Massage is great for so many things. It relieves tension, helps to reduce pain, helps injuries to heal, reduces stress, increases happiness and many other benefits!
How do you choose the best place to go for a massage? Here are my top five tips.
1. Decide on your main reasons for getting a massage. Is it for general well-being, reduction of stress, pain relief, to be able to participate in sports or physical activity, or help with muscle tightness?
Once you can identify the results you would like to see, this can narrow down the type of massage you would like, for example, Sports Massage, Swedish Massage, Prenatal Massage, Thai Massage to name a few.
2. Once you've decided on the type of massage, have a think about your own personal preferences. Would you feel more comfortable with a male or female therapist? Is it important to you that you don't have to travel too far? What is your budget per session?
3. Get some recommendations. Ask your friends and family if they have been for a massage lately, and if so what was it like. If this doesn't lead anywhere, have a look on your web search engine and have a good read of the reviews. Be aware that in the UK massage therapists do not have to be licensed. So do check that a potential therapist is qualified in the type of massage you need and belongs to a professional body. You can start locally and widen your search if you don't find what you're looking for. Your GP or other medical professional may also be able to recommend a practitioner specialising in a particular condition that you live with.
4. Once you've found some potential therapists, you can always give them a call to ask any questions you have, for example what massages do they offer, what do they charge, is the therapy room accessible, does it have a WC and so on. You can also ask about their training and experience.
5. When you first visit, just take note of how you are feeling. Does the therapist put you at ease? Are they professional? Do they give you sufficient privacy? Is the consultation thorough? Is the room clean and warm? Do you feel able to stop the massage or ask for a different pressure? And then of course, does the massage meet your expectations? If not, is the therapist open to discussing this and adapting for future sessions?
It is worth spending some time to find the right massage therapist for you, as regular sessions are the best way to maximize benefits and improve your overall health and well-being.