Clinical massage therapy - What to expect - During treatment - After treatment

In a clinical massage treatment session with us:

  • Consultation, postural assessment and pain assessment when needed. 
  • The therapist works with a variety of specialised techniques and skills that they will choose from and combine depending on the objective of the treatment and the desired outcome. Two of the main tools used are: Trigger Point work and Myofascial release.
  • The therapist will apply steady pressure over *Trigger Points. This is knows as Trigger Point work. This is done to effectively release muscle fibres that are stuck in contraction causing pain and other symptoms. This can cause some discomfort while being treated or momentarily accentuate the pain and other symptoms the client presents with. This increased sensation is a good indication that the therapist is working and releasing an area that is directly causing the symptoms and stops once the pressure is released. Occasionally this increased sensation stays or a new sensation appears indicating that more treatment needs to be done on that area.
  • Although there might be some discomfort our treatments are not painful. We work with the body rather than agains it. More painful doesn’t mean more effective.
  • *Myofascial release has a deep impact in the central nervous system with the ability to slow down the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and therefore increase the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. This results in deeply healing and relaxing treatments. 
  • Myofascial release has a big role in the treatment of pain. We use a variety of myofascial release techniques depending on what we’re working on. They all feel slightly different. Some techniques include “holding” a part of the body. This kind of still work is very effective in releasing pain and restrictions, some people feel the tissues releasing and some people don’t feel anything, it’s all good.
  • Some Myofascial release strokes are very slow and deep. This is because the therapist will apply gentle pressure and wait for a release of the tissue beneath it rather than push against it or fight agains its tension. Waiting allows the tissue to release and the therapist to sink into deep layers of muscle and fascia achieving deep release without pain. 
  • As the tissue releases it can translate in twitching, feeling of electricity somewhere in your body, tingling, stinging, movement, burning sensation, feeling emotional. These are all normal and a very good indication for effective treatment. 
  • Our experience is that the more relaxed and present in their body our clients are during the session the more effective the treatment is. It’s your body at the end of the day and your journey, that we love to be a part of. 
  • You don’t have to be in pain in order to come for a treatment. Prevention and wellbeing are also part of what we do. 

After treatment

  • Straight after the treatment you might feel spaced out. All normal and a good sign.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Expect some discomfort up to 3 days days after the treatment. The treatment might sometimes cause symptoms to exacerbate specially after the first session. This is normal and part of the treatment process.
  • You might experience new pains and niggles appear in new places. This is common and part of the treatment process.  
  • Most people respond to treatment within 3-4 weekly sessions with pain and symptoms completely subsiding or experiencing a big change in symptoms. Some people are completely our of pain after one session and those with more complex presentations might need up to 6 treatments or even a bit longer to get there.
  • Be positive and realistic with expectations. There are two main things that prevent people from getting better. One is catastrophizing or panicking thinking they won’t get better (things do get better 🙂 trust) and the other one is not giving a chance to the treatment process due to having unrealistic expectations. Remember how long it took you to get to where you are now. Things might take some time. 
  • We usually advise exercise rehabilitation as part of the process. Once both the tissue is released and the pain levels lowered it’s key to correct the pattern that caused the symptoms in the first place so they don’t reoccur. 
  • Mind and body are deeply connected and affect one another. We live in a crazy world. We recommend everyone the practice of a form of mindfulness. For example, we use a mix of meditation, a form of self enquiry to deal with our toxic thoughts and Shaolin practises.

*Trigger Points are hyper-irritable spots within a taut band of muscle fibres. Trigger Points can feel like a knot to touch and are usually called “knots” by those who don’t work in the field. They cause pain and other symptoms (dizziness, headaches, numbness, tingling, tinnitus, etc.) both local and referred to another part of the body. 

 

*Myofascial Release consists on the manipulation of the fascial tissue with the intention of releasing restrictions and restoring a more balanced fascial web, reducing pain and improving our movement mechanics. 

 

The fascial web is the connective tissue network, the biological fabric that holds us together. A 3D spider web of fibrous, gluey proteins that bind our 70 trillion cells in their place. 

 

Tensegrity structure. The shape of your body is maintained by tensional-compression forces provided by the fascial web. Our bones float in a sea of soft tissue. This fascial web is a continuous piece of fabric and restrictions or imbalances in a specific part of the fascial web destabilise the balance of the whole system.

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