Tag: massagevabeach
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What You’ll Get from Your Massage
I know that you want to get the best possible massage. And if I’m suggesting that you put weekly, monthly, or quarterly massage appointments into your calendar — and you’re adding them to your budget — then it’s my job to tell you what you’re investing in, right? So here it is — what you…
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Massage Mythbuster: Get Those Toxins Out…
Happy 2023! For a lot of us, the new year means a fresh start and brings resolve to take better care of our bodies. Maybe you’ve had your fair share of wine & delicious food over the past few weeks. (Most of us have the tendency to eat a bit more over the holidays.) Should…
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Should I use heat or ice?
“Is it better for me to use heat or ice for this muscle?” I hear this question frequently from massage therapy clients, and I wish it was easy to answer. For years the loose guidance has been “ice for immediate injury, heat for achiness and improved mobility.” You’ve probably heard of the RICE acronym (Rest,…
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Feedback Please…
…or, the Importance of Speaking Up! Chances are you know the value of a truly great massage. Especially when you’re going through times of stress or chronic pain, we all look forward to the physical and emotional benefits of coming in for a massage session. But what can you do if your massage isn’t quite…
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It’s not just to be nosy…
… or, Why I’m asking you all those Health Questions. Before your first massage at my office, I’m going to need some information from you about your medical history. I’ve got a questionnaire that will ask about what medications you take and medical conditions you have, and various questions about your health history. So why is…
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5 Thoughts on Active Aging…
Did you see that news item on Facebook? Virginia Tech is going to house some students at a nearby Holiday Inn this fall, because they don’t have enough space in their dorms for everyone. When I was in college, um, (cough-ahem) just a few years ago, my school had to do the same thing. There…
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Gift-giving & a Massage Newbie (part 1)
Letters, we get letters… (well, these days it’s mostly text messages and emails, y’know.) Here’s one of the questions clients frequently ask about purchasing someone a gift certificate: “How do I know what kind of massage would be good for my dad? He’s always telling me that his back hurts, and he gets migraine headaches, but he’s…
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Massage Myth-Busters…
Myth: You can’t get a massage if you weigh too little, or too much. There are so many variations of this misconception. And the myths sound like they were made up by the MeanGirls. “Skinny people don’t have enough “meat on their bones” to get a massage, they’ll just bruise.” “Overweight people can’t get a…
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“Are you certified in Oncology Massage?”
Good question. The short answer is, I’m Licensed in therapeutic massage by the Virginia nursing board (because we don’t have our own dedicated massage therapy Board in the Department of Health Professions.) And as a Preferred Provider from the Society for Oncology Massage (s4om.org), I have taken advanced training classes to learn about safely adapting…
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Should I Cancel My Massage if I’m Not Feeling Well?
Yes, please. Cancel if you are sick. Great! We’re done here. Nah, we’ve got a bunch more to cover. There are lots of variables to being sick. What does that even mean and why does it matter? Let’s dig in. What is ‘sick’? For determining your ability to receive massage, ‘sick’ means one or any…