There are some conditions that are contraindicated locally. What does this mean? That means that your massage therapist can still give you a massage, however, they must avoid these specific areas where those conditions are located.
Site Specific of common contraindications:- Cuts or open wounds
- Bruises
- Varicose veins
- Broken bones
- Burns (including sunburn)
- Some skin conditions such as Eczema, psoriasis, acne etc
- Recent Surgery (minor and major)
- Foot fungus
- Athletes Foot
If you have these massage contraindications and you still want a massage you should let your therapist know about these issues ahead of time. Your massage therapist will do their best to find a way to work around them. However, if they prove to be severe massage therapy may not be appropriate at that time. If this situation should arise, your massage therapist reserves the right to refuse treatment for your safety and to ensure the maintenance of health standards.
Other massage contraindications can be more specific and you will not be able to receive a massage. If any of the following conditions exist, a massage cannot occur and must be deferred until the conditions are no longer present.
FeverAnytime you have a fever, whether from a cold, the flu, or some other infection, you should not get a massage. Massage increases circulation which may in turn help the infection increase the severity of the fever and the infection.
Contagious DiseasesIf you have a contagious disease you are putting your therapist and even your therapist’s other clients at risk of getting it. Please be considerate to your therapist and reschedule your massage if you come down with a contagious condition.
Blood ClotsMassage can loosen blood clots. This could be dangerous because the clot could migrate to the brain, lungs or heart. If you are aware of any blood clots, consult your doctor before massage to make sure that it will not be affected by massage therapy.
PregnancyUnless a therapist has been trained in prenatal massage, pregnant women should not have massage treatment. It’s especially risky in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Currently, we do not have a Massage Therapist with this advanced training.Kidney Conditions or Liver ConditionsMassage can put increased strain on both the liver and the kidney if they are not functioning normally. This is because one of the main benefits of massage therapy is to increase blood flow, and increase the movement of waste through the body. If you're experiencing a health problem with either your kidney or liver massage would not be appropriate for you. Talk to a health care professional to see if massage will aggravate any kidney or liver condition.
CancerThough massage is good at relieving some of the discomfort caused by cancer, it should only be given by someone trained to work with cancer patients. The patient should obtain a release form from his/her doctor to get treatment.
Currently, we do not have a massage therapist with advanced training to work with clients undergoing cancer treatment. All clients who have a history of cancer will need to provide medical clearance from their doctor before receiving traditional massage therapy treatment.InflammationIf you have inflammation of any kind, massage to the area will further aggravate the situation. This includes recent injuries such as sprains and strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Uncontrolled HypertensionMassage increases blood flow so if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, the increased blood flow that is a result of massage therapy may cause problems.
Those with controlled hypertension will need to provide a medical release from their primary care doctor stating that their condition is medically stable to receive massage therapy.Uncontrolled Diabetes