How often should you get a massage?

How Often Should You Get a Massage?

Hippocrates, the father of Medicine said... 

“The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage everyday”

A professor  in the School of Public Health in the University of Illinois, Chicago and a co-founder and chief scientist at Lapetus Solutions, Inc S. Jay Olshansky emphasized this...

"Find a way to get a full body massage everyday" 

And Ana Ivanovic, a retired Serbian professional tennis player has this to say... 

"I get massages almost daily. Sometimes I fall asleep during the massage but it's very important to get deep tissue massages because that type recovers muscles best" 

So how often? 

Everyday!.... wouldn't it be great? :) 

Well, that would be nice but maybe it wouldn't be so practical.

This is one of the most common questions clients ask about massage therapy.

Usually my answer would be that "it will all be dependent on what the client needs".

If the client is having so much muscle tensions that cause pain and affects him or her to perform the activities of daily living then maybe getting a massage every week will be beneficial.

Feel N Heal Massage offers a variety of massage services but specializes more on deep tissue massages because these types works best on tight muscles or muscle "knots" which most often that not is painful and bothersome and usually affects the ability to function well in our everyday lives.

When we have so much stress and pain, our productivity lessens and our energy is at its lowest and performance in business, work or just about everything we do in our everyday life is affected.

One of the most successful writers and a leadership expert Robin S. Sharma said this.... 

"I take massage each week, this isn't an indulgence, it's an investment in your full creative, productivity, passion and sustained good health" 

Have you ever tried to get a massage? If you haven't yet, you might want to try it and find a massage therapist in your neighborhood and feel for yourself how it can change the way you feel.

Again, how often should you get a massage?

It really all depends on WHY you get massages. Do you get massages for health benefits? 

Or just to help you relax and handle the stress of everyday life?

Most likely it’s a combination of both so let’s look at some of the most common reasons to get regular massages:

Relaxation & Stress Relief

One of the very best reasons to get a massage is for relaxation. Relaxation massage helps to support your body, including blood circulation and flexibility of joints. 

Regular massage can help prevent pain, muscle tension, and stress points from building up and causing problems.

Why wait until you have a problem to get a massage?

Dr. Jeremy Hammond, a chiropractor said.... 

"The best way to fix a problem is to fix it before it's a problem". 

Massage is perfect for preventing issues with your tissues. Relaxation massage is usually recommended at least once or twice per month, or as often as you want. 

There may be times in your life where you experience higher levels of stress and more muscle tension than normal. It is especially important to practice good self-care during these times.

When we “don’t have time” for a massage, is usually when we need one the most. Make yourself a priority even during stressful times, your health is worth it.

Just like what Nargis Fahkri an American actress and model said ... 

"In this hectic life, we have no time to take care of ourselves, hence massage is needed for rejuvenation and stress reduction. A lot of people are looking for quick fixes, like they are taking medications and they are doing other things which are not healthy. But massage is very holistic and natural" 

Most of us are always busy. We have many priorities in life that we want to accomplish but sometimes we neglect to acknowledge that we are also a priority more than anybody else.

If we don't take care of ourselves we will not able to function at our best and the ability to do whatever we want to do or accomplish in life will be affected.

Some of the common reasons of clients are that they are just too busy to make an appointment and they didn't have time for that.

But this is what I would say.... 

"Make time for yourself, you are also a priority aside from the many priorities in your life. Fall in love with taking care of yourself because you deserve it and you are worth it." 

If you are in a high-stress job or you work in an environment where you stay in a certain position for a long period of time (at a computer for example), you may begin to develop tight or “knotted” muscles.

This will frequently occur in your neck, shoulders, arms, and back.

All of this increased muscle tension, will make movement harder which affects your flexibility and can cause a great deal of pain. Regular massage can help to keep you loosened up and will help to prevent pain and stiffness.

Living with high levels of stress for a prolonged period of time increases the risk of contracting heart disease and other diseases. It has been estimated that 75 – 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems.

The good news is, massage can help.  Feel N Heal Massage can help!

Does your work limit your body movement that at the end of the day, you are feeling tight and stiff?

Does it affect how you feel (mood) and how you function at what you do?  Does it even affect your sleep as well?

If your answer is yes to those questions. Try to get a massage and see how it can help you.

Here's what the American actress Noureen Dewulf said.....

"One of my personal indulgences is getting a weekly massage, it helps to realign my body. I usually feel so much less tense after I've gotten rid of some knots in my shoulders and back".  

Just knowing your massage is coming up in a few days can help to relieve stress, and a massage every 2-4 weeks will help with stress related tension.

Sports Recovery

Are you a weekend warrior or do you just like to stay in shape?

Either way, massage can help with sports performance and recovery.

Many athletes and physically active people receive sports massage because it enhances their performance, prevents injury, and speeds up their muscles' recovery. Competitive sports can put a lot of stress on a person's muscles. 

Research conducted at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging at McMaster University in Ontario shows that massage reduces inflammation and stimulates the growth of new mitochondria, the energy-producing units in the cells, after strenuous exercise.

This means that massage can help in relaxing, relieve stress and pain and help with muscle recovery too.

For these benefits it is recommended that you get a massage up to three times a week or at least three to four times a month.

Here's what Robert Cheeke, an American body builder, motivational speaker and author said.... 

"After a grueling leg workout, nothing feels better than a slow deep massage on your quads". 

Feel N Heal Massage specializes in deep tissue massages. 

Chronic Health Conditions

People with ongoing health issues often find massage very helpful to alleviate symptoms. Chronic health problems that greatly benefit from massage therapy include back pain, joint pain, and localized inflammation.

If you get therapy for specific issues, the frequency of getting massage therapy varies with the type of condition you have and how severe it is.

Dr. Tiffany Field, the director of Touch Research Institute in University of Miami has this to say... 

"Just adding massage makes such an incredible difference. In everything we've done, massage is significantly effective. There's not a single condition we've looked at including cancer that hasn't responded positively to massage. 

In addition she also said.... 

"If people say massage really works because it makes you feel good... excuse me.. massage works because it changes your whole physiology" 

Relief from pain can usually be achieved with 2-4 massage sessions per month. Your massage therapist will work with you to help you get on the best schedule for your body.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women can greatly benefit from massage therapy! Prenatal massage is popular among expectant mothers who often experience a lot of aches and pains as their pregnancy progresses. Many women suffer from back pain, hip & sciatic pain, headaches, and tired legs & feet.

But you don’t have to, a certified massage therapist can help to relieve those discomforts. Going to your massage therapist once or twice a month can help with the symptoms caused by pregnancy and it can even help you sleep better.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor and your massage therapist to ensure that you don’t have any pregnancy related conditions that would contraindicate massage therapy for you.

Most women experiencing a healthy pregnancy can and should enjoy regular massage sessions.

These are only a few of the reasons why you should get a massage and how often?.... it really depends on you, your need and why you want to get a massage. But one thing is sure...

MASSAGE works and MASSAGE can help... YOU! 

Two of my regular clients  here in Bruges said the following .... 

"Ik probeer om de veertien dagen naar Arline te gaan. Haar massages doen mij herleven. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat deze massage mij proactief behoeden voor kwalen en pijnen. Ik zou Arline aan iedereen aanraden, de investering waard" - Jan, regular client

"Arline is top. Verruit de beste massages die ik ooit gehad heb. Ik kom altijd volkomen ontspannen terug. Arline weet heel goed wat ze doet en is ongelooflijk lief en vrolijk. Ik dent dat het onmogelijk is om uit Feel N Heal te vertrekken en slechtgezind of gespannen te zijn. Keep up the good work en tot binnenkort." - Tamara, regular client

I am a nurse massage practitioner and the owner of Feel N Heal Massage and will be reopening very soon.  If you are living in Torhout and neighboring cities or if you are a tourist visiting Torhout or Bruges which is just 20 minutes away and wants to relax and get a therapeutic massage you are most welcome to visit me and try some of our best massage services.

I love to give a total relaxation and healing massage where I get to give a skillful body work to my client paying extra attention to body parts that need to be worked on a little bit more for example a tight neck, shoulders and back.  

You can make an appointment via my website @ www.feelnhealmassage.be or you can call me at  +32487757468. Please leave a message if I am not able to pick up and I will get back to you as soon as I can. 

You can also check my Facebook page and if you haven't yet please like & follow (thanks in advance) @ www.facebook.com/feelnhealmassage. 

In the meantime, have a great day! Relax, Breath and Smile... :) always! 

See you soon!

Arline :)

Quote of the day :

"Health is the greatest of human blessings." - Hippocrates