Most times, massage therapy can be tailored to fit most any person’s situation. On occasion, there are a few situations or contraindications that may arise that have us postpone massage therapy until it is more appropriate. Certainly, if your doctor has indicated that massage is not safe, we would not consider it as an option. This might be the case in the first trimester of a high risk pregnancy, during active cancer treatment like chemotherapy, or in an acute phase of an illness or disease. When you are in the emergency room, massage may not be the ticket! If there is any question, we ask you to get a clearance from your physician stating that a vigorous fluid moving massage is approved.
Massage is not contraindicated but is adjusted
More commonly, we conduct an interview to determine your health history and how to adjust the massage to work within your needs and health status.
Here are some of the more common limiting conditions and the adjustments that are made:
Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure
When the blood pressure is controlled under medications, there are no adjustments to be made. If, however, the blood pressure is not yet in a range that your doctor is comfortable with, we take precautions to not do anything that would increase the blood pressure. For instance, a vigorous fluid moving massage may increase the blood pressure and is something that we would avoid. This does not mean that a great massage is out of the question. We still can do a lot of great work thru more local massage of a particularly tight spot or with energy healing methods.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a lovely time to get a massage! So many discomforts can occur in a body that is now carrying two human beings. Massage can ease some of them and help that new mom-to-be to be a bit more comfortable. There are some adjustments that are made. First, we have the client lay on her side for the massage rather than an extended time flat on her back. There are acupuncture points that we avoid putting pressure on during the massage that may encourage early labor. We check in for gestational diabetes etc. Finally, because joints are loosening up in preparation for labor, if we do stretching, it is very gentle.
Post Cancer with Lymph Node Removal
Sometimes, especially in breast cancer survivors, lymph nodes have been removed as part of the treatment. In this case, we do not do vigorous fluid moving massage in the quadrant of the body served by that lymph node[s].
Many Other Adjustments in Regular Massage Therapy
There are a lot of other conditions that require an adjustment to the massage. If your right shoulder is bothering you, we may adjust the massage to allow extra time in that shoulder. If you have GERD or acid reflux, we can use a pillow to keep you more upright during your massage. There really is no ‘regular’ massage. We always adjust the massage to be perfect for you at Integrative Acupuncture in Montpelier and Williston, Vermont – to achieve your goals and to give you the tailored experience you want.
