Stress basics (8)
- Stress assessment
- Stress symptoms: Effects on your body, feelings and behavior
- Stress: Win control over the stress in your life
- see all in Stress basics
Stress relief (19)
- Social support: Tap this tool to reduce stress
- Stress relief from laughter? Yes, no joke
- Spirituality and stress relief: Make the connection
- see all in Stress relief
Relaxation techniques (7)
- Relaxation techniques: Learn ways to reduce your stress
- Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are
- Tai chi: Discover the many possible health benefits
- see all in Relaxation techniques
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
continued:
Massage: A relaxing method to relieve stress and pain
Risks of massage
Massage is generally safe as long as it's done by a trained therapist. But massage isn't for everyone. And for some people it can even be dangerous. Discuss massage with your doctor before making an appointment if you have:
- Burns or open wounds on the area to be massaged
- Had a recent heart attack
- Cancer — you'll want to avoid direct pressure on the tumor area
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Unhealed fractures
- Rheumatoid arthritis in the area to be massaged
- Severe osteoporosis
In addition, talk to your doctor before getting a massage if you're pregnant.
Massage done properly rarely leads to severe injuries. Ask your massage therapist about his or her training and qualifications — some states require licensing. And if any part of your massage doesn't feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage. In rare circumstances, massage can cause:
- Internal bleeding
- Nerve damage
- Temporary paralysis
Talk to your doctor and your massage therapist if you have any concerns about your risk of injury. Asking questions can help you feel more at ease.
What you can expect during a massage
No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage. When you go for a massage, you can expect to:
- Answer a few questions. Your massage therapist will ask what you want from your massage. Are you looking for help with a pulled muscle? Massage therapists will also want to know about any medical conditions you may have, so they can decide if massage is safe for you or how to make it safer.
- Disrobe. You'll be asked to remove your clothes, or at least most of them. Your massage therapist should give you privacy while you take your clothes off and provide a robe or a towel to cover yourself. A good massage therapist will protect your modesty and keep you covered as much as possible throughout the massage. If taking your clothes off doesn't sound relaxing or if you're pressed for time, try a chair massage. These massages are conducted while you sit in a special chair that slopes forward so the therapist can massage your back. You keep your clothes on for this massage — it's often done in the open, rather than in a private room.
- Be asked to lie down. Most massages will require you to lie on a padded table. Pillows or bolsters might be used to position you during the massage. This allows you to relax completely during the massage. Music usually plays softly while you're massaged.
- Have oils and lotions used on your skin. Some massage therapists use oils or lotions to reduce friction while massaging your body. If you're allergic to any ingredients commonly found in body oils and lotions, tell your massage therapist. He or she might have products without that ingredient. You may opt not to use oils and lotions.
- Never feel significant pain. Pain that's more significant than momentary discomfort could indicate that something is wrong. If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, tell him or her to lighten the pressure. Your massage therapist should receive feedback from you to determine how best to massage you. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It's likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, speak up.
- Spend about an hour. Most table massages take about an hour, though some can be up to 90 minutes long. It's your preference.
A health care tool
For many conditions and injuries, massage may be a means to help you feel more relaxed and less anxious and to reduce pain. It's one of several useful tools for managing your health, but it doesn't take the place of standard medical treatment and exercise.
Previous page(2 of 2)
