Massage therapy is very helpful for sore and tense muscles, but if you don't usually like people touching you, having to undergo massage therapy can be uncomfortable. However, you can take a number of steps to make the process a lot easier. Knowing that you can draw some boundaries—such as remaining fully clothed—and knowing what to expect from the massage can really help.
Ask What Will Happen Before the Massage Starts
Even the most clinically-executed therapeutic massage can feel very strange if you're not used to the process. It may help you to ask about what will happen during the massage, such as whether the therapist will touch only your back, or if they'll touch your neck, arms, legs, and so on. That eliminates any surprise and lets you prepare yourself if you know where exactly the massage needs to go. It might not seem that big of a deal, but if you're expecting a back massage and the therapist starts moving up your neck to your head, that can seem kind of strange at first. If you know what's going on, there's less bewilderment about what's next.
Make Sure You're Comfortable With the Level of Coverage
You no doubt have seen pictures of people undergoing a massage where they're wearing pretty much nothing, with only a sheet or towel to cover them. While you could go through massage therapy like that, you don't have to if you aren't comfortable with it. You can be fully clothed, but wear soft, loose-fitting clothing that does not prevent the therapist from administering the massage. In other words, thick jeans and a sweater aren't a good idea. But a T-shirt and yoga pants or thinner workout pants would be fine.
Familiarize Yourself With Potential Side Effects
Depending on the type of massage, you could have some side effects afterward. Intense massage therapy like deep-tissue massage could leave you with some lingering soreness; you may notice skin that seems a little reddish, which will of course go away. Light-headedness is very common as your blood circulation improves, carrying more oxygen around your body, and you may have some nausea in some cases. All of these side effects should go away relatively quickly. However, when you're already nervous about the massage in general, the side effects can seem even more unwelcome. Familiarizing yourself with the potential side effects and how to counter them is a good idea. When you know why you feel a certain way and what to do when you feel that way, it's almost like a reassurance that all will be well.
Massage therapy can be very helpful. If you aren't thrilled about being touched but think massage therapy is what you need to combat stress and tension, you can ease yourself into the therapy and make yourself feel a lot more comfortable about being on that table.
To learn more about massage therapy treatment, contact a massage clinic in your area such as Timeless Aesthetic Injections.
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