For The Ultimate Comfort, Make These Requests During Your Massage
When you attend a health-related appointment, you might find yourself uncomfortable and hoping for a certain element to be over soon. For example, at the dentist, your jaw may get fatigued, prompting you to wish that you could close your mouth. Unfortunately, you'll often just have to endure the discomfort. When you attend a massage therapy appointment, however, the whole goal is comfort — and if you're physically uncomfortable in any way, you won't get the most out of the session. Two-way communication between the client and the therapist is integral, so don't be afraid to make these requests at any point in the treatment.
You'd Like To Change Positions
During a full-body massage, you'll often spend about half of the session lying on your front and half lying on your back. For some people, this amount of time spent in one position may be uncomfortable. You shouldn't simply hope that the therapist will soon have you change positions; if you're doing this, you're not relaxing as deeply as you should. Instead, simply explain what you're dealing with and ask if you can switch to a new position.
You'd Like To Be Warmer Or Cooler
Your temperature can also influence the degree to which you're able to relax during your massage. If the room is a little too hot or too cold for your liking, you may find that you're focusing on the temperature instead of allowing yourself to relax and enjoy the massage. In this scenario, you simply need to speak up — explain that you're a little cool or a little warm, and the therapist will quickly take steps to rectify the issue. He or she may put an extra blanket over you or turn up the air conditioning in the room, for example.
You'd Like A Change In Pressure
Your massage therapist can have a sense of how your muscles feel based on how tight they are, but he or she relies on you to provide feedback throughout the treatment. Occasionally, you'll want the therapist to use a different type of pressure on you. For example, if the pressure is so deep that it's bordering on being uncomfortable, you'll want lighter pressure; if the pressure is light enough that it feels a little tickly, deeper pressure will be better. It's not a criticism to ask your massage therapist to change his or her pressure. Over time, the therapist will get to know the perfect pressure for your body, so you may only have to offer this request a few times.
For more information on massage therapy, contact a chiropractor like Haring Marc DC.