Question:
I've been getting a weekly (usually) back, neck, and shoulder massage for
several years now. Lately, I've been noticing that my muscles ache all over
the day after the massage, and sometimes for a few days after. Often I get
a migraine, too. It may be worse when I've missed my massage for a few
weeks, but I'm not sure. I've been using the same massage therapist the
entire time.
Is it possible that massage is making my muscle tension worse, rather than
better? Does anyone know anything about something like this, what might
cause it, how it might be avoided?
Answer:
-A primary function of massage is to facilitate the removal
of metabolic waste products. Generally by the urinary system.
First question I would ask is whether you are coming into
the massage well hydrated.
Take your weight in pounds, take half of that number, and
let that be the number of ounces of water you take in each day.
Easy enough. 160 pounds, half that is 80, and 80 ounces is about
2 ½ quarts of water. As an example.
Two days before your scheduled massage, try to make sure you
are indeed consuming the fluids, without caffeinated beverages
which have a diuretic effect.
Same routine after the massage for the next couple of days.
These are winter days when folks often forget about being well hydrated.
And along with those fluids, be sure to salt your food. Preferably with
true sea salt.
So I suspect that I have responded to a pre-massage expectations question
on behalf of your therapist.
-A lot of people try to keep from drinking fluids before a massage
so they are not distracted by a full bladder. So I suggest that on the
two days before your appointment you assure excellent hydration,
then on the morning of it you approximate your urine loss and just
replace it, then after the massage you resume.
-It's not an hour, it's a half hour. I've been doing this for the past three
or four years. The stiffness and soreness are new. I will, however, talk
to my massage therapist about the idea of the soreness possibly having
sources in different muscles, and see what she thinks.
-Besides looking at diet;
Every Massage Therapist have or will develop their own "style" or "type" of
technique. I would suggest to try different Massage Therapists. Believe me,
with my 18 years experience I know for a fact that some clients may react
adversely to certain Massage Therapist's touch. When you are looking for
some specific results to meet your needs, it pays to shop around.
