Sometimes, I feel like I’m an old woman in a mid-twenty body. The amount of muscle aches and joint cracks that I have throughout the day just doesn’t seem right. Years of sports, dancing, and studying with poor posture makes the chiropractor a must for me. Recently, though, I got a deep tissue massage to see if my pain would go away! Here’s how it went:
The Location I Chose
One thing that’s good about adulthood: you get gifts that actually make sense in your life. For Christmas, I now ask for upgraded kitchen appliances or linen rather than iTunes gift cards & bedazzled yoga pants I was asking for before
My parents loaded a hefty sum onto a gift card for me for my birthday to a local spa so I had to treat myself. It’s something I would never spend my actual money on, but desperately needed. Go to a spa with great reviews and make sure the massage therapist also have raving reviews! I went to Bellasazi in Janesville, WI and love it there! (Not sponsored, by the way – just a happy customer!)
The Process
First and foremost, I want to reiterate that my joints, muscles, and ligaments are effed up. One job, I sit at a desk or pose for photos and the other one I’m upright on a cement floor for 8 hours at a time. Neither really mend themselves to great musco-skelatal health. So, when the paperwork said to disclose every single time you were uncomfortable, I knew that I had to listen to my body. I knew that getting deep knots out of my shoulders wouldn’t feel like a feather. There were parts that were a little uncomfortable.
However, the massage therapist I saw was great at asking questions before we started, during, and even after the appointment. If something starts to actually hurt, don’t be afraid to make that known. Their job is to make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Unfortunately, they can’t read your mind – so it’s your job to speak up when something isn’t feeling too good!
That Being Said…
I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to speaking up at professional salons, clinics, and spas. I often gaslight myself into thinking that I’m making up pain or invalidate the uncomfortability I’m feeling in my stomach. So, I get not wanting to verbalize those feelings in that space. My advice: write down the specifics on your intake paperwork! If they don’t have paperwork, really consider if this is the place for you!
The Aftermath
I’ve only gotten a couple massages in my short life. Not because I don’t want to get them all the time, but because I’m bad at scheduling things JUST for me! In my life, self care usually comes in small doses. A massage feels like a big, luxurious dedication of time that I don’t often feel like I have. I definitely do have the time. It exists. I just have to make it a priority!
In the days following my massage, I felt a little bit of soreness in my upper body. It almost felt like something had been released and those muscles were still setting into place – like when you take trips to the chiropractor! Also, the places where we really had to focus on knots were obviously tender, but nothing too crazy! My massage therapist prepared me for these things. I was told to:
- – drink lots of water
- – stretch (roll my head and my shoulders before bed)
- – focus on my posture at work for the next couple day
My Thoughts
Asking for a massage is always a good idea. That’s not a hot take, that’s just the truth. Most of us are much less likely to spend our money on an experience that benefits us like a massage rather than a bag or shirt – even though they can be so beneficial! It’s definitely worth the time and money to go to a clean, highly rated spa in your area that you trust.
Next time, I won’t wait until after I’ve hit a breaking point when it comes to back pain in hopes that it could be a little more relaxing for me! I will definitely be going again when I get a couple of days off to go and recover for maximum results. Deep tissue massages are the ultimate self care tool.
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