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You’re likely wondering what in the world a primal health coach is doing writing about massage therapy. Initially I had some reservations about writing on this subject but when you consider the human response it is very likely that hunter-gatherers used some form of massage therapy. What do humans do when we bump into something? We hold that area and gently rub it. What do we do if we cut our finger? We wrap it in a bandage and hold it to help stop the bleeding. If your tummy is upset you instinctively rub it. A bad headache causes most of us to rub our own neck, head, and temples. When you’re happy to see a friend you give them a hug, if that same friend is sad, we give them a hug. While hunter-gatherers didn’t have fancy spas or an intricate knowledge of the human body I believe it would have been in their instinct to use touch in the same ways we instinctively do today.
When you're hurt you don't have a conscious thought to hold or rub the area; it's instinct.Finding a Massage Therapist
Word of mouth is typically how people are introduced to new massage therapists but your friend’s, niece’s, grandmother might not always be the best person to get this advice from. First you have to think about why you’re looking for a massage and what you’re hoping to get out of it. More often than not people think they want deep tissue massage and then when they get on the table they end up re-thinking their decision. A good massage therapist will hear you holding your breath and tensing up under the pressure and they’ll lighten up. Some people just want relaxation and deep tissue is the furthest thing from their mind. There are countless massage therapy modalities that I could include but that would turn this article into a book.
If you want to try myofascial release, manual lymphatic drainage, craniosacral therapy, or another modality you aren’t familiar with, read about it online and talk to a massage therapist to see if that technique is right for you. The best place to find a licensed or certified massage therapist is through the online directory of either The American Massage Therapy Association or Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. Both directories will help you find a therapist in your area, show you the techniques they perform, and how long they’ve been in practice. Choose a few therapists and then call them to ask them about their services and what their thoughts are about massage. Some therapists focus on relaxation in a spa like environment where others are very clinical in their approach (no candles and essential oils).
What’s The Difference Between a Massage Therapist and a Bodyworker?
As of this writing there isn’t a nationwide standard for the education and licensure of massage therapists; it varies state to state. In some states therapists graduate from a massage therapy program, receive a diploma, and they are automatically certified. Other states require massage therapists to pass a certification examination to become certified or licensed. The terminology and requirements depend on the state. My reason for pointing out the distinction between massage therapist and bodyworker is that some bodyworkers have never had any professional training; they’ve never been to school. Some states allow people to practice as bodyworkers as long as they don’t refer to themselves as a massage therapist.
Is It Massage Therapist Or Masseuse?
The word masseuse implies that we perform sexual favors whereas massage therapist means that we’ve studied massage therapy, we hold credentials, and we don’t do favors. What happens if you refer to us as a masseuse? I’ve seen some therapists go off the rails for being called a masseuse and they will immediately put you in your place. Then there are others like myself who recognize that this isn’t a popular topic of conversation among the general public. Most people don’t know so as long as they didn’t ask for any favors I’d shrug it off.
Do You Have To Get Naked To Get A Massage?
I think this is the #1 issue that stops people who’ve never had a massage from getting one. You don’t have to get naked and some massage modalities only work on clothed people. If you’re nervous about what not to wear start with a chair massage. Many chair massages are held at public events so not only are they easy to find, they’re inexpensive, and they’re always given to someone who is fully clothed. There are other massage modalities such as Thai massage, Anma therapy, and Reiki that are also performed on fully clothed individuals.
When getting a traditional massage in most establishments the rule is to dress to your comfort level. You’ll be covered the entire time so whether you want to crawl under the blankets in the nude or in your underwear doesn’t matter to us. If a therapist is ever pushy then they aren’t your therapist. I’ve never personally heard of that scenario because that isn’t what is taught in schools. Please know that you are the boss and a good therapist will respect that.
Can I Request Special Oils Or Bring My Own?
In today’s world it seems that nearly everyone is sensitive to something. (A loud signal that collectively we’re doing something wrong.) Most massage therapists are fairly health conscious and they try to make healthy choices when choosing a massage oil, cream, or lotion. Even then, there are a number of natural and organic massage oils that contain essential oils and/or plant extracts. My advice it to do your research before you arrive for your appointment. Ask what the therapist uses when you book your appointment so that you can find the ingredients online and/or ask the person you book the appointment with. I’m a fan of finding the ingredients myself so that I know exactly what is in something. (I’m one of those sensitive types.)
You can bring your own oil, lotion, or cream to your massage if you don’t like the stuff the therapist is using but I’d like to offer a bit of advice. Not all massage “sauces” work the same so think about the style of massage you wish to receive when deciding on an oil, lotion, or cream. Oils are typically very slippery which is great for a basic Swedish massage. If it is a sauce that doesn’t soak in quickly then your therapist may have a bit of a challenge doing deeper work because they’ll have to fight the slipperiness. On the other hand if you’re looking for a basic massage with continual massage strokes try not to choose something that soaks in quickly because the therapist will have to continually stop to reapply your sauce.
Do I Have To Get A Gluteal (Butt) Massage?
You don’t have to get your glutes worked on but I strongly encourage you to. Every step you take uses the muscles in your hips. Since many people complain of lower back pain working on the gluteals is one of the best things you can do. If your hips aren’t under your back, or moving correctly under your back, how can your back be happy? The answer is that it can’t. I explain lower back pain further in this article.
Honestly, we aren’t fazed by your backside. We’ve seen our fair share. Some are bigger, some are smaller, some are hairier, we really don’t care. When we’re working on the gluteals all we really see and feel is this:
Should You Shower Before Your Massage?
The best answer to this question is to use your common sense. If you’ve performed manual labor all day or you just ran 10 miles we appreciate it if you shower before you come to see us. The other side to this is that we prefer that you come in with dry hair because the smell of wet hair isn’t that pleasant. Are we hyper critical about your hygiene? Most of us aren’t and it’s also why we have an arsenal of candles, essential oils, and smudge sticks to clear the room before, during, and after your massage.
Do You Have To Shave Your Legs?
If I were to wager how often this topic comes up during a massage I’d say that 99% of women who haven’t shaved their legs point this out. It’s fine. We don’t care if you have or haven’t shaved your legs. Most men don’t shave their legs and we handle it just fine.
What Happens If You Fart During Your Massage?
We ask that you make it audible so that we can duck for cover. LOL! Seriously though, it happens and we don’t take offense to it and we know odds are that it’s not your fault. Working in the gluteal region on a person we are always ready for unexpected emissions. Again, another reason for the candles, essential oils, and smudge sticks.
What If You Pitch A “Tent” During Your Massage?
Studying the human body and reflexes during our education we know that arousal of “the member” is more often than not a side effect of massage, especially in the thigh region. We don’t take it personally unless you try to show it to us or ask us to tend to it. I always kept a duvet on my massage table to create an extra barrier for both me and the client.
How Do Therapists Deal With Stinky Feet?
When I worked in a day spa everyone got a foot soak and a salt scrub before their massage so that handled the majority of stinky feet. Working with chiropractors and an acupuncturist I didn’t have the facilities to do that so I encountered my share of stinky feet. It was simply one of those things that therapists deal with on the job. Thankfully I have very long arms and I could work on said feet at a distance. Some therapists may use a spray with peppermint oil to tame your beasts.
Honestly the #1 thing that caused the most stinky feet were shoes that people wore without socks. Women were the worst because summertime is the season of sandals and women typically wear sandals more often than men do. So if foot odor is something you’re concerned about, shower and put on clean socks and shoes before your massage and no one is likely to smell your feet.
Talking During A Massage
Massage is your time. It’s your time to relax and I think I can safely say that most of us don’t get much relaxation time. When getting a massage the amount of conversation that occurs or doesn’t occur is up to you. What I have found is that sometimes people who are new to my table may be a bit nervous so they tend to talk to put their mind at ease.
Many regular clients are strong Type A personality types who naturally have trouble down shifting to a slower gear. For those people I’d always give them a longer massage on their head because according to Chinese medicine if you relax the head then you relax the body. If you know yourself to fall into one of these categories I’d ask the therapist to start with your head and maybe spend a bit more time there to help you relax for your massage.
I must also point out that when someone gets relaxed on a massage table they sometimes tell personal details about their life. Whatever you say stays in the massage room but I feel a duty to put the heads up out there because I don’t know if most people realize what they’re doing.
A good therapist should be able to remain silent during the massage other than questions about pressure, tender areas, and telling you to flip over. When a chatty Kathy or Ken enters the room a good therapist will give you short answers that aren’t meant to prompt further discussion. It’s your time; use it to relax.
Have More Questions? Ask Me Below.
If you haven’t read my bio I have been a massage therapist since 2002 and I taught for a massage therapy for 7 years. I tried to cover the most popular topics that come up but if there’s something I missed or something you want to know about leave me a comment below and I’ll add it to the list.
Originally posted on March 20, 2018 @ 12:25
