Frequently Asked Questions

---

 Swedish, Deep tissue, Hot stone, Prenatal, and Trigger Point, Myofascial Release, Cupping

Standard massage session is 60 minutes, but also offer 90-minutes.

You may undress to your comfort level; Therapists are trained to drape you with a sheet or towel to maintain your privacy.

 Knots, also known as trigger points, are areas of hyperirritable muscle tissue that can cause pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion. They occur when there is a build-up of lactic acid and other metabolic waste products in the muscle, which can happen due to repetitive strain, poor posture, or trauma. When a muscle knot is triggered, it can cause a referred pain pattern in the surrounding area, which can be misleadingly attributed to a different location. Trigger point therapy, a form of manual therapy, helps to release these knots by applying pressure to the affected area to break up the adhesions and restore normal muscle function. By doing so, it can reduce pain and stiffness, improve range of motion, and alleviate symptoms associated with conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and tension headaches. 

If a new client mentions they had heard about us from you. You will get $20 off your next session. 

1. Colds and flus.  Clients experiencing cold and flu symptoms should be rescheduled because of the risk they pose of infecting others, rather than any risk to themselves—although any congestion they were experiencing would certainly be made worse from lying face down in the face cradle.
2. Liver failure. Massage is contraindicated for those in liver failure because “it increases the fluid returned to the blood from edema and/or ascites, which would further tax an already debilitated liver” (“Ascites” is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling.) In addition, there is potential for bruising in those with impaired livers because the liver combines many clotting factors.
3. Blood clots. Because massage increases the risk of a blood clot being released, deep tissue massage should not be done. However, a past history of blot clots does not preclude massage 
4. Diabetes. If diabetic neuropathy (i.e., loss of sensation) is present, massage is contraindicated because the client is unable to tell if the pressure is too deep. Hot stone massage is also contraindicated because the client wouldn’t be able to sense if the stones were burning him or her. For diabetic clients not experiencing numbness due to nerve damage who are receiving a massage, any area where insulin has recently been injected should be avoided because “massage may accelerate insulin uptake” 
5. Hemophilia or if blood-thinning medication is being taken. Hemophilia, a hereditary blood defect, “is marked by delayed clotting of the blood with prolonged or excessive internal or external bleeding after injury or surgery”. “Internal bleeding (in joints and muscles) can be caused by even a minor trauma to muscles and joints in people with severe and moderate hemophilia”. Clients who are taking blood thinners like Warfarin may also be more prone to internal bleeding, as well as bruising.
6. Severe osteoporosis. Osteoporosis generally affects older people, especially women, and is characterized by a loss of bone density and mass, making bones very porous and fragile. For this reason, clients with severe or even moderate osteoporosis may be experience broken bones as a result of massage, especially deep work.
7. Severe platelet deficiency. Thrombocytopenia “is a condition in which your blood has a lower-than-normal number of blood cell fragments called platelets”. While massage is not completely contraindicated for people with this condition, it is imperative that no deep tissue work or trigger point therapy, for instance, be used as this could cause bruising or even extensive leakage of blood, known as hematomas.
8. Intoxicated clients. Alcohol and recreational drugs impair a client’s ability to feel when a massage is too intense or too deep, increasing the possibility of being injured during a massage. In fact, it’s not a good idea to massage someone the day after they’ve been drinking a lot: a client who is hungover and dehydrated will likely feel even more dehydrated after a massage.
9. Autoimmune diseases. During inflammatory stages or acute flare-ups of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or lupus, massage should be avoided as the skin may be painful to the touch at such times.
10. Cellulitis. A bacterial skin infection, cellulitis appears as a hot, red, tender area. Even though the red patch may be discrete, because this condition is often accompanied by malaise and fever, whole body massage is contraindicated.
11. High-risk pregnancies. Because there are no scientifically agreed on guidelines for pregnancy massage, women who are at high risk of, for example, preeclampsia, miscarriage, or placental abruption should consult their doctors before receiving massage. And then massage should only be given by someone certified in pregnancy massage. Because of the risk, some therapists might require a liability waiver and written consent from the doctor before providing massage.
12. Meningitis. Meningitis, which affects the brain and spinal cord, is life-threatening to the client and may be contagious. Massage is therefore contraindicated when it is at an acute stage. During remission, however, massage can actually “lessen exacerbations, relax the client, decrease tone in rigid muscles, and prevent stiffness and contractures”.

• Cuts or open wounds
• Bruises
• Varicose veins
• Broken bones
• Burns
• Some skin conditions

Fever

Anytime you have a fever, whether from a cold, the flu or some other infection, you should not get a massage. Massage increases circulation that may in turn help the infection increase the severity of the fever and the infection.

Contagious Diseases

If you have a contagious disease you are putting your therapist and even your therapist’s other clients at risk of getting it. Please be considerate to your therapist and cancel your massage if you come down with a contagious condition.

Kidney Conditions or Liver Conditions

Massage can put increased strain on both the liver and kidney if they are not functioning normally. This occurs because massage increases blood flow, increasing the movement of waste through the body. If you are experiencing a health problem with either your kidney or liver it is likely that massage will not be appropriate for you. Talk to a health care professional to see if massage will aggravate any kidney or liver condition.

Inflammation

If you have inflammation of any kind massage to the area will further aggravate the situation.

Uncontrolled Hypertension

Massage increases blood flow. If you have high blood pressure that is not under control, the increased blood flow that is a result of massage therapy may cause problems.

If you have these massage contraindications and you want a massage you should let your therapist know about them. Hopefully the massage therapist can work around these areas. However, if they prove too severe massage may not be appropriate. In that case, the therapist reserves the right to refuse treatment to ensure maintenance of health standards.