Last weekend my mom won a door prize: an appointment for a free massage from a licensed massage therapist.
She was dismayed and tried to swap the gift for another winner’s gift, but that woman didn’t want the massage either.
I can totally relate. Two years ago my husband presented me a gift certificate for a massage as a Mother’s Day gift and I almost cried… and those weren’t tears of joy. I had this huge fear of having someone other than my spouse touch my exposed skin, even if I was fully covered. Do I chat during the massage or am I required to be completely quiet? If an hour of full relaxation was the plan, I could think of 101 other ways to achieve that. I also didn’t want to be “her” – the woman who had to have her weekly spa treatment to survive motherhood.
Not wanting to waste the gift, I swallowed my pride and went.
NOW I get it. Massage therapists have a method to their work, and deep tissue massage truly relieves the pain in the upper back, shoulder and neck area that I get from working at a computer a couple hours at a time. It is absolutely WORTH IT.
Here are 10 tips to get over the fear of the first massage:
- There is no “stupid question” when it comes to a massage. If you have any questions about what the massage therapist will be doing, ask her.
- A good massage therapist will ask you what areas of pain you are experiencing or what you expect from the massage. My MT asks me at every visit: “are we working the upper back again?” because that is what I ask for almost every time.
- Your massage therapist will obviously need to have full access to your skin, so removing all clothing but underwear is recommended. She’ll leave you alone to disrobe, lie on the massage table face down, and cover yourself with a sheet.
- Get comfortable (often you begin by lying on your stomach on the massage table), fully comfortable, because once she starts, you’ll want to keep every muscle relaxed for best results.
- Relax, let the massage therapist move your limbs for you, and talk only to give feedback.
- A good massage therapist will ask you what level of pain you can handle (if doing deep tissue massage). Let her know, and definitely feel free to tell her to lighten up if the massage is painful. A massage therapist is often strong and her work on your back (and legs and feet) is to your benefit, yet a slow, gentle pressure is very effective in the overall treatment.
- If you’re prone to being ticklish, know that this only lasts a few seconds.
- If you have a favorite oil for your massage therapist to use, bring it and ask if she’d be willing to use it for you. She may be concerned about the oil on her massage sheets, or she may have a preference for using an oil with the right “grab,” but a high quality oil (like jojoba) may be worth bringing with you.
- Drink plenty of water, and if you feel sore after a massage, apply ice. Salt baths are also recommend following a massage.
- After the massage, get up slowly, especially if you feel lightheaded.
Thanks to Debi, Debra, Teresa, Kathy, and others for their contributions to this Facebook post.