How often should I get a massage?
“How often should I get a massage?” is a question I hear often, in fact after every time I work with a new client. And my answer is largely dependent on what I find in the musculature during the massage, the lifestyle of my client and their own desire to experience massages.
Receiving massage regularly and consistently will have the most benefit. Below I will describe a few scenarios that are currently very common in my practice
Massage for Pain Management:
This is the most common reason I see clients! I work with clients who are in the realm of chronic pain. That means that the pain has been with them for a long time - 3 or more months, sometimes decades! That is a long time, considering that feeling pain daily is NOT NORMAL, but we have come so accustomed to it.
I recommend that people with chronic pain schedule massages every 2 weeks for about 2-3 months. Then as the muscles relax, healing is underway and the days of pain-free life increase, sessions decrease in frequency incrementally.
Massage for Stress Relief:
Stress puts a huge burden on your body! Most of us don’t even realize that stress is a systemic condition, meaning it affects your whole body, actually scratch that, it affects your WHOLE BEING. Stress has the capacity to keep you in a constant “flight-or-fight” response. Massage has the opposite effect on the body. During a massage your heart rate drops and your breathing becomes slower, cortisol levels reduce and serotonin levels increase, triggering the “rest- and- digest” response.
I recommend massages for stress relief every 4 weeks as it has been shown to be beneficial in helping eliminate the negative effects of stress on the body and mind.
Massage for Pregnancy:
Prenatal massage is an incredible addition to your prenatal care. It is safe and encouraged at any stage of pregnancy as it reduces the aches and pains of pregnancy, improves sleep quality and prepares you for labor.
I recommend that your prenatal massage appointments coincide with your doctor visits. This means once a month until 27 weeks, twice a month until 36 weeks and then weekly until your precious baby is earthside!
Weather you seek massage for pain management, stress relief, prenatal care or just because you love the way it makes you feel remember that just as going on one short run on the treadmill does not prepare you for marathon, and eating one salad does not lead you to all your health and nutritional goals, one massage does not wipe all your ailments away. In my practice, clients report feeling significantly better after the third session.
“How often should YOU get a massage?” I don’t know that, yet. I would LOVE to do an assessment session with you and create a treatment plan that best represents your current activity level, health status and lifestyle.
Reach out if you have any questions!
Be Well,
Keyu