Q & A - "Questions & Answers" About Massage:

Q: What should I wear, or is there anything I should bring with me to my massage appointment?

A: It depends on what service you are getting. For instance, with some forms of massage, such as Nuat Thai, you will need to wear or bring loose fitting comfortable clothes similar to taking a yoga class; sweat shirt and jogging pants are great (No jeans, no bras, no belts, no buckles, or other restrictive garments that may restrict movement or otherwise be an uncomfortable distraction during treatment). On the other hand, there are many other types of massage, which require you to take your clothes off; in that case you do not need to bring any special clothing. For some spa treatments, we will supply you with disposable undergarments to wear during your treatment, so that you do not have to worry about getting your own undergarments messed up with the spa products and to avoid getting them wet.

Q: Will I be exposed?

A: Professional massage therapy will always use proper draping when and where appropriate during your massage. What will be exposed during your massage depends on two things. 1. Your level of comfort. 2. What form of massage or spa service that you are receiving. First, we will look at what is meant by your level of comfort. This refers to when you fill out your “Client Information Sheet” when it asks, “What areas do you give the therapist permission to work on”. You can check what areas you wish to have worked on and leave areas you do not want worked on unchecked, or blank. Any areas not listed in the options will never be worked (the areas that will NEVER be worked on under any circumstances are the genitals, or anywhere internally invasive). The areas that you do not want worked on will remain covered during your treatment and areas that you have selected to be worked on will be uncovered when the therapist works on those areas. Second, depending on the massage or spa service that you have selected the treatment may determine what is or is not exposed during your treatment. Some spa treatments normally include the whole body, but the client may decide to concentrate only on specific areas (such as when receiving the various Body Wraps). Other spa services such as the Therapeutic Bust Health Treatment© are obviously very specific treatments by their very nature, so if you know that you do not want those areas exposed or worked on then you should not get those treatments done. For some of these specific treatments, designed for women's health, special consent forms must be filled out in addition to the standard “Client Information Sheet”. However, most spa and massage services can be customized to suit your level of comfort. Also, while you are getting undressed your therapist will leave the room to give you privacy until you have had time to get onto the massage table.

Q: What areas can I have worked on if I ask especially for them?

A: Well, if you are trying to see if you can convince the therapist(s) to do anything illegal, then the answer is a very firm "NO!". We do not allow anything sexual to go on in our business, period! If that is something you are looking for please do not even bother to schedule an appointment, because we are totally professional and medically oriented. We will NEVER work on the male penis or scrotum, and we will NEVER work on the female vagina under any circumstances whatsoever, period! Also we NEVER do massages inside any Orifices (These include the mouth, anus, vagina, ears, nose, or throat). Do not even think to ask us to work on any of these areas because we will not work on them and if you ask us to we will not allow you to receive any services at our place of business ever again in the future. We have worked very hard to maintain a professional business and reputation, so we find clients who make inappropriate requests, comments, gestures, or actions to be highly offensive. If you would like a professional massage for "therapeutic reasons only", then we would be glad to work with you. Any clients who make any sexual actions or advances during a treatment or session will be asked to leave, and escorted out of our business and the authorities will be notified of the offenses immediately. This is a standing rule of our business and will be enforced if necessary. Any clients who are genuinely looking for true therapy to help them with chronic aches or pains, or who just wish to relax should not have to worry about this rule.
    On the other hand, if a client has a legitimate problem with any area other than those restricted above we would be glad to address those issues with the client. This should be easily understood. We have already mentioned that the client will fill out a "Client Information Sheet", which will include a space where the client can check any and all areas that they would like to have worked on. Also, there is a specific question that asks if the client would like to have any areas worked on more than others, which allows the client to inform their therapist of specific issues they would like concentration on during their massage. We have no problems whatsoever with helping a client to relieve legitimate problems they are having, or to spend a little extra time focusing on those areas during their session.

Q: What about client confidentiality and respect for privacy?

A: Well, just like at the hospital or doctor's office we respect our client's confidentiality to help encourage Therapist - Patient trust and respect. The only timee we would be forced to give out our client's information is if they did something inappropriate during a massage, such as making a sexual advance or something like that. You may wish to read the response above about our rule concerning inappropriate behavior. Barring the patient taking any sort of inappropriate behavior during a massage we will always keep our client's information safe and private and we will never give it out to any other companies whatsoever for any reasons whatsoever, period. We may from time to time send out new information about specials we are having, new services we are offering, promotional deals we are offering, or just to send out discount coupons for services (which most people love) in the mail (snail mail). Any clients who make it clear to us that they do not wish to receive anything from us whatsoever we will respect their wishes and make a note in their files not to send them anything. Otherwise we assume that the clients would like to receive these materials. We usually do not send mail out very often even when we do send information out. Just let us know your feelings about this issue and we will respect your wishes without hesitation.

Q: Can I ask for a male or female therapist?

A: Yes, we have Renee’ Lambert L.T.M., C.T.M., C.T.F., C.T.I. for those clients who prefer a female therapist, and John Lambert L.T.M., C.T.M., C.T.F., C.T.I. for those clients who prefer a male therapist. Our two therapists are a Husband & Wife team of licensed and certified Myomassologists, instructors of massage therapy, and teach classes all over the United States. John & Renee have been in practice since 1995 and have trained all over the United States as well as overseas in Thailand. Another option that is not as well known is to have "2 Therapists" work on you at the same time, we also refer to this type of service as a "4 Hand" Massage.
    With a 4 Hand Massage you get twice as much massage in the same amount of time, so it works out very well for those people who do not have much time but want to get a good massage, such as business men and women. This is one way to crunch one hour of hands on massage into a 1/2 Hour, or 2 Hours of Massage into 1 Hour. It also works very well to just feel really spoiled and pampered, like royalty. There are not to many places that offer this type of therapy, so we feel that we are offering our clients something special and unique. Since, we only have one male and one female therapist, however, this means that in order to receive the 4 Hand massage clients need to be aware that it means both a male and a female therapist will be working on them.

Q: Will my massage hurt?

A: A massage should never hurt. For a therapeutic form of massage to help you with chronic discomforts it may require pressure and stretching, which will be quite uncomfortable at times, but should not be painful. This may be necessary to relieve your chronic aches and pains. Think of it like this, any type of conditioning may cause some residual soreness just like starting a new workout program. The first few workouts are usually the most likely to cause soreness the next day or two. It is not the day or two of soreness after the workouts that people usually think about when they start a new conditioning program, it is the results. Therapeutic Massage is the same way, it is a conditioning program designed to change your current physical condition in order to help you with chronic discomforts, aches and pains, tension, tight muscles, restricted range-of-motion, inflexibility, etc. The magic of a Therapeutic Massage happens about three to four days after the massage session. If you just want to be pampered in order to relax and remove stress, then you may wish to receive a Swedish or Relaxing Massage instead. The Swedish and/or Relaxing Massage is a light soft massage designed to relax you, hydrate and moisten your skin, calm the nerves, and promote lymph and blood circulation only, it is not a deep enough form of massage to effectively loosen tight muscles, or help with chronic problem areas, however.

Q: Should I speak to my therapist during the massage if I am uncomfortable or experience any pain?

A: Yes, definitely. If you experience any pain, or discomfort during your massage you should inform the therapist so that they can adjust the pressure or stretches to your level of comfort. The general rule of thumb for a Therapeutic Massage is to gauge the level of discomfort according to a scale of 1-10. The best feedback you can give your therapist is simply to say the number related to your comfort. 1 is so light that you can barely notice, 10 is unbearably excruciating. For the ideal therapeutic pressure, the therapist should maintain about a 7, which is a "bearable discomfort". Let your therapist know, it will help to make your session more effective and comfortable. Also, if there are any other reasons or concerns that you have about your massage that make you feel uncomfortable for any reason whatsoever we would appreciate it if you let us know, because we are here to help you and we want you to be completely comfortable with us.

Q: Can I customize my massage or spa treatment?

A: To a certain degree you can customize your treatment, yes. For massage services, we have many types of massages available and they can be intermingled to whatever degree the client wishes. In fact, many times just getting the Therapeutic Massage service the therapist will incorporate many different forms of massage into the therapy, because there are many therapeutic techniques used in many different forms of massage, so the therapist uses these techniques like tools in a mechanics tool box, using the correct tool needed for each job, or for each client's individual needs. By default, Therapeutic Massage is what is performed if no specific form of massage is requested. If you would like the therapist to use certain types of massage techniques you may request they be included into your treatment (some require an additional service charge or form to fill out). Many spa services can also be customized to a degree. For instance, when getting a Body Wrap service you can add on a Paraffin Hands & Feet for an additional cost.

Q:  How will I feel after a Therapeutic Massage?

A: How you feel after your massage will vary depending on your physical conditioning and depending on your level of toxicity. The best - case scenario for those in great physical shape and with low levels of toxicity, you should feel great, very relaxed and with the natural endorphins released from the massage you may even feel euphoric. The worst - case scenario for those with chronic disscomfort, aches, or pains and with high levels of toxicity you may encounter some nausea or dizziness (Rarely, with extremely toxic clients you may even encounter flu - like symptoms, but with proper care and preparation before and after your massage session you should be able to avoid these problems). Also, with deep massages or Therapeutic Massages, the day or two after, you may encounter some residual soreness, similar to after starting a new workout program, but this will go away and with regular visits for massage the soreness afterwards will begin to happen less and less, until eventually you will no longer get the soreness anymore. With a Relaxing Massage, however, you should always feel relaxed and a certain degree of euphoria regardless of your condition, but if you have any chronic or Acute problems we would recommend getting a Therapeutic Massage to help you to improve your condition.

Q: If I believe that I may be toxic and want to avoid getting nausea what can I do?

A: Well, before your massage you can drink plenty of water. Drinking water will help to flush out toxins from the body both before and immediately following your massage. It will also help to maintain the body's hydration, since massage will naturally cause the body to begin eliminating toxins, which can dehydrate the body to some degree. Also, we recommend soaking in a detoxifying Bath Formula, which if you like a copy of our recommended formula you can ask for a copy of the “After Massage Suggestions” handout.

Q: Can I have a massage if I have just had a surgery?

A: Well, this depends on what type of surgery you have had done and what your doctor has said about your condition. To make things simple, if your doctor says that your post surgery condition is stable, then you should be okay, but again this can be fairly complicated, so you should talk with your therapist before you receive any massage services. It is also a good rule of thumb to talk with your doctor to find out what they have to say about getting a massage and if they feel it is safe for you or not.

Q: Can I have a massage if I have cancer?

A: This is a common question and has been debated for some time. New studies have shown that massage may be okay in some cases, and in most cases if done by a knowledgeable therapist, the area of the tumor site can be avoided and the rest of the body can be worked on without causing any problems. This also depends on if the cancer that you have is malignant or benign. A benign tumor is a local fatty tumor, which has not metastasized. These types of benign fatty tumors are harmless and massage may be fairly safe (but this too is a subject of debate amongst physicians, since no conclusive studies have been able to easily prove the case one way or the other). Malignant tumors have started to spread to other areas of the body and should not be worked on directly, but the therapist can avoid working directly on the cancerous areas and instead work on the rest of the body, which has been shown to increase natural fighter cells known to aid the body's immune system to fight, attack, and destroy cancerous cells. As always with cancer, we recommend that you speak with your doctor before having any massage services performed, so that you can be sure that you know what is best in your individual situation.

Q: Can I have a massage if I am pregnant?

A: Of course! In fact, there is no more important time in a woman's life to get a massage than when she is pregnant. The woman's body is under so much stress during pregnancy that massage is a Godsend of help and assistance to deal with the many discomforts related to pregnancy. It can help with all of the following symptoms: back aches, leg cramps, digestion, constipation / diarrhea, neck aches, headaches, avoiding stretch marks, shortness of breath or breathing problems, breast soreness, and much more. Your therapist will also have many helpful hints and suggestions to make your pregnancy easier and more comfortable. Actually, both of our therapists have had lots of experience with Pregnancy Massage / Labor Massage / & Post Pregnancy Massage, and both John & Renee have assisted in several successful natural births. There are 3 different types of Pregnancy Massage for 3 different important stages the woman goes through; Pre-Natal (While carrying child, or before birth), Labor Massage (During labor, or during birth), and Post-Natal (Following birth, or after birth). To explain why each of these is important we will briefly describe how the mother will benefit from massage during each of the 3 stages.
    First, Pre-Natal Massage during pregnancy helps the woman to deal with the physical stresses that the body undergoes during the 9&1/2 months of pregnancy. The woman's body is under tremendous stresses, some include: The growing baby puts pressure on many of the internal organs and causes digestive problems, such as diarrhea, constipation, or gas pains, and also can cause shortness of breath, breathing difficulties, or respiratory trouble, and also the expansion of the uterus due to the growing baby can put lots of pressure on the lower back. Some other problems during this time that can be helped with massage include: Headaches, neck and back pain, leg cramps, breast soreness or tenderness, and can even help to avoid stretch marks. Generally, the areas that are at risk of stretch marks are those that grow the most during pregnancy and those areas include: Belly, butt, thighs, and breasts. The therapists may use many different types of oils or lotions to help greatly reduce the risk of stretch marks. Massage during this time is probably one of the most important times in the mother's life to have massage, because it can help her to reduce all the symptoms listed above, make her more comfortable, increase the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child, and a healthy birth, and can help to prepare the mother and her baby for optimal birthing conditions. It has also been said that massage during the pregnancy may also help to influence the nature and/or personality of the baby, making them more calm and good-natured.
    Second, Labor Massage to help the mother deal with the very demanding, painful, and exhausting birthing process. John & Renee have helped with several successful natural births. Here the emphasis is more immediate and focuses on helping the mother to be as comfortable as possible throughout the entire birthing process. Many times during contractions mothers will experience terrible back, hip, or sacral pain, so the therapists can help them to greatly reduce their discomfort through the application of specific techniques. Also, it is important once contractions start to have the water break to encourage the baby to entire the birthing canal and speed delivery, so the therapist and mother may opt to use the reflex points that encourage contractions. This increases the likelihood of the water breaking. Mainly, to sum up the importance of Labor massage, it helps the mother reduce pain and discomfort and helps reduce stress to the baby by encouraging a faster, smoother, more effective delivery, and best of all makes the process of bringing another life into the world a whole lot more enjoyable.
    Lastly, Post-Natal Massage after the birthing process and up to 6 months afterwards can help to deal with the numerous issues concerning the mother after she gives birth. Some of the things that massage may help with after pregnancy include: Postpartum depression, hormonal stabilization, breast soreness or tenderness, breast feeding (increasing milk production / milk Let-down or release / and milk flow), reducing scar tissue, balancing the hips, relieving back discomfort, reducing stress, relieving headaches, reducing or minimizing stretch marks, toning the perineum, etc. etc.

Q: Should I get a massage if I have a heart condition?

A: Certainly, massage can help to balance heart rate, and blood pressure, and greatly helps improve overall circulation. You should, however, have your condition under control with prescriptions by a doctor. In some cases, with extremely low blood pressure, massage can be contraindicated because it may lower blood pressure even further causing potentially dangerous problems. If it is under control then you should be just fine.

Q: If I have really sensitive skin or allergies to some essential oils could this be a problem?

A: Well, it could be. You should talk to your therapist and make sure you let them know what type of skin condition you have or the type of allergies. If you are allergic to specific essential oils then the therapist can, avoid using them during your session.

Q: Are there any times when massage should not be done (0r is contraindicated)?

A: Yes, if you have any type of contagious disease, virus, or symptoms (including contagious skin conditions, such as ring worm, athletes foot, scabies, lice, etc.), or if you have a cancer, which has metastasized, or if you have problems with blood clotting, and/or severe varicose veins (these areas can be avoided during a massage unless they are everywhere on the body).

Q: Should I tell my therapist(s) if I have any contraindications, cancer, or some type of contagious condition?

A: Absolutely! You are totally responsible to inform your therapist(s) of any types of contagious conditions you may have whatsoever, or if you have cancer, or some other medical condition, which may be contraindicated. It is in both your and your therapist's best interests to be very thorough when informing them of your complete medical record. A good rule of thumb is that if you are not sure about whether your medical condition is contraindicated or not, even if you think it might not matter, you should always inform your therapist. Your medical condition may seem quite simple or Irrelevant to you, but the therapist may understand this condition in quite a different way in regards to the types of techniques that should or should not be used in your individual case, so always tell them all your medical conditions whether present or past.

Q: How often should I get massages and is there anything that I can do between my appointments to improve my condition?

A: Well, first, how often someone should get a massage will very from one individual to the next. This will depend on many factors, such as how quickly they accumulate tension in their muscles due to work, posture, genetics, tension, stress levels, life-styles, activity cycles, etc. The most general way to answer this question would be to use logic. The more severe the condition and the greater the need of seeing an improvement in the client's over-all condition the more frequent they should receive massages, of course within their budget. Usually, most people in this category we recommend anywhere from twice a week to once a week, then once they are able to get relief for extended periods of time between appointments we suggest once every other week until they reach the point were the are always comfortable and they just want to maintain their current condition, then we will suggest at least once a month for Maintenance. Generally speaking, almost everyone could use a massage at least once a month to keep them in good shape and to avoid aches, pains, tension, and other more chronic conditions.
    Second, what to do between appointments, we suggest that clients do some form of stretching or physical yoga. Tight muscles are shorter muscles, so stretching is a very effective way to loosen tight muscles and to get relief. It is also a very quick and effective method to eliminate cramps, spasms, knots, etc. To get more information on our suggestions to clients about what to do after a massage or between massage appointments to help improve the effectiveness of their treatments or their condition go to our After Massage Suggestions Page!