This is a common question in spa and massage centers around the world. It doesn´t have
a definite answer mostly because each organism is different and reacts to sickness and
to massage therapy differently. There are some who are benefited from it and others
who shouldn´t go to their massage session in that condition.
Let´s review some of the pros, cons and whys of undergoing massage therapy when you
are sick. Read on and find out which are the things to bear in mind before you make the
decision of going or staying at home.
Massage Therapy When you are Sick – The Cons
When you become sick, the advice you will very likely receive from people is to stay in
bed and do nothing. Some think it is because you just don´t want to get up and do
nothing due to not feeling well, but it really has a lot more to do with the fact that your
body is too busy internally fighting against the invaders. There is a revolution inside
your organism and the “good side” has all assets compromised in fighting for freedom.
This is the reason you should stay in bed and focus all energy efforts on the recovery
and give more resources to your inner army to win the battle instead of walking around.
Massage Therapy Takes your Body to the Limits
This is one of the main reasons why you shouldn´t do any kind of massage therapy. The
deep pressure of the masseuse and your body´s effort to release toxins will make it a
little too much to take in most cases because your organism is already fighting a battle
inside. These efforts can prove to be counterproductive to your health state. In fact, if
you try to push your body to do it all at once, the most likely thing to happen is that it
will not do any of it.
Most people who get sick because of a bad cold or flu have a runny nose. That
condition is not at all compatible with lying down facing to the floor on a masseuse bed.
Comfort and relaxation play a key role in the success of a massage therapy session.
People who find it hard to let go and relax usually get limited benefits when it comes to
massage therapy. So, in other words you will also be throwing your money away and
getting just a fraction of the reward.
Contagious Conditions
This is another major topic to address in this case because if the condition that you have
is contagious and you are having massage therapy, then you might be harming your
masseuse. Imagine you work as a massage therapist in a spa and someone really sick
shows up for his or her appointment. It is a matter of mutual respect, you don´t want to
get any bad diseases while you are at work and neither does your masseuse.
This is something often overlooked, but the closeness between patient and therapist
along with the small and closed environment you are both together at makes it very
possible for viruses and bacteria to fly and enter in each other´s organism through
breath. The rule in this case is “if you are too sick to go to work, you are too sick to go
to your massage therapy session.”
Massage Therapy When you are Sick – The Pros
The Immune System
Massage therapy boosts the immune system. This is one of the most reviewed and
highly-praised benefits of massage therapy and has been studied in multiple occasions.
This is related with stress relief, dropping anxiety levels and also augmenting blood
circulation throughout the body. While all of this is normally true, it is important to bear
in mind that the physical action of receiving the massage might be the worst part. So,
try having a massage at:
The earliest stage of sickness – Before you hit your peak, when you feel as if
you are going to be sick but not yet; that is the perfect moment to get the
massage. Your immune system will benefit a lot from that extra push and your
white blood cells (your defense army) will travel faster everywhere.
The last stages of sickness – When you are dropping out of symptoms, it is a
great moment to have your massage session. Again, your immune system will be
benefited from it and you will also relieve all the tension accumulated in those
days of being in bed.
Try Reflexology
Have you ever had a reflexology session? Well, in the case you haven´t, it is a kind of
massage treatment that is applied to the hands and feet. The principle behind
reflexology is that the same spots that are stressed and hurt in your body can be
accessed through your extremities. According to this discipline, there is a mirror effect
and all the points that can be hurting in your back have an “embassy” in your feet and
hand. If an expert knows which buttons to push in those parts of your body, you can be
relieved from pain.
Reflexology is perfect to avoid masseuses working with some parts of your body that
are still a little sore from the sickness. Coughing probably made your muscles in the
back and chest to stress a lot and be really tight. That is something reflexology can
address without touching the sore parts.
Conclusion – Avoid Massage When you Feel Sick
Attain to the golden rule “if you are too sick to go to work, you are too sick for your
massage session” and you will be fine. We recommend massage therapy in the cases
named above as well as reflexology sessions.
