The more your massage therapist knows about you, the better your massage experience will be. So keep the lines of communication open, especially to talk about:
1) Allergies. It’s obvious, really, but please tell your massage therapist before treatment if you have sensitive skin or certain allergies, or oils or lotions disagree with you and make your skin come out in a rash. We use grapeseed carrier oil (the base for our aromatherapy oils), so if needed we can use pure grapeseed and avoid using any essential oils. Thai Traditional massage can be done using no oil, with clients wearing cotton pyjamas, so if you have particularly sensitive skin that may be an option
2) Any injuries, old or recent. Massage can help recovery after injury, but rarely straight away. Seek medical advice first, rest well, talk to your GP about massage to relieve pain, and let your massage therapist know about the injury and why you are looking for massage treatment. If it’s an old injury, it can still be important to know about. Massage has been shown to reduce lower and upper-back pain, neck pain and headache, and to be effective for chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis. When combined with aromatherapy, the pain-relieving effects of massage can be even more profound and long-lasting.
3) Worries. If you’re embarrassed or worried about something, please just speak up! You can ask when you arrive, or ask your therapist, or just call ahead.
4) Pain during treatment. A good therapist knows exactly how much pressure to apply, without causing their client real discomfort. If you feel any uncomfortable pain, you should say so immediately. Of course, if you’re not used to regular massage, it can be more uncomfortable as your muscles are full of tension, so give it more than one visit.
5) Pregnancy. You must tell your therapist if you’re pregnant as certain areas need to be avoided. Your safety is the most important thing, so please make sure to discuss massage with your GP if you are pregnant. Most pregnant clients are happy with a head, neck and shoulder massage to relieve stress and tension, and this is invariably fine if you are pregnant, and can be done in a sitting up position
6) In the massage treatment room. If you are too warm or too cold, let us know! If the music is annoying you, let us know (but who doesn’t love Thai pan pipes?!). If the oil is too cold, let us know! (It shouldn’t be as every room is equipped with an oil warmer)
Sharing is caring as they say, so please talk to your therapist and if you visit us is London be sure to get the most out of your massage.