your very capable massage therapist works her magic. But many clients don’t understand that at least 50% of how much they enjoy their treatments lies in their hands – not their therapists’. Below are a trade “secrets” to help you make the most of your treatments.
Before Your Treatment:
1. Book the Right Treatment: When calling to make an appointment, be sure you are booking the treatment that’s right for you. If you like deeper pressure, then the Mom Spa treatment you need is the ‘Muscle Mend’. If you need deep tissue relief but don’t like deeper work, maybe a therapeutic hot stone massage. Only book a Simply Swedish or an Aromassage (aromatherapy) if you favor light-to-medium work. For those that need a little deeper work on the back and neck and not so much on the rest of the body, the ‘MoM Spa’ is best for you. It also includes hot stone work on the back, feet and hands. Always let us know too if you are pregnant, have allergy concerns or anything that will require the therapist to set the room differently from the norm. Your health and well-being are very important to us. Not sure exactly what you need? Just ask! The ladies making your appointment are happy to make recommendations. You and your therapist can chat before your treatment and make necessary changes.
2. Pre-Hydrate: Massage is excellent at releasing body toxins stored in your muscle tissue, and pushing them into your bloodstream. However, many people are surprised to find that they can feel quite ill after their treatments. To prevent feeling under the weather, give your body a way to rid itself of all those toxins by drinking a lot of water and juices before and after your treatment. The water will help wash away toxins from the bloodstream where they can be eliminated by the urinary system. If you’re not a regular water drinker, I recommend you start pre-hydrating 24 hours before your scheduled treatment.
3. Arrive Early: The earlier you can arrive before your treatment (up to a half hour even) the better your massage will be. It’s true! Arriving early allows you to slip into our luxurious robes, read our great magazines, sip a cup of tea or water in our relaxation area, breathe deeply, and shut the world out. If you are less stressed before you enter your treatment, your body will relax quicker, and your therapist can get more work done. Plus, if you start on time, your treatment will be longer. Start your massage stressed and 15 minutes late, and you will not be getting your money’s worth.
4. Communicate With Your Therapist: Any good therapist wants to learn a little about you before you begin your massage. This is the time you can share any questions or concerns you may have about your session. Please share anything that could affect your therapy session, including any injuries, skin wounds, or other areas you prefer not to have massaged, and any underlying medical conditions. Our rooms are very dark, so many times a therapist will not see a cut or a bruise. By alerting your therapist ahead of time, this will ensure the safest, most comfortable treatment for you and your body.
5. Undress to Your Comfort: It’s the age-old question – should I take it off, or leave it on? I always tell my client this: If it makes you uncomfortable, take it off. If it keeps you comfortable, leave it on. Your comfort is of utmost importance to us, and our therapists can work around anything. If you decide to leave underwear on, it will be helpful if you can fold it back so the therapist can get to your lower back. If not, we will go over the sheet to get to where we need to go. If you decide to keep your bra on, we kindly ask you un-snap it so the therapist does not have to jump over and around the back area. If you are nursing, please let the therapist know so she can place a folded towel to support you. If the breast area is too tender to lie face down, our therapists are trained in the supported side-line position that may be more comfortable for you during this time.
During Your Treatment
1. Deep Breathing: Now that you’re on the table, your responsibilities drop off significantly. As you lay on your table, breathe deeply and slowly – completely filling your lungs with air and completely emptying them. Focus on this breathing at various times throughout your treatment. It will help your muscles relax and oxygenate your system. This is especially true during deeper tissue work or during Fertility Massage. By breathing deeply, you are releasing tension, control and stress so your body will respond more positively to the pressure.
2. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how the table feels. With each exhale, I imagine my body sinking further and further into the table. If anything feels uncomfortable and needs to be adjusted, mention it to your therapist when she enters the room. During treatment, continue to focus on how your body is responding to the work. Are you completely relaxed? Are any body parts tense? Are you clenching your fists or tightening your jaw? Focus on releasing anything you might be tightening, and release it with an exhale.
3. Speak up: I cannot stress this enough. Therapists rely on input from their clients about how much pressure to apply, whether the work is deep or light. A good therapist knows generally how deep pressure feels, but only you know exactly how your body is feeling. Not sure how much is too much? I use this guideline, no matter how deep you like it: If you feel anything more than “slightly uncomfortable” the pressure is too deep. Massage should not hurt. Deeper work can be achieved gradually, with minimal discomfort to the client. But it’s your responsibility to let your therapist know if the pressure is too deep – or too light. Also, if the bed is too warm, the temperature too cold, the music too loud, you have to use the restroom…anything that will further help you relax, please let the therapist know, even if it’s during the treatment. This is your time!
4. Relax Your Body: Once on the table, your ‘job’ is to relax all your muscles, and enjoy. Your therapist may gently move your arms and legs to stretch them or to reposition you. We don’t need any help. So just relax and let us do all the work.
5. Relax Your Mind: It is extremely hard to do – especially if you are away from your baby for the first time, or squeezing your treatment into a very busy workday. But do the best you can to focus on your body and your breathing and leave the outside world at the front door. The more massage you get, the easier that is to do. If an experienced massage connoisseur meets with a great therapist, chances are you won’t remember what day it is.
After Your Treatment:
1. Drink, Drink, Drink: Again, I cannot stress this enough. Drink as much juice and water as you can, allowing your body to eliminate all the toxins stirred up by the massage. If you don’t, you may feel achy, feverish, even nauseous and flu-like. This is called “healing crisis” and is normal to a degree. If you begin to feel this way, stop everything and drink. Ideally, you should hydrate to prevent a healing crisis.
2. Rest and Relax: Bring the bliss home. Try not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day. Be kind to yourself, and allow your muscles to remain relaxed. Injury could result if you overstress very relaxed muscles, so give yourself the day off. If you like to exercise, plan to work out before your appointment.
3. Eat Healthy, Small Meals: As discussed before, your body may be pretty toxic after your treatment – a good sign that healing is taking place. Try not to add anymore to the load. Stick to whole foods – you know them – fruits, veggies, whole grains. Try to avoid excess alcohol and caffeine. Eat smaller meals so your body can use its energy to heal, not to digest your food.
4. Take a bath: If you are feeling particularly achy or sore, I highly recommend taking an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are excellent at drawing toxins out through the skin. I use them all the time when I’m achy. They are miraculous, 100% natural, cheap, and easy to find at a pharmacy. Drop 1-2 Cups into your bath water, and swish. Soak for a good 15-20 minutes, or until you feel refreshed. Do this at least once a day if you are very sore. If you are pregnant, discuss the use of Epsom salts with your doctor before you use them, and be sure your bath is only “warm.” Essential oils can be beneficial for many uses with these kinds of baths. Again, if you are pregnant, consult with your doctor.
5. Call if You Have Problems: Do not suffer in silence! Everyone responds differently to massage, especially if it’s your first time. If you are having extreme symptoms of achy muscles, stiffness, feverishness, etc. and none of the above methods help, please call the spa! All our therapists carry cell phones, so even if they aren’t working, they can be reached. Just tell our retail team who you worked with and give them your phone number and they will contact your therapist for you. It may be beneficial to schedule another appointment as soon as possible to “finish” the job. Even having a lighter, Swedish massage will help your body eliminate the rest of the toxins that are making you feel sick. Your therapist may also have more ideas to help stave off the discomfort, or even be able to tell you that what you are experiencing is NOT related to massage and that you may want to contact your doctor. If you have concerns, please call! We want to help.
Well, now you’re an expert. Your next step is to pick up the phone and get in here. Massage can do wonders for your life’s outlook, and along with these simple steps, may even inspire you to care for yourself a little more – something women find to be a guilty luxury, rather than an undeniable necessity. But that is a blog entry in itself. Women are truly the caretakers of the world. But we simply cannot care for others until we feel well ourselves. I hope your experience at the Mom Spa helps inspire you to love yourself, so you can love others.
Peace until next time,
Allison
MA, LMT
The MoM Spa
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment