What can I expect from my First treatment?

During your first session, you will fill out a brief form about your health, and then we will have a chat about any particular issues or areas you would like me to focus on.  I will leave you to undress down to your underwear (bra off is easiest for women) and lie on the couch covered in a towel, when I'll come back in and start your treatment.

I will start off with long, general massage strokes to warm up the tissues.  Unlike holistic or Swedish massage, a remedial massage treatment will not always follow a symmetrical pattern, as most of the treatment is guided by what I can feel in the muscles and surrounding tissues, as well as the feedback you give me about what you can feel.

You may also feel a little sore the day after your treatment, especially on areas that haven't been treated before.  This is completely normal and will usually wear off quickly.  Each individual body responds differently to massage (and sometimes the same body responds differently to different sessions), so you may find you are bouncing around with no soreness at all!

Will it be painful?

There can be some pain with deeper techniques; however, I do not subscribe to the 'no pain, no gain' theory!  Most people are able to associate some pain with being a 'good pain', something that helps to identify the areas that have been causing them discomfort and therefore is a relief and feels beneficial.  I can usually feel if something is too uncomfortable, because your muscle will resist.  This is why I use specific techniques slowly, and stop at a point where you remain relaxed and breathing slowly and evenly.  If it is too painful, it becomes counterproductive to use any more pressure, because your body simply wants to block it out.  If you feel uncomfortable, it is important that you tell me so that we can find the most beneficial method to treat you: everybody is different in this respect and this treatment is about you.  Overall, the massage will be a relaxing experience.

What Is The Difference Between Remedial Massage And Physiotherapy?

Both treatments vary according to the individual practitioner, but as a general rule physiotherapy is more rehabilitation and exercise-based, while massage is more hands-on.  Sometimes a physio session will involve hands-on therapy as well as exercises, and some of the techniques used will be similar to the massage techniques I use.  The two treatments are complementary to each other, and if you are seeing a physio for injury rehab, your rehab programme will be aided by the remedial massage sessions.  One reason for this is that the massage will not only treat the area of injury, but also the surrounding areas as well as parts of the body that have been compensating for the weaker areas of injury or pain.  The body is clever and often compensates in this way - an example would be your left leg and lower back working harder to reduce the pain caused by a sore right hip.

How Does Remedial Massage Work?

Until recently, it was believed that the main function of remedial massage was to break down areas of adhesion, or ‘knots’, between the muscle fibres, leading to freer movement of those muscles. While this may be true to a certain extent, in recent years we have come to understand that massage is primarily about interacting with the nervous system. How much we as massage therapists can mechanically change the structure of muscles is limited compared to how much we can help your body to release them.

In simple terms, there are thousands of nerves in each muscle and its surrounding tissues. These nerves sense changes and give feedback to the brain and spinal cord. When you have an area of discomfort, the nerves in this area have been sending ‘danger’ messages to the brain which leads to tension in that muscle. In the treatment room, we are able to change these messages: by working on these areas in a way that feels relieving or relaxing, the nerves send positive messages to the brain about the muscles. This allows your brain to send a message back to these muscles to relax.

I Feel Great!  Why Do I Need To Come Back Again?

If you have come for a massage for any kind of pain or discomfort, it is initially beneficial to have a follow-up treatment in the next week or so, to consolidate what has been done in the first treatment. This also allows some of the key areas to be revealed; if an initial ‘layer’ of problems has been removed, you can see more of the picture!  After these first two treatments we can discuss a treatment plan that you are happy with and that is realistic for you.  Each time you come for a treatment, the positive changes will be reinforced, and the benefits are likely to last longer each time.

Can I come for a treatment purely for relaxation?

Yes!  Absolutely.  Several of my clients book in without a specific 'problem' or issue they want addressed.  Others initially come for treatment because they are in pain and subsequently chose to continue treatment for its relaxation benefits.

Why Do I Need To Give 48 Hours’ Notice To Change My Appointment?

It is industry standard to require notice for cancellations.  This is because we are independent therapists and reliant on our income from individual bookings.  Within 48 hours I am much less likely to get a new booking to replace a cancelled one.  When you book for a treatment you create a mutual commitment on both of our parts; thus your payment is not only for the physical treatment but also for my time commitment.

Will there be whale sounds?

Nope!  I will usually have a quiet treatment room with no music.  Not a panpipe in sight.  Or earshot...  If you would like to bring some music of your choice I am very happy to play it from your phone/MP3 player.