How to Find the Perfect Massage Near You
- Gabriela Borges
- Nov 3, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: May 5, 2023
Introduction:
A massage can be one of the best things you can do for your body, mind, and spirit. It also has a number of health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, relieving chronic pain and stiffness in your muscles, and improving blood circulation.
What makes a great massage? It’s all about finding the right fit for you. You want to find someone who is knowledgeable about what they are doing. You want to find someone who is professional and courteous. And you want to find someone who is comfortable with you - from making small talk to giving a full-body massage.
This article will give you ideas on finding the perfect massage.
Determine your needs and goals
To find the perfect massage for you, the first thing to do is to ask yourself about your goals.
The most common reasons that bring people to have a massage are:
Enhance health and wellbeing
Manage chronic pain and conditions
Reduce stress
Reduce muscle tightness
Improve fitness performance
Once you identify your reasons, you can determine what skills you are looking for in a massage therapist.
Shop around and ask for referrals
A great source for referrals is your primary healthcare provider or a medical specialist. They may have a list of massage therapists that have specialized training and experience in techniques that are effective in treating your condition or complaint.
Many people are most comfortable getting a personal referral from a friend. Your friend can let you know how the massage therapist has helped them and answer questions about what to expect.
Be picky
Be politely demanding. Ask for what you want and see whether the therapist will listen. A good therapist will check how you are feeling several times throughout the session as soon as they change techniques and pressure in a particular area but don’t be afraid to let them know what doesn’t feel good. If your therapist doesn’t seem to hear you, or is dismissive, never go back. This is the single most efficient way of eliminating therapists who aren’t worth paying.
Evaluate results
You may of course need a number of sessions to manage a particular condition and probably keep up with your maintenance sessions but be aware of excessively poor results, like feeling too sore and sick after a strong massage. If you are focused on a specific therapeutic goal (e.g. “relief from back pain”) continue therapy only if you see some signs of progress within 3-5 appointments in most cases.
My personal opinion – Look for therapists who offer Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release and Soft Tissue Release techniques! These are techniques offered by remedial and sports massage therapists who understand body biomechanics and are more likely to help you with a specific problem/condition.
____
keywords: massage near me, massage near me now, massage therapy, trigger point therapy, remedial massage, sports massage
Great read!