Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get a Massage?

Any time is a good time to get a massage. You don't need to wait until you're stressed or injured. Massage works wonders as Preventive Care for a person's body and mind. A regular massage at least once a month is a wonderful way to cope with stress, both physical and emotional, and to keep if from causing discomfort or harm to your body.

When should I not get a Massage?

There are several contraindications for receiving a massage. If you have any of the following conditions, you should not get a massage:

• Fever
• Any type of infectious disease
• Systemic infections
• Severe cold
• Fracture, bleeding, burns or other acute injury
• Liver and kidney diseases
• Blood clot
• Pregnancy-induced diabetes, toxemia, preeclampsia/eclampsia
• High blood pressure (unless under control with medication)
• Heart disease
• Cancer 
• Open skin lesions or sores (therapist may work around them if localized)

The guidelines here are pretty straightforward. You don't want the massage to make an underlying medical condition worse, and you don't want to pass anything contagious to the Massage Therapist. If you're unsure about whether a minor condition should prohibit you from getting a massage, call your therapist before your appointment. If you have a chronic medical condition, check with your doctor before proceeding on a course of Massage Therapy.

What if I'm overweight or insecure about my body?

Massage Therapists are Health Care Professionals who have found Massage to be a wonderful gift to give to men and women alike, regardless of age and weight, and are proud of what they can offer to people in need of help. Don't let this stop you. You're denying yourself to improving your health through Massage.

What parts of my body will be Massaged?

Your Massage Therapist is a professional and is trained in Massage Therapy and under the Laws of the State of Missouri. Men, there will be no genital or private area work. Women, there will be no work in the private area or the chest area. Therapists will follow State Regulations to not work on those areas and you must respect that. At any time  if you feel  uncomfortable with any of the Massage Therapist work please let them know.

Do I have to be completely undressed?

You should undress to your comfort level. I suggest to my clients that they be completely undressed under the drape, but if they would like to leave on the boxers or panties that i can work around them.

Do I have to use a towel or sheet as a drape?

The Client will be draped (covered) at all times. The key to all facets of Massage is relaxation, and if the client or the therapist is uncomfortable, the benefits of the massage will be lost. When working on the back area the drape will be moved down to expose the back while the Therapist is working in this area then returned to cover the back area. Each leg and arm are also worked on in this fashion. Men and women; your front area from your neck down to your private area will be covered at all times. No exceptions.

Can I talk during a Massage?

The key to a massage is relaxation and allowing yourself to enjoy the experience. Many clients talk in the initial stages of a massage, and as the massage progresses, they slip farther into a state of total relaxation and become quiet. There are times when you should speak up during a massage. If anything makes you uncomfortable, bring it to the therapist's attention. If you're too cold or too hot, the room is too bright and hard on your eyes, or if you prefer the strokes to be deeper or lighter, mention it to the therapist.

Will a Massage hurt?

That depends on the type of massage and the depth of the strokes. A light massage that doesn't probe very deep into muscles shouldn't hurt. At the same time, the light massage won't be able to work out any stress that's deep within those muscles. A muscle that is relaxed will be supple and soft and won't hurt when rubbed. Muscles that are tight, and in many cases have been chronically tight for a long time, may have that "good hurt" feeling with a deeper massage. A sharp pain may indicate a muscle that has been injured and has some sort of inflammation. In this case, you don't want the deep work to continue in this area. A deep massage with tight muscles may leave some residual soreness the next day. So make your preference known to the therapist, and give feedback at any time during a massage that the depth of the strokes is more than you'd like.

How often should I receive a Massage?

The answer here depends on the reasons for receiving the massage. If a client comes for some injury relief, and to relieve chronic tightness that is interfering with their daily lives in some way, weekly sessions may be necessary for a while to build on each session's improvement in their relief and healing. For most people, the frequency of the massages they receive is limited by their pocketbook. Make it a lifestyle change and incorporate a regular session into your budget. For those who use Massage as preventive care and managing the daily stress in their lives, once a month is about the norm. They may shorten the time between massages during stressful periods. Some come more often just because they enjoy it that much.

What does a Massage Therapist's License or Certification mean?

A license means that a Massage Therapist has met the requirements and paid the fee to legally practice massage in that state. In the State of Missouri you have to have 500 hours of training at an accredited or accepted school or training center. There is also a written National Certification test that a Massage Therapist has to pass in order to practice in the State of Missouri. If you make an appointment with a person calling themselves a Massage Therapist that is not Licensed you are at risk of doing something that is illegal.

What types of Massage do you do?

Swedish Massage- Swedish Massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are  effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness,, and improving function in patients with Osteoarthritis.  It has also been shown to be helpful in individuals with poor circulation^. This type of therapy is good for dealing with issues of chronic pain. It can be used to break up adhesions deep in the muscle tissue and fascia. If you're experiencing back, neck or any other commonly experienced muscle pain this type of therapy can help you.

Deep Tissue Massage- Deep tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity (such as athletes), and patients who have sustained physical injury. Deep tissue work varies greatly. Deep tissue massage is applied to both the superficial and deep layers of muscles, fascia, and other structures. The sessions are often quite intense as a result of the deliberate, focused work.. Deep tissue massage therapy is one of the most popular types of massage.

Sports Massage- Each type of sport has different demands on the players. Each sport uses muscle groups in a different way. Sports Massage is designed to address those specific concerns and may differ according to the sport the athlete plays. The main purpose of Sports Massage therapy is to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity. The massage will help prepare the athlete for peak performance, to drain away fatigue, to relieve swelling, to reduce muscle tension, to promote flexibility and to prevent injuries whether a person is an athlete or a once a week jogger.

Prenatal Massage- Prenatal Massage shares many of the goals of regular massage ­– to relax tense muscles, ease sore spots, improve circulation and mobility, and just make you feel good. But it's also tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women and their changing bodies, and therapists who are trained in prenatal massage adjust their techniques accordingly.

Does the gender of the massage therapist make a difference?

The short answer is no. In general, nothing about a therapist's gender will give you a clue about the style or quality of the massage they give. In reality, many people are nervous about receiving a massage from one gender or the other. It is all about preference and being comfortable.