Should Massage Hurt?
Does massage have to hurt to be effective?
Many people believe that a massage, especially Remedial Massage has to hurt in order to be doing any good. You’ll be happy to hear that actually, no it doesn’t! The saying, “No pain, no gain” is not actually true! Sometimes the most effective massages are the ones that don’t cause any pain.
You can have a massage and enjoy it, and reap the benefits too!
Deep Tissue Massage might cause some discomfort….
“Deep tissue” massage (a technique used during a Remedial Massage) is when the massage therapist manipulates the deeper layers of your soft tissue. Soft tissue includes your muscles, ligaments, fascia, and tendons (it’s pretty much everything that isn’t bones or organs). Usually your massage therapist will use oil or balm, start with working lighter at first – this is important, as it helps relax the top layer of tissue and muscle, meaning less pain for you. Then the deeper layers of muscle are worked on with more ease and with less pain. This will feel much better and you will get better results!
Typically, Deep Tissue/Remedial Massage is recommended for those with chronic pain or discomfort caused by tight muscles or injuries. Remedial Massage can be very therapeutic because it helps with relieving patterns of tension that have developed over time and can help with muscle injuries. With a good massage session, you will generally feel more relaxed with less discomfort, especially if little or no pain was endured during the treatment. It’s hard (nearly impossible) to relax if you are in high levels of pain during a massage, muscle tension tends to release better in a state of relaxation.
Pain versus Discomfort
Muscles naturally react to any sort of pain. When your muscles feel that your body is about to be injured the reflex to deflect the pain is stimulated. Your muscles tighten to naturally counterattack the force, and that is not a great way to relax. A massage is meant to relieve the tension of your muscles so if you feel as though the massage therapist is applying too much pressure for comfort, just ask them to use less pressure.
Seriously, they want you to.
Don’t go into the massage thinking there won’t be any discomfort at all though. Pain and discomfort are two different things. People usually describe discomfort as a “good hurt” – especially in reference to getting a massage. When you experience pain during a massage, it is more than discomfort and could even cause bruising or injury. If you find that your massage therapist isn’t working between your tolerance levels for pain, then it’s important that you say something.
Everybody has different tolerances for pain in different areas of the body, so a massage that is painful for one person may not be painful for you. Massages should rarely cause you physical pain and it is generally not okay for you to be left with marks on your body afterwards.
Deep Tissue is just one of the many techniques used in Remedial Massage and it doesn’t always mean hard pressure. Most therapists combine massage techniques and to try to give you the best massage for your body. Communicate with your therapist about what you prefer and need. Your therapist will appreciate your feedback – happy clients are regular clients, and your therapist wants you to love your massage and feel an improvement after your visit!
Curious? Book in for your massage session now!
Save time book online at divine-therapy.com or call to enquire
3134 2261
