By Wanda Marie Thibodeaux
Today’s hectic environment is a breeding ground for all kinds of physical, cognitive and emotional stress. Massage with a qualified professional in Minneapolis, MN, however, fortunately can put the brakes on anxiety, pain and similar problems. The caveat is that you absolutely must communicate well with the massage therapist you choose to stay safe and get the best results.
Your Goals
If your therapist understands what you want to achieve–for example, physical relaxation instead of mental focus or pain management–they can recommend specific types of massage, such as Shiatsu, chair or deep tissue massage, that are most in line with your objectives. Additionally, getting feedback through your session(s) allows your therapist to figure out if you reaching physical or emotional milestones, which can make a difference in whether you continue with more sessions or what those sessions include.
Your Personal Preferences
Don’t like the idea of being naked under little more than a towel? Oils not your thing? Does a light touch drive you bonkers? Communicating all these preferences ensures that you have a comfortable, enjoyable session, regardless of the goals of that session might be. Knowing your therapist has respected your preferences also helps you feel safe and respected, which can help you relax all by itself.
Safety
In many cases, chatting with your massage therapist before and during a session is essential to decreasing the risk of injury or a medical emergency. For instance, if you’re a diabetic, you should mention your condition to your therapist because diabetes can result in vascular dysfunction, which makes tissues more fragile and prone to damage and bruising under higher pressures. In the same way, only you can feel the discomfort of a stone that’s too hot, too much pressure on a tender trigger point or a muscle stretched just a touch too far.
Diagnostics
The body is ridiculously complex, meaning that problems in one area of the body can cause referred pain or other symptoms in another spot. Good communication with your massage therapist thus allows them to better determine where the real source of your discomfort might be so they can focus on those points and be more effective. Based on where you are having symptoms and how severe they are, your therapist also might determine it’s appropriate for you to check in with your doctor or a different specialist.
Conclusion
Good massage therapists are very in tune to their patients’ bodies and, therefore, can make some judgements about what to do during a session with very little verbal feedback. Even so, they can do more for you if you communicate with them well at all points of your treatment. For your enjoyment and wellbeing, don’t be shy–say exactly what you need and your therapist will do their best to help!