Deep tissue massage is a popular treatment for those who suffer from chronic pain, sports injuries, and certain illnesses. It can provide many benefits, but it's important to know what to expect after the massage and how to manage any pain or discomfort that may occur. The pain should go away after 24 to 36 hours, but some people may find that drinking a little more water can help with the pain. It's common to experience muscle pain after receiving a deep tissue massage, and some clients start to feel pain right away, while most people tend to feel pain the next day.
Muscle pain can last for hours or days, depending on the treatment, your body's reaction, and how well the pain is managed. The same things you do to treat sore muscles after exercise can ease pain after a massage. This includes taking a warm bath or shower, using a heating pad or ice pack, and stretching. Massage doesn't have to hurt to be effective; many massage therapists are trained in multiple techniques that vary in pressure and time.
If a technique doesn't seem therapeutic to you, but simply feels like pain, please speak up. We may be able to detect a problem area, but we can't feel the intensity of its pain response. It's also important to tell your massage therapist about your medical history, changes in medications, allergies, and recent illnesses. Each of these factors can influence the massage techniques used and the body's response to them. Communicating with your therapist will give you the most benefit from your massage. The muscle tension that usually occurs with chronic pain can also be reduced with a deep tissue massage, as it can loosen the clumps of tight tissue that cause pain.
That said, it's normal to feel a little pain or discomfort that lasts a few days after a deep tissue massage. Deep muscle strain and myofascial release (MFR) may cause some bruising or pain, but joint stretches performed during a deep tissue session shouldn't cause pain in the following days. People may experience discomfort during a deep tissue massage, especially if the therapist focuses on problem areas. They can tell their massage therapist if a massage becomes too painful. Many people turn to massages when they feel muscle pain, tension and pain to seek relief, correct the problem, or to control pain. Some research has even suggested that women who received regular massages before and during delivery had less pain than those who did not receive regular massages and found that their labor was shorter than women who did not receive regular massages. It's perfectly normal to have some sore and stiff muscles and to feel a little bruised the day after enjoying this type of massage.
In some cases, deep tissue massages can have persistent effects, but the pain and stiffness should go away after a day or two and should not affect your ability to move naturally. Deep tissue massage focuses on deep areas of the muscle, while other massage techniques may focus on superficial regions of the body. Whether you're an athlete, suffer from arthritis, or are pregnant, deep tissue massage therapy has benefits that can help you. A person may also want to ensure good communication between them, their massage therapist and their health care team to ensure that all treatments are aligned. It's also helpful to know what to do to improve your pain and if you should tell your massage therapist. If you only want to receive treatment to relieve pain, you should inform your massage therapist so that they can use lighter pressure to ease the symptom instead of challenging the change in muscles. Muscle groups and tissues can get caught in a twist, often requiring firm pressure to be applied during a massage treatment to return them to a relaxed, torsion-free state. Deep tissue massage can provide many benefits for various conditions, including sports injuries and back pain.
Find out what to expect during a deep tissue massage in addition to the benefits compared with Swedish massage.
