Should you get a massage while sick or injured?

You’ve been looking forward to that massage session all week, and then you wake up with a pounding head, aches and pains all over, and your nose just won’t stop running. It’s no fun to be sick! But assuming you’re up to crawling out of bed, do you have to cancel the massage?

There are several things to consider, such as:

Severity of your illness. If you are very sick it’s important to head to the doctor, or in extreme cases the emergency room. While under their care ask the medical professional at what point in your recovery it would be ok to receive a massage.

The health of your practitioner. While you might thinking that a massage could be just the thing to help you feel a little better, you don’t want to share your germs with your massage therapists or others at his or her office. If you think you’re contagious the courteous thing to do is reschedule. Not sure? Talk to the massage therapist to get their thoughts.

Chronic conditions. If you suffer from an ongoing condition such as diabetes, cancer, or a heart condition, it’s likely that you can continue to see benefit from massage therapy, though it’s important to fully discuss the idea with both your medical providers and your massage therapist. Thankfully there have been great advances recently in the world of western medicine embracing alternative therapies such as massage as a valuable addition to medical treatment.

Any medications you are taking. Discuss any prescriptions with both the prescribing doctor and your massage therapist to find out if there are any issues with receiving a massage while taking the medications. In some cases there may be modifications or precautions that can be taken to ensure your safety.

What about an injury?

That sprained ankle or broken wrist may keep you on the sidelines of your favorite sports and athletic activities for a bit, but is massage therapy ok? Most likely, yes, but again, it’s important to talk to both your doctor and massage therapist. For a recent, localized injury, that is still very tender, the short term solution may be to work around that area to avoid causing additional pain and trauma. During recovery, or for more minor sore or strained muscles, massage can be extremely helpful. Many athletes turn to massage therapy for benefits such as pain relief and increased blood circulation, including during recovery from injuries.

As you can see communication is a common theme here. To get the most out of a massage it’s important to fill your therapist in on how your body is feeling, and any issues he or she should be aware of. When dealing with illness or injury it may make sense to discuss how to safely incorporate massage with your medical providers as well.

Interested in getting a massage?

LHAA has an incredible team of massage practitioners at our Massage Clinic. Sign up for anything from relaxation to deep tissue massage, where each session is focused on your individual needs.

You can even book your massage online!