Frequent Asked Questions

Working and acting on the body with pressure is Webster's definition of massage. Techniques are commonly applied using hands, fingers, elbows, forearms or a device. The purpose of massage is generally promoted as treatment for stress or pain.
A few common symptoms massage can help with: Arthritis, back pain, cancer, fibromyalgia, gentle headache relief, lymphatic, circulation disorder, myofascial release, neck, lower back (Sciatica) and chronic shoulder pain, pregnancy, injury recovery, pre/post surgery rehabilitation, repetitive strain injury, pre/post sporting events or recovery, and stress relief.
What to Expect After Massage
After your massage, you’ll be feeling relaxed, your blood will be flowing, and your muscles should feel like jello. Your massage therapist will mention why it’s important to drink plenty of water after a massage, but you might be so relaxed at that moment that you won’t completely take it all in.Massage gets your blood circulating and begins to release built-up toxins.  As your therapists loosens your muscles, those toxins loosen up and start making their way toward your liver and other organs. Staying hydrated prior to and after a massage will help flush out the toxins and waste products your now improved circulation has moving through your body. Caffeine after a massage can be counterproductive to the muscles that were just worked on. So, if you are a coffee drinker, get your caffeine fix in prior to your massage. Water (or herbal tea) will help keep your newly energized circulation moving at an appropriate pace and help you hold onto that ‘fresh massage’ feeling longer. Drink more water after a massage than you normally would, to provide the hydration your body will need to flush the newly moving toxins out.
Feeling Sore?
Your massage therapist just released your tight muscles. Deep-rooted muscle tension often requires some deep muscle work that might leave you feeling a little tender or sore after a massage. Stay away from icy-hot or other products that produce heat, the muscles are already inflamed after the deep massage session, heat will only inflame the muscles more. The best way to treat sore muscles, post massage, is to apply some ice to the area for a quick 15-20 minutes to decrease soreness.
Fuel Your Body
A massage session is like jump starting your car, only you are jump starting some of your body’s primary systems. After a massage your body will be firing on all cylinders and you’ll want to provide the necessary fuel. The release of the ‘feel good’ endorphins you've experienced during your massage will have you feeling a natural high. You may also be feeling a bit tired and maybe a little light headed, grab a snack to give yourself an added energy boost. Stay away from heavy or processed foods as they can pull you out of your newly lightened state faster.  
Postpone Your Workout
You took the time out of your busy schedule find relief. You’re feeling relaxed, your muscles feel loose. It’s best to let your body enjoy how it feels by giving it a chance to rest. Sometimes heading back to work or out to dinner with friends is unavoidable. We highly recommend you give your body and mind some down time after a massage . Your muscles were just worked and loosened, to avoid risk of injury or overworking a muscle, we suggest you avoid any physical activity for the remainder of the day.
Epsom Salt Bath or Soak
The wonders of Epsom salt have been well known for hundreds of years and, unlike other salts, it has beneficial properties that can soothe the body, mind, and soul. Some of the countless health benefits include relaxing the nervous system, curing skin problems, soothing back pain and aching limbs, easing muscle strain, healing cuts, treating colds and congestion, and drawing toxins from the body. One of the simplest ways to ease stress and stress-related problems is to soak in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Epsom salt.
If you have any additional questions about what to expect after a massage , your therapist will be happy to answer them. All the therapists at Health and Wellness Plus aim to educate you on day-to-day things you can do to help improve your overall well-being. Together we will figure out a maintenance plan that is individualized for you. When massage is a regular part of your life, you are guaranteed to feel the benefits.

      You may have found yourself wondering how a massage differs when administered at a spa versus in a clinical setting. After all, they both involve someone applying pressure to your body, right? Well, although they do share that similarity, there are many important distinctions between the two. It’s also essential to understand those differences for your own health and well-being.       As you might have guessed, the key differences are mostly in the purpose of the massage, but also the reasons that a person might be seeking one type of massage over the other. The end goal of the massages might differ greatly as well. As your resource for all things massage in, our staff at Health and Wellness Plus is ready to provide knowledge and understanding when it comes to this commonly asked question of spa massage vs. clinical massage.

Understanding Client and Therapist Relationship

     This is a good place to start for the differences between a spa massage and a medical massage. Because a clinical massage is focused on relieving a medical need, it differs in how the interaction will proceed. For example, for a medical massage, your physician might have referred you and may even have certain requests for your treatment. In addition, your insurance company is likely covering part of your visit costs and expecting the visits to aid in resolving a specific aliment or condition. In contrast, spa massage is frequently expected to be a relaxing overall experience with the goal of de-stressing or relaxation. Spa massage is deemed as "cosmetic" and will not be covered by insurance companies. 

Targeting Your Needs with Differing Techniques

     While a spa massage might feel similar to clinical in some ways, because the purposes of these two massage types differ, the types of techniques used will also differ. During a spa visit, you typically enjoy a regular, Swedish Massage that’s more basic and centers on your relaxation. However, during a medical massage, a professional may use a broader set of modalities, such as Trigger Point Therapy or Myofascial Release, to offer to aid in muscle health recovery. Medical massage can be prescribed to help with many conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Sciatica, Piriformis Syndrome, Migraines/headaches, Fibromyalgia, back and neck pain, Plantar Fasciatis, Temporalmandibular Joint Disfunction (TMJ), muscle cramps, sports injuries, work injuries, auto injuries.

Expertly Addressing Your Specific Circumstances

     On the topic of techniques, another factor where the two types of massage differ is how your session is planned based on your individual needs. Consider how a longtime runner might seek out a medical massage to deal with a difficult injury during their year. At the same time, someone who has been in a car accident may have completely different needs due to whiplash. Because of these differences, one of our massage therapists will approach your visits with your specific needs in mind. Although a typical spa therapist has been trained in the art of massage, our treatment massage experts receive additional training and experience that allows them to provide advanced care for your health.

Wrapping Up Your Therapy for Healthy Results

     Finally, you will also find a difference in the suggested frequency of your massage visits. Because there is a targeted plan during your medical massage treatment, you’ll have a goal that’s based around a health outcome and includes a series of timed visits versus a sporadic spa visit. A medical massage factors into a larger plan to improve specific medical challenges you may be facing.