Carle Jasmin
Everyone knows the benefits and virtues of therapeutic massage when provided by a professional, but there is very little talk of certain precautions and consequences that can occur during or after a massage. We thought it was time to talk about it because of the great popularity of this natural health approach.
Many medical and psychological studies confirm for years that massage, when practiced by a professional, has many positive effects on the physical and psychological health of the beneficiaries. They provide deep relaxation, a drop in blood pressure, a decrease in many muscle and joint pains while allowing the « patient » to obtain a feeling of well-being that can sometimes last a few days. Some people receive, through their work-related benefits, sessions that are covered by their group or private insurance.
Unfortunately, not all people benefit positively from massage, no matter how soft or strong, and even if the masseur is professional and experienced. Indeed, some massages may not be recommended in certain conditions and it is important to talk to the masseur before any treatment, on the one hand to allow him to adapt the massage, but also to avoid complications that could also to reverberate in time and in gravity. Take for example the case of a person who, following a stroke or a spinal cord injury, no longer feels a part of his body, a specific region. If she does not talk to the therapist, the therapist could
cause muscle injury or skin problems if the person is unable to tell if the pressure is too strong or painful. In the case of a person who suffers from chronic or transient skin problems, being massaged on unhealed wounds can greatly worsen the situation. Same thing with people who have a tendency to phlebitis and who could, as a result of a massage, undergo the displacement of a blood clot causing a painful phlebitis, requiring a stay in a hospital.
People who need to use anticoagulants may also have internal bleeding without knowing it at the time, which will require a visit to the doctor or emergency room. In the case of a person with tendinitis or who is fragile of the joints, the massage could cause severe complications. These are some examples of the physical consequences of a treatment that is considered safe and harmless.
What about the sometimes negative psychological effects that occur during a massage? According to a therapist who wishes to remain anonymous, consulted during the writing of my article, he has happened to have a patient who, after a few minutes of massage, began to cry while showing real discomfort. It was by talking with the patient that the masseur discovered that the massage was too relaxing, to the point of raising terrible memories of a rape dating back several years.
Just releasing her guard made her depressed. Hence the important thing to talk to his masseur before any treatment.