Not All Pain is Pleasure: What to Do If Your Deep Tissue Massage Hurts
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a deep tissue massage? If you think of relaxation and tension release, then you’ve probably had some pretty good masseuses. However, if you think of pain and discomfort, then you fall into a large category of people who feel the same way.
What is a deep tissue massage?
As you might know, deep tissue massages are supposed to reduce the pain you already have through therapy that utilizes firm pressure to go into your muscles and release the tension in them that has built up over time. You can get a deep tissue massage to reduce the number of muscle pains you have, including in your back, neck, glutes, legs, etc.
It can even provide you with relief from more severe conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and pain from osteoarthritis, but what happens if you experience a lot of pain during your deep tissue massage?
Don’t Keep Quiet
The most important thing you can do for yourself if your deep tissue massage hurts is to say something about it! As humans, we tend to be afraid to speak up about what bothers us but keep in mind that you’re paying for this service and that your masseuse’s ultimate job is to make your body feel good, not in constant pain. Now, it must be said that there is indeed a level of pain that is supposed to occur during deep tissue massages.
Your masseuse is trying to bring back circulation to the areas of your body that are stiff and knotty through hand techniques that go deep into your muscles, so you might feel sore after your massage is finished, but it should go away within one to two days. If your body does indeed hurt and you’re in pain after your massage, then that probably means that your massage therapist needs to use different hand techniques to release the tension from the muscles.
For the first-timers
Don’t be afraid to talk about this. If you get a deep tissue massage for the first time, don’t just go along with whatever the masseuse does, be sure to pay attention to how your body is feeling so you can tell your masseuse to adjust the amount of pressure he or she is using. Your masseuse wants to meet your needs and listen to your concerns, so don’t keep quiet about them.
Another thing to note is that if you’ve never gotten regular massages before, then your muscles might tense up more in response to your therapist’s hands. This is normal, which is why you’ll probably feel some pain. To help your muscles relax and ease up over time, you need to get regular massages.
It isn’t enough to get one just once in a while, especially if you have chronic muscle pain from activity or lack thereof. Regularly massaging your body will help it learn to respond to your therapist’s hands more, giving you a better experience overall and making you more confident when you don’t like something about your massage.
A Deep Tissue Massage at Evolv Wellness
Here at Evolv Wellness, we would love to help you out with all your massage needs. We have a variety of massages, including a deep tissue one, which will nourish your tissues and relax you, especially if you get them often. All our massage therapists here are also ready to respond to any of your worries and pains, so stop by our office and schedule an appointment.