But that's not where it hurts...

Over the years I have come to realize that there are some basic communication glitches that plague my industry, and I am hoping to clear up some of these frequently asked questions, and address some of the questions we SHOULD be asking:

Q "Why have you come for a massage?"

A This should be the first question, and periodically you need to ask even your regulars this question. I focus on sports massage, nuts and bolts stuff, but I can provide a great relaxation massage as well. If my client tells me they need a massage to unwind, recover energetically from a stressful event, heal some emotional wounds bound up in their muscles, whatever- I can help with that too. I can't presume to know why my clients are in my studio on any given day, as obvious as it may seem to them, and I want to provide the best service possible, which means something different from one client to the next, or one appointment to the next with the same client.

Q "Why did my therapist talk during my massage?" I recently worked on a friend, and it had been a while since we saw each other socially and I ended up talking with her through most of the massage. In the last 10 minutes she asked- "Do you normally talk during massages?" I felt terribly sheepish and told her the truth, which is that is depends on what the client wants. But I hadn't asked what she wanted, and she hadn't told me she wanted silence, so we chatted more than she wanted. Maybe she didn't know she wanted silence until she experienced the massage, and that is totally fair- I should have been more diligent in checking in and will in the future (total Fail, on my part), and now she knows to tell me when she wants to just zone out, and leave planet Chit-Chat far far away. Not everyone wants the same thing (some people need the talking to let go of emotional stuff, for instance) so please, please, please let your therapist know your preferences.

Q "Massage can help with _____?!"

A Most people don't realize how far reaching the benefits of massage can be- you can use massage as a treatment for a long list of symptoms, including, but not limited to:

insomnia

anxiety

stress/hypertension

fibromyalgia

scar reduction/post operative rehabilitation

arthritis

lymph drainage/inflammation control

releasing spasmed muscles/muscle tension

increasing circulation

scoliosis pain-management

TMJ (temporal mandibular joint) syndrome/jaw pain

headaches

carpal tunnel

disc herniation/bulging/etc

sciatica

and on and on.

The point is: Tell your therapist all the things that are bugging you in your daily life, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find that we have a handy remedy for that particular ailment.

Q "Does it have to hurt?"

A No, it doesn't have to hurt. Usually this question is referring to deep tissue, sports massage, and myofascial release. These particular techniques are very goal oriented, which is to say that the immediate discomfort they cause is less important than the overall gains. I am of the opinion that if my client is fearful, or truly uncomfortable, they don't have a very good experience, no matter how well I perform the task at hand. Our bodies naturally tense up to pain, or sudden increases in pressure, movement, stretching, etc. Gradual increases in pressure, movement, and stretch, tend to bypass the knee-jerk reaction of the brain to protect the area by tensing up, and this makes it easier for the therapist to get to deeper muscle groups, or achieve a deeper stretch while simultaneously allowing the client to relax more deeply, and fully.

There is an element of consent that is often neglected in these conversations: Even if you sign up for a deep tissue massage, you are still in full control. If at ANY POINT in the massage you are uncomfortable (something feels pinchy, or sharply painful, or makes you gasp/hold your breath/curse at the therapist) you should only need to say "can you go lighter right there, that is really tender" or "I need less pressure" or "You need to back off a second so I can catch my breath." Together we can get to all those deeper spots that are troubling you, without agony. The difference between torture and a good sports massage is consent, communication, and a running dialog that informs the client of what is happening at all times and gives them a change to cry "uncle."

Q "Why do massage therapists always ask so many questions about medical history if they aren't a doctor?"

A As an example: While your recent appendectomy may not seem related to your low back pain, trust me that it very well could be. The connective tissues of the abdomen don't especially like being cut into, even for the "easy" laproscopic surgical procedures. When there is intense internal pain in our abdomen we hunch forward in the classic "fetal" position, even when standing. After a while of this posture, with a contracted front and overstretched backside, you feel pretty sore. If the therapist has no reason to believe there is any shortening of the abdominal muscles or connective tissue, they may only focus on what hurts at that moment, and neglect to release the portion of your body that is overly contracted. In short, we'll miss the cause of your pain and send you home half-treated. Boo. Also, the pain you are feeling in your back could very well BE the appendicitis, or kidney infection, or endometriosis, that you need medical attention for. You may give us clues, and we may be able to refer you to a doctor for further diagnostics sooner rather than later, if only you tell us your story.

That's all for now, I'll add more as they happen. Cheers!