Pre-Massage And Post-Massage: What To Expect Before And After In Clive IA

Do I need to do anything before or after a massage? How do I take care of myself after getting a massage? Why am I so sore after a massage, is that normal? Learn more about what to expect after a massage from Clive IA chiropractic clinic.

These are common questions and concerns of most people, especially if it is their first time experiencing a massage. With that being said, let's discuss what a person needs to keep in mind before receiving a massage and after receiving a massage.

One of the most important things to remember when coming in for a massage is honest communication with your massage therapist. You will be asked a series of health and wellness questions prior to the start of your massage. It is of the utmost importance to be completely honest and thorough about not only how you are feeling that day but your overall health.

The reason this is so important is that if you have a certain disease or disorder and the massage therapist is not aware of it, the message could have negative rather than positive effects on you.

Along with being open and honest prior to the massage, this is equally as important as being open and honest during the massage. Pressure is something that a lot of people are not honest about, a lot of people think a massage should hurt or else they're not getting the full effect from it. This is untrue, in some cases, you can get just as good of a result with light pressure as you can with the firm or deep pressure. Using too much pressure can result in damage or bruising of the muscle, which in turn will cause pain.

Breathing is extremely important during a massage; this will help facilitate the relaxation process. In a lot of cases, the individual will hold their breath during the massage, usually if the therapist is working on a tender area or if the individual is feeling anxious. Making sure you are not contracting or tightening muscles is as well very important. Contracting or tightening a muscle that is being worked on is very counterproductive to the goal of the massage therapist; this does not allow for proper muscle relaxation and blood flow.

Lastly, be sure you are scheduling your massage around your eating schedule, don't eat a large meal just before coming in for a massage, you want to let the digestion process take effect to avoid any nauseous feeling or discomfort during the massage session.

Caring for your body after a massage is something people take for granted and don't completely understand why it is so important. The most important thing you can do for yourself is - to drink plenty of water!

I cannot say this enough to most of my clients, please drink water not only right after your massage session but every day! During a massage, it is the therapist's goal to remove as much of the toxins inside the muscles as possible, which in turn can have a dehydration effect on the body and the muscles. Drinking plenty of water after a massage and regularly not only rehydrates your system but also the muscles because you have worked out the toxins and opened up the flow of fluids inside the muscle. This can cause your muscles to become quite dehydrated. Use caution when getting up from the massage table as you may become lightheaded after moving all the toxins out of your muscles, be sure to get up slowly and let your body process the massage.

Finally, be ready to schedule and make the time for future massage sessions. One massage session is not going to completely take care of the issues that were worked on during that first session.