I have been a massage therapist since 2006 so I have done A LOT of them. I get asked the same questions over and over again. Here are answers to some of them. I could probably write a book, but I think I will start with this for now.
How often should I get a massage? This depends. It’s important to consider how stressful life is for you, whether you have had surgeries or injuries and what your body feels like day-to-day. If you’re really stressed and have injuries, once a week for you! If you’re moderately stressed with minimal pain and tension then you can get away with every 2-3 weeks. Most people need to start on a weekly basis and gradually reduce their treatments as the body returns to more natural movement patterns.
How long do the marks from cupping last? It depends. If the stationary technique is used, you are recovering from injuries and the tissue is ischemic (not a lot of blood flow), the marks can be dark and last anywhere from 7-10 days up to 2 weeks.
Are the marks left by the cupping bruises? No. They are actually more like a hickey. The suction stretches the skin a bit so they can be slightly tender, however, if the underlying tissues were adhered (stuck) to something it should not have been leaving the connective tissue short and tight.
Why did I bruise from a deep tissue massage? There are a few reasons this can happen. Similar to the cupping bringing blood to the surface creating a “bruise” like mark due to metabolic waste and poor circulation, the deep pressure into the body can create marks. Sometimes, there is trauma to the tissue because the upper layers of muscle weren’t relaxed enough before the deeper layers were treated and sometimes your therapist just went a little overboard with either pressure or length of time on one area. Communication with your therapist is the number 1 priority, so if you are afraid to speak up about something it might be time to find someone else you feel more comfortable with.
Have you ever been hit on? (Ugh, cue the eye roll) Unfortunately, yes. Not every single client of mine has been respectful of the therapeutic relationship. But, luckily it doesn’t happen that often and hasn’t in a long time. When I told them they couldn’t get massages from me anymore if it went any further, they got the hint. See? Some men are smart ;-).
Has anyone ever farted on the table? Haha, actually yes! Thankfully nothing more than that. Passing gas is actually a good sign and I weirdly take it as a compliment because you have to be REALLY relaxed and out of it to let one rip. I did have a client once break wind while I had an elbow in their glutes. They were honestly mortified and admittedly had salsa for lunch.
How often do I get massages? I get them as often as I can. I like to practice what I preach. It is hard for people to listen to someone who doesn’t walk the walk but just talks the talk. I drink lots of water, eat a plant-based diet, get regular massages and spend about 15 minutes a day in direct sunlight. I’m also usually spending a significant amount of time during the week doing self-treatment with clearings and energy work.
How did I end up a massage therapist? I was in the second semester of my senior year in high school when I suddenly decided I didn’t want to do another 6 years of school to become a primary school educator but a massage therapist after sitting through a presentation for a school in Orlando, FL. It was like I was struck by lightning really. There was no turning back after that. Once I got into school and started learning about the anatomy of the body and all the techniques, I fell in love.
Do my hands get tired? Sometimes. It depends on my day, how many massages I’ve done, the condition of my client’s bodies, a lot of factors. At this point in my career, the muscles are pretty built up in my hands. I feel it more in my low back and hips these days.
Have you ever had anybody ask you to do weird things to them? Thankfully NO! I think I give off a pretty no non-sense, very ethical and professional vibe so I’m lucky I haven’t had that happen to me. I did have a guy (I didn’t realize it at the time) grab himself while I was massaging his legs. I saw some hand switching happening when I moved to the other leg but no other movement so I let it go and just kept working because he wasn’t making weird noises, saying weird things or anything else and it was the last few minutes of the massage anyway. I notified the spa owner as soon as the massage was over. BLACKLISTED! You do creepy things in your massage, you don’t get to come back.
Have you ever had to stop a massage before? Actually, yes. But, not for the reason you think. I just couldn’t do anything right for this lady and at one point she began questioning my training, length of practice and intuition so I stopped the massage. I already had a weird feeling about it to begin with so I wasn’t surprised it unfolded the way it did. I explained to her that it didn’t seem like she was enjoying herself because of her micromanaging and questioning and I thought she would have a better experience with someone else. So, I apologized for not being able to give her what she needed, told her she wouldn’t need to pay for her service and stepped out of the room. She was pretty shocked. That probably never happened to her before. Hopefully, it was a good lesson for her. The law protects me as the therapist just as much as it protects you as the client. I don’t have to massage anyone who makes me feel uncomfortable in any way and neither should you suffer an hour or hour and a half of your time and money getting a massage by someone who isn’t giving you what you need, isn’t responding to you in a way that makes you feel safe and heard or has the personality of a piece of toast.
If you have some questions, reply below! I’ll do my best to answer them.
