How often should I get a massage?
We all know how perfect it is to get a massage after a long week or a long day. That amazing stress relief feeling can get addictive. But have you ever wondered if you’re getting too many messages? When you’re getting a medical massage, your doctor determines how often do you need a massage and you don’t have to worry about it. But what about massages that are just you treating yourself and enjoying the relaxation?
Those questions may also appear when you do a home massage with someone or to yourself. When is enough? There is no exact number since it depends on the type of massage and your body condition. If you have a lot of stress built up in your muscles, you will be recommended more massages than if you’re just going for some relaxation. Also, if you’re getting a medical massage for your injury, the frequency of the massage will depend on the degree of the injury and set goals.
Types of massages
Here we are gonna go over basic types of massages to help you choose the one that mostly seems fitting for you.
Lymphatic drainage massage
After surgery, you may develop fluid build-up in your lymph nodes. This can also be affected by some medical conditions. This is treated with a lymphatic drainage massage that releases fluid from lymph nodes. It will start a fluid flow and drain lymph nodes. Recommended frequency for this massage if daily for the severe cases that just started massages and later 2-3 a week can be enough.
This must be performed by a massage professional and the only way for you to do it is if the professional trained you to do some techniques by yourself.
Deep tissue massage
To treat injured muscles this massage reaches deeper layers of muscle by using slow and forceful strokes. It also gets to the connective tissue treating is as well.
You should consult your massage therapist to determine how often should you get this pain relief massage. It can be ok to get it daily, several times a week, or a few times a month. It will depend on your health condition and pain levels in your muscle.
Scalp massage
This massage offers a special kind of relaxation and it can lower blood pressure in some cases.
Scalp massage can help you calm down in disturbing situations and lower your heart rate. There are studies that confirm the benefits of scalp massage. It is also proven that it can spar hair growth in some cases that don’t include boldness and other severe hair issues.
Full-body massage
Also known as “Swedish massage”, full-body massage is mostly oriented towards relaxation. It can be done as many times as you want, but recommended is once a week or every few weeks to relieve you from the daily stress that builds up in your body.
Massage chair
Massage chairs are a great way to get your relaxation massage quickly and as often as you like. You can purchase one for your home or find it in bigger shopping malls. Some massage centers also offer this service. If you have it at home the biggest benefit is that you can get your massage at any time. Just 20 minutes can do a miracle when it comes to pain relief and relaxation of your muscles.
If you’re not sure how to choose a massage chair, here’s a list of massage chairs for total relaxation.
Prevention
Regular weekly massages can prevent many health issues like muscle tension, high blood pressure, pain, or injuries. Massages can be particularly useful for people who do sports and have constant muscle work. Preparation for athletic or sports events requires pre-event and post-event massages to ensure that muscles are healed and functioning on their maximum capacity. It takes up to 48 hours for your muscles to rebalance after a deep massage so there should be at least 2 days between sessions. Massage can also reduce cortisol levels in your system and prevent stress-related illness. Stress can mess up all the healthy food you eat and the time you put into exercise. Investing in prevention is certainly more pleasant than investing in solving a problem.
When do you need a massage?
We all live in very stressful times and we crave stress relief. Our bodies are handling all of the stress on their own, but we should help it and optimize our health. Sometimes you don’t even have to be in pain to get a massage, it can be used for relaxation and your emotional well-being.
Massage can be useful for back pain, back pain, sparkle circulation, and relieve you of daily stress. It is needless to say how many benefits regular massages have on our mental health as well. The back and neck are the most common parts of the body to store stress since they are holding big weights and most tension goes there. You can get 2-3 massages per week until your pain goes away and then go for less frequent massages or reduce the duration time of the massage.
Massages during pregnancy can help a lot with stress management, leg, and back pain, and with the labor itself. Adjust it to your needs and make pregnancy more comfortable and stress-free.
Conclusion
If you are still not sure how often to schedule a massage, follow your body feel. Unless you are injured in which case, a professional will need to tell you the frequency of the massages. In other cases, you just need to give your body a chance to tell you what it needs. Feel your muscles and inspect in which areas you feel the most tension. Make sure to choose a massage center where you feel relaxed and excited to come to since you want to get the most from the massage. When doing a massage at home for yourself or someone else, make sure to research the most basic massage moves. Give yourself this treat of self-care – you only have that one body and one you, so give it the best treatment possible.
