Is massage for me?

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Yes. I can answer yes to that question without hesitation. Practically all people can receive a massage. Due to various contraindications, the type and style of massage that suits you the best might vary. But everybody can benefit from and enjoy a massage.

Many people let questions and uncertainties stop them from trying massage. They might have the desire for years or decades, but due to fears or lack of knowledge never get around to it. There are many reasons why to massage get massage, as I've covered in previous articles: 7 good reasons to get massage, Why get massages, Massage and stress, Massage relieves burnt-out, and many more.

In this article I will focus the questions and excuses that often hinders people from getting that first massage.

I'm worried I might get an erection
Erections are a completely normal bodily reaction during a massage, especially in the beginning. The therapists are aware of this and do not get offended. We're taught at the massage schools why those things happen and how to deal with it.

I don't like the thought of being naked
Every massage therapist will respect your privacy and modesty. While you get undressed they will leave the room and you can crawl under the sheet/towel without them seeing you. You can always ask the therapist for more cover if you're uncomfortable. Some massage styles, such as Lomi Lomi are best done with the client nude, so don't  hesitate to ask the therapist about his or her particular massage. In the US it's required to use draping during a massage, and in many other countries it's the norm.

Is my weight a problem?
Severe overweight pose challenges to the therapist when dealing with specific injuries and pains. Some might not be trained to deal with it, or possess the best tools. That said, you can still benefit from other styles of massage, so ask your therapist about your particular case and what you wish to achieve. There are more details in my article Massage and overweight.

I don't like my (insert body-part) being touched/massaged
Tell the therapist and simply request that you're not massage there. Unless there's a medical reason to massage that particular area, any therapist will respect your wishes.

I haven't shaved/waxed my legs
It doesn't matter. We as therapists pay much less attention to how well waxed/shaved your body might be and the amount of body-hair present. There will be no difference in the quality of the massage with shaved or unshaven legs. Excessive amounts of body-hair pose a different challenge, but therapists are trained and has tools which to deal with it. In my article Massage and body hair you can find more information.

I suffer from a skin-condition
Speak to your therapist about your skin-condition and together you can find a massage that suits your particular case. The therapist will appreciate to  be notified so she can prepare the massage.

I want a female/male therapist only
For many the gender of the therapist plays a role and it's completely natural to have preferences. Don't be shy and simply ask your spa/clinic about the therapists and request what you want. Once you're comfortable about massages, I encourage you to try the other gender as well.

What if I fart during the massage?
Don't worry. We're used to it and it happens to every one. Farting is simply a symptom of you relaxing and your system working. The therapist won't comment upon it afterwards, nor look at you oddly.

I'm pregnant
Pregnant women can greatly benefit from massage. Just make sure that your therapist is trained in pregnancy massage as there are certain things to be aware of and take into consideration.

I can't afford it
While money always is a problem and a hindrance for many things, it also comes down to your priorities and choices. An option could be to try a shorter and cheaper session instead of a full body massage. Perhaps try a 20 minutes shoulder and back massage, a 10 minutes chair massage or perhaps a 15 minutes foot massage. It is better to do a shorter treatment at a good massage therapist, than do a full massage by a poor massage therapist. Avoid the discount places and go for quality.

I don't like being passive
Massage can be a rather passive experience and some people become restless. There are massage styles which suit any type of personality, so ask around and study the different forms of massage. Thai-massage and Shiatsu can feel much more active than a Swedish massage and Watsu (shiatsu in water) requires your full engagement. You can also start by a short session and see where your time-limit lies. For many of us it's a challenge to just let go and receive. We're so used to being active and busy all the time and idleness is frowned upon in our society. Sometimes it's really good to challenge ourselves and just do nothing, letting the body and mind find a new balance and allowing us to truly feel ourselves.

I'm allergic
Always notify your massage therapist if you're allergic. There are many products out there that the therapist can use. So by telling what you're allergic to, the therapist can ensure that you're not exposed to anything bad for you.

I'm on medication
Notify your therapist and let him know what you're medicated for and what you're taking. You might get a referral to another therapist or be recommended to wait until you're no longer on medication. If it's long-term medication, there are massage methods and techniques which are safe to give.

I don't like to be touched
Massage is a touch therapy and touch is part of it. That said, there are techniques and methods where the therapist's hands don't touch you or only touch you minimally. Instead tools such as bamboo sticks, stones and tampons do the actual touching and massaging. Styles such as Shiatsu focus more on helping you stretch or works on pressure points which again reduces the amount of touching.

I don't like the music played
This is easy. Simply notify the therapist and ask for some other music. Many therapists will allow you to look through their collection so you can pick what you like. Alternatively you can even bring along some of your own music. The important factor is that you relax and enjoy the session.

What if I need to go to the toilet in the middle of a massage
Speak up, ask the therapist to pause while you visit the bathroom. It's better for you and your relaxation that you go to the toilet than holding it for 45 minutes.

A few general things to mention:
- Don't get a massage if you're influenced by alcohol or drugs (the illegal kind). Wait at least 24 hours so it's entirely out of your system.
- Wait at least an hour after eating a meal so your system has a chance to digest the food. Neither come just before a meal as your hunger might distract you from the massage.
- If you're sick, wait until you're well again. For long term illnesses, certain styles of massage can be very beneficial, but speak to the therapist about your particular case.

This should cover the most common questions asked. If you have any further questions, please post them in the comments below and I will gladly answer them.

Can massage become addictive?

A reader asked the following question:
"Is there something as massage addiction? Can going to for a massage on weekly basis harm your body on the long run ? Does your body get too used to it where you get crams if you don't go for one anymore."

I have never heard about massage addiction or harm come to the body due to too many massages, so I asked the LinkedIn group, Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers, which is one of the biggest online Massage Therapy communities with professionals from all over the world. The experts here have before given me valuable information and shared their experiences.

The conclusion is that massage can not become physically addictive. Nor can a weekly massage harm the body on the long run. You do not build up some addiction to a drug by receiving massages. Even with the release of endorphins and other hormones, they're completely natural for the body and not something you can get addictive to.

That said, there is a risk of a mental and psychological addiction and dependency. Addiction isn't really the right word to use, as it generally refers to a substance you have withdrawals from, such as alcohol or nicotine.

In some cases the relationship between client and therapist can become of same nature as between doctor and patient. Here the client depend on the therapist for their well-being, and can't do things on their own. Dependency in essence means that the client gives up responsibility for themselves and their own well-being and hand it over to the therapist. This is one of the major risks in psychotherapy for instance.

If the therapist isn't aware of these mechanism and stops it before it happens, a weekly massage can become 'addictive' and an unhealthy experience for the client. It is the same issue which faces all health-professionals dealing with patients and most are educated to deal with it.

There's some interesting studies showing that touch and closeness involves some bonding hormones. The same which bonds mother and baby close, as well as make couples stay together after the rush of falling in love is over. It's an interesting thought if the same sort of bonding might happen in a long-term therapist and client relationship and how that might affect people.

I think this bonding (if it happens) serves to build trust between therapist and client and allows for a better massage and relationship. If will in return also cause pain if that relationship is terminated for whatever reason, just like parting from a good friend hurts. If the bonding happens, then it's a good argument to find your therapist and stay with him or her for a long time. I look forward to what studies into the field might reveal and discover. It's deeply fascinating to say the least.

Massaging pectoralis major, importance and benefits

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Not many try to have their chest muscles (pectoralis major) massaged. Especially on women there's the worry about the breasts and a massage becoming too intimate or crossing lines. This is rather unfortunate as it's a very important muscle to have massaged, especially when dealing with shoulder and upper back problems due to desk work.

Pectoralis major a muscle which is attached to the top of the upper arm and spreads all over the chest area. It's also called pecs and on male body-builders can look like a small breast. On women a part of the muscle lies beneath the breast-tissue, which makes massage of it a delicate affair.

As I described in my "Pain from computer and desk" and in "Postural distortion" articles the pectoralis major is a muscle which is often chronically tight. This becomes a reinforcing factor in the pain felt between the shoulder-blades and in the upper back and shoulder area. The tighter pectoralis major is, the more it stretches the muscles on the back, which in turn allows the pectoralis to become even tighter. A vicious circle which can lead to a hunchbacked posture with time.

It brings some instant relief to massage the shoulders and upper back, but if pectoralis major isn't also massaged, it will only make matters worse in the long run. The back muscles relax after the massage, allowing the pecs to become even tighter.

So if the muscles on the back are massaged and relaxed, then it's essential that the same is done on the front. Due to the stigma there is about breasts, many women never have their pectoralis major massaged.

As I described in my "Stretch exercises" article, there are some things you can do yourself to deal with a tight pectoralis. Though it'll not always be enough as stretching does not deal with trigger points nor remove knots.

Next time you go to your massage therapist, ask that your pectoralis major is massaged and know that there's nothing sexual in the work done, even if the breasts are touched and shifted aside. You'll be surprised by how many sore points and tensions the pecs hold.

100th blog post

This blog-post is the 100th I've written on Massage and Wellness. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all my readers and let you know that I greatly appreciate the feed-back I've received over time. Especially the comments on my posts are a great source for inspiration and has allowed me to know what concerns you as readers.

I wrote the first post nearly two years ago, taking about Massage and Communication, followed by descriptions of Massage Créatif. I now have between 30 and 60 unique visitors a day, who actually read the articles they visit. The majority of my readers are from USA, followed by UK, Canada and France. They come from all over the world, even places I wouldn't have expected, such as Kenya, Iran and Vietnam.

My most popular blog-post is Massage and Nudity, which is also the post with the most comments and discussions. Other popular reads are Wry Neck (torticollis), Décor and Room in my Massage Environment articles, descriptions of Massage Types as Reflex Zone Therapy and Californian Massage, as well as some of the Taboo topics such as Massage and Overweight.

It's been a fascinating journey to put my knowledge and experience into words and share it with you readers. It has forced me to sit down and really define what it is I know, check up on intuitive knowledge and study reasons and backgrounds to what I know is right, but couldn't prove. At times it's a challenge to come up with new topics to discuss and write about, but most often it just feels like my fingers move on their own and the article creates itself.

There is so much to talk about and share when it comes to Massage and Wellness. Several future articles are already planned, covering especially The Massage, Therapist and Client and Taboos.

As I learn new techniques and information, the range of topics expand. How can I not share my latest passion with you, such as I did with the LaStone after my first course.

I can't stress enough how important your feed-back and comments are for the block. I'm writing for you, to give you the information you're looking for on the web in relation to Wellness and Massage. So please ask your questions and bring your suggestions so I can cover the topics that you seek information about.

It is my hope that you also in the future will find my blog interesting and useful. If not, please don't hesitate to let me know, I can't bore you too much, I do aim to help you find Wellness.

Thank you.
Pia