Health history
Generally, first appointments begin with an intake process, starting with a health history. A health history will ask about:
- Medical conditions
- Areas of concern
- Your level of pain or discomfort on good and bad days
- What helps reduce the pain and what makes it worse
- Contact information
You will also be asked to sign forms that explain your right to privacy, Consent and Disclosure.
Interview
The therapist will review your health history and ask questions. Because physical treatments and massage can affect multiple body systems, such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems, be honest about your health during the interview.
You should also let your therapist know about any pharmaceutical drugs or botanical medicines you are taking, because massage can enhance or reduce the effect of pharmaceutical drugs, such as blood pressure medication. Knowing your history allows a therapist to determine if there are any reasons you should avoid a particular technique or an exercise.
Our therapist will ask you questions to better design a session that meets your needs and goals within the time allotted. Let us know what areas of your body you would like worked on, if there are any areas to avoid, and if you have any techniques that you would like to use or avoid.
If you are concerned about undressing, discuss it with the therapist, who should be able to offer you some options. Don’t be afraid to discuss any apprehensions or concerns. All information you give is confidential.
The therapist will outline what will happen in the session and then leave the room so you can change or undress to your comfort level depending on the type of treatment.
When you are ready, lie down on the massage table and cover yourself with the body towel left for you on the table. The therapist will knock before re-entering.
After the treatment
At the end of the massage, the therapist will leave the room so you can dress in private. Wait a few minutes on the table as you get grounded, especially if you feel light-headed. Then take your time getting ready.
It is a good idea to drink some water to help the body flush waste products.
If possible, allow some quiet time after the massage and don’t go back to work or other responsibilities immediately.
How you feel after the treatment will vary based on the type of therapy or style of massage used, and the demands you place on your body afterward. Feelings range from being relaxed, renewed and centered, to invigorated, excited or experiencing a rush of clarity or new energy and insight, to recognizing your true level of fatigue (particularly if you can be “off duty” for the rest of the day) and wanting only to rest.
Clinical types of massage may leave the body free from chronic tightness or acute pain patterns, but may replace it with a mild soreness from the pressure applied. After this type of massage, you may want to rest the area before jumping back into the activity that produced the soreness.
Realize that the benefits of massage tend to be cumulative, so typically, you will feel better as you get additional massages.