What to Expect During a Deep Tissue Massage
Please arrive ten minutes prior to the start of your session to complete an intake form, use the restroom, receive a consultation, and get on the table. Even after your first session, please arrive 10 minutes early. A consultation is required before every session so we can gain insight into how you feel and your treatment goals. Your session ends at its scheduled end time, so please provide yourself enough time to settle in, use the restroom, receive a consultation, and get on the massage table.
Typical Session Length and Structure
Deep tissue massages are typically scheduled in 60- and 90-minute increments. Our one-hour massage is 60 minutes, and our 90-minute session is 90 minutes. We include this detail because many other facilities slice five or ten minutes off your session to get on and off the table.
A portion of your ten-minute early arrival time is used to get you onto the treatment table. Meaning that if you arrive at your scheduled start time, the length of your session will be shorter. The time it takes you to get dressed and exit the room does not reduce your treatment time. We want you to receive your full time, so you can feel amazing and achieve the wellness of your dreams.
Communication with the Therapist
Communication is important in any massage, but it is especially valuable when firm pressure is being applied. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, at any time, let your therapist know. Our therapists are professionals who care deeply about their craft and your experience. You will not hurt their feelings if you ask them to adjust how they provide the massage.
What feedback should you provide to your therapist during a deep tissue massage?
Your therapist wants to know how you feel throughout the session. Let them know when it feels good or hurts so they may customize the session to your unique needs.
Post-session Care and Recommendations
- Give yourself some time to rest after your session to allow your body and mind to fully integrate the benefits of the massage.
- If you love the sensation of heat or cold, use an ice or hot pack to enhance your comfort.
- Enjoy a hot bath or sit in a hot tub to relax. Some people really enjoy soaking in an Epsom salt or magnesium bath.
Possible Sensations During and After a Massage
This service is known for its sustained firm pressure, but it is more than just pressing hard into your muscles. Your therapist will begin with light to medium pressure and gradually increase it until the pressure is satisfactory. Using a slow, gentle approach with pressure allows the therapist to prepare your central nervous system so your muscles do not tense or armor against their touch.
Five General Sensations of a Massage
During a massage, there are five general types of sensations you may feel. These are pleasure, meh, hurts-so-good, rewarding, and pain. Depending on the situation, the sensation of tickling may be any of these five sensations.
- Pleasure means the sensation feels good.
- Meh means the sensation is neither good nor bad; it is a nothing-burger type of feeling.
- Hurts-so-good is when a sensation is uncomfortable while simultaneously feeling good.
- Rewarding is when you feel something good happening, but you cannot articulate what or how, and it may be pleasurable, meh, or hurts-so-good.
- Pain is any sensation that doesn’t feel good. In massage, pressure should never exceed the threshold of pain; if it does, please alert your therapist so they can adjust their techniques and pressure accordingly.
Are there any risks or side effects associated with deep tissue massage?
After a massage session, it is common to feel invigorated, limber, and replenished. You may also feel tired and lethargic, like you are ready to take a nap. Many people experience soreness after a deep tissue massage, which typically subsides within a few days. If this is your first massage or you haven’t had one in a while, it is common to experience discomfort and soreness the day after your session. This discomfort will pass and often results in an elevated sense of well-being afterward.
Immediately after a massage, people often feel slightly disoriented for a minute or two; this is normal. The sensation is akin to how we feel after a restful night or after working out. Take a few moments to regain your awareness and coordination before getting dressed. We offer a nap-time add-on for clients who want to lie on the table for a little longer to absorb more of the session’s benefits.
Is there a risk of bruising in a deep tissue massage?
There is a possibility of bruising during a deep tissue massage, depending on your health conditions, medications, whether cupping is used, and whether you communicated with your therapist.
- Some health conditions, supplements, and prescription drugs may increase the risk of bruising.
- Cupping can cause bruising. While some therapists may claim the dark marks left behind after a cupping session are toxins leaving the body, they are actually bruises caused by the negative pressure of suction cups. These bruises are typically painless and fade within 7 to 10 days.
- In a deep tissue massage, communication is essential. The only way a therapist can know how you are feeling is if you tell them. Everyone has different pressure level tolerances; it is your responsibility to notify your therapist if the pressure becomes too much for you. If you don’t tell them when hurts-so-good becomes pain, it may result in bruising.
