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Your First Massage Appointment
by Andrea Munsell-Simpson
Before you make your first massage appointment, be sure to read up on the details. Check several websites, talk to potential therapists on the phone and be sure to ask friends and family for referrals before choosing a therapist. The therapeutic relationship with your massage therapist is an important one, so take your time and do your homework!
When you make your appointment, add approximately 30 extra minutes to your chosen session length (i.e. a 60 minute massage might take 90 minutes from the time you arrive until the time you leave.) You will only be charged for time ON the massage table. Make sure you schedule your appointment so that you don’t have to rush from place to place. Try to allow enough time to find a parking spot, get to the office and relax.
When you arrive, you will be offered a beverage of your choice while we review your health history; including any surgeries, medications and conditions you may have. We will then discuss the details about why you’re visiting us today. Now is a great time to ask any questions you may have regarding your session.
After this briefing, your therapist will leave the room and allow you to undress to your comfort level for your treatment. Lie on the table on top of the fitted sheet, and underneath the flat sheet and blanket – you may start face up with your head on the firm table, or lie face down with your face in the cradle (it looks sort of like a doughnut.) You will always be covered during your massage session with a twin sized sheet and twin sized blanket, and only one area will be undraped at a time. We maintain professional boundaries at all times, so rest assured that your modesty, warmth and comfort are very important to us. Please keep in mind that for leg and low back work, it is recommended that you have at most loose fitting shorts on. Our lotions and oils can stain certain clothing types, please bear this in mind when you are getting ready.
During your session, relaxing music and soundscapes will play to help calm your senses, the lights will be dimmed and your comfort will be checked throughout your massage. We do have a table warmer available if you get a chill on cool evenings or during the winter. If you become too warm, the blanket can be removed and we have refreshing cold stones available at no extra charge to help cool key areas of the body or to remove inflammation.
The pressure of your bodywork will also be evaluated throughout your massage, if you ever feel uncomfortable it’s important to bring this to the therapist’s attention. Massage therapy does not have to be painful to be effective, as a matter of fact, current studies are stating that the less pain you experience, the more effective your treatment can be. Certain bodywork techniques can be intense and your therapist will talk you through breathing or muscle easing exercises to help reduce the sensation of discomfort while we work with your body in different planes of movement. In rare cases, deep tissue massage is contraindicated and any concerns regarding a pressure request will be discussed before your session. If you have ever had too much pressure in previous massage sessions, too little pressure, or felt like your primary concerns were skipped over, please bring these concerns to our attention – WE CARE!
After your session, again, your therapist will wash their hands and leave the room to allow you to get dressed. Sit up on the table slowly, as you may feel lightheaded. Be sure to take your time standing up. If you need assistance sitting up, please notify the therapist before she leaves the room.
After your first massage (or your first massage in a long while) it is common to feel sore, as though you have worked out, especially after deep bodywork. This is normal, and part of your body’s healing process. Aftercare, when followed correctly and performing stretches as recommended will help to alleviate most of your post session aches, however, our primary goal is to have you feeling amazing and pain-free. Take care when scheduling your appointment to allow for adequate recovery time and it is paramount to avoid strenuous activity immediately after a massage session (up to 18 hours afterward.) Please do not receive bodywork immediately before: workout sessions, marathons/races, athletic meets and/or practices, and physically demanding activities such as moving furniture or appliances.
Always, if you have ANY questions regarding aftercare, further recommendations or to schedule another massage session – it would be my pleasure, just pick up the phone and dial! 810-287-2252
Take a moment to read Your First Massage. We hope that this can clear up any concerns you might have and help you understand more about what you can expect from your treatment with us.
Getting a massage is an awesome self care step, but isn’t something to take lightly. We highly recommend seeking referrals and testimonials from people you know and trust. Do your research, finding the right massage therapist for you is just as important as a good fitting pair of shoes. But don’t worry, there’s a therapist out there for you. We hope it’s with us, but if not, we will refer you to another trusted therapist or PT in the area. Your care is what’s most important to us.
For each massage at Balance Point Massage Therapy of Fenton (and really any reputable operators office) you only undress to your perfect comfort level. Some people don’t wear undergarments, some people prefer to leave shorts and undergarments on. Whatever your preference of dress is fine with us. Plus, we won’t be able to tell what you have on anyway. We drape (or keep covered) all clientele exactly the same regardless of gender. We can talk about any questions at the time of your intake session.
RESPECT MASSAGE POLICY-
Respect Massage Movement:
“We are a member of the respect massage movement, we aim to differentiate our massage therapy practice as professional, therapeutic, educated, licensed and credentialed.”
We like to think we’re pretty alright at giving awesome therapeutic massage, but we are really only as good as our clients think we are, and we stand by that. And for that reason, we post every review that we have ever received from our clients to our website, transparency is important, and if we can improve, we want to know about it!
At Balance Point Massage Therapy of Fenton, staying up to date on education, scientific studies and the latest massage therapy research is our complete foundation. This approach helps us custom tailor each of your massage sessions to suit exactly what you need.
We go above and beyond on client education as well. We try to make our clients an active participant in the massage therapy process that you receive, because without changing our current path, things will always be the same. As my father always told me, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” And so, educating you on how your body works, giving you knowledge to maintain your progress at home, or referring you to relevant medical professionals to achieve your goals helps us to do our part to maintain you, whether with a yearly treatment plan, or if we are a stepping stone on your journey to wellness.
It is common to want to receive bodywork because we have injured ourselves, however, here are a few reasons NOT to receive massage therapy.
- You have been injured in a car accident and have not been evaluated by a physician
- Due to the complex nature of forces and possible injuries in a motor vehicle accident, including subsequent swelling, it is difficult to treat pain associated with soft tissue injuries from an MVA within 2-5 days. We highly recommend waiting at least 5 days and seeking a medical evaluation (and clearance from a physician) prior to seeking massage therapy treatments.
- You have recently had a fall and have not been evaluated by a physician.
- For many of the same reasons listed above, major trauma sometimes doesn’t reveal itself until 2-5 days have elapsed. There also may be associated swelling with impact injuries that we cannot treat until the appropriate time has elapsed.
- You are experiencing, sudden, intense and non-subsiding pain and have not been evaluated by a physician.
- Pain is an output of the brain, and can be in response to many things, if you are in extreme duress, please call your physician immediately.
- Workout related injuries
- Any movement activity (or lack thereof) can lead to neurological guarding. These types of pains CAN be treated by a massage therapist, but will require a screening procedure before we recommend scheduling treatment. Contact us directly to begin this process. However, any popping, snapping, clicking or issues with lifting only 10+ lbs may be a sign of soft tissue injury. It’s important to see a physician for any condition of injury in these cases.
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