Massages during the Covid Pandemic

 

Hopefully now that massage will continue with its momentum again, we may come for a massage or other treatment ‘for business or for pleasure’ purposes, as it were. Whatever the reasons, we can surely find sessions as enjoyable experiences.

If for pleasure, it may be a seasonal or non-seasonal treat, just to relax in the atmosphere and surroundings; to be calmed in body, soul, or spirit, or in all three of these. It can be giving oneself some time-out, plus helping the masseurs ‘trade’ at the same time.

After a hopefully pleasant time, one will be full of praise and admiration for the masseur, though not to the extent of flattery, which may get us nowhere! Yet one may have no hesitation in recommending the masseur to others, and so give him/her positive publicity. This causes two-way benefit, to clients and to the masseur.

Then one may look forward to more of the same, or other variations on massage or other treatments. 

Come along, try a first session, or another session, finding release or at least easing of any stresses and strains, particularly with the various ways that Covid has affected you over the past, or at present, or in uncertainties of the future. 

Not that it claims to be a magic wand waved over the situation, but massage and the other treatments doing what they can to contribute to health and well-being, as some of the many good things in life.

Can Having a Massage help with Pain?

 

If we have a pain, bodily or emotionally, our first reaction or response may be to wish it would go away as soon as possible.

Yet the cause of pains, some pains at least, may be as warnings that something is wrong physically (part of our body), or troubling our minds (part of our soul or spirit), and these may be interlinked at times.  With some massage, some pain may be caused, or seemingly feel worse, as things are done to get to the root of conditions.

 It may be like not wanting to feel too cold, though we shiver to aim to get warm; or not wanting to feel too hot, though we sweat to aim to cool down.

 ‘It’s a pain in the neck!’ This we may say, and experience it literally, or just say it as a figure of speech. Massage can surely help to relieve pains of body, soul, or spirit, though not as a magic wand waved. It can be therapeutic, as can other outlets, or at least to some extent, such as faith healing; positive thinking; having a ‘feel good’ attitude to life; etc. In some cases, pain, of whatever sort and wherever located, physiologically or psychologically, may remain a mystery.

 

Have a massage if needed. The aim is to help, to do good, not sadistically inflict pain and end up leaving a massage session worse than when you started it!

 

 

How to relax when having a massage

 

It’s easy to do, to have something on our minds and/or hearts that can distract us. Some things can be nebulous, as if neither here nor there, some worry about a yesterday that has past, or a tomorrow that has not come yet.

It surely helps to be in the ‘now’ moments when having a massage. Hopefully this will bring a sense of peace, if one can focus on the ‘now’, though one may not be able to automatically switch off feelings, emotions, concerns, etc.

The massage itself may bring some measure of peace, if the outward sensations affect one inwardly, and if one can relax as far as possible. 

It may be that things of yesterday cannot be changed, though we may have regrets about them. And for things of tomorrow, they may be sublimated or eased somehow or somewhat, and not appear as worrying as one thought when they actually come to pass.

There can be relaxation for body, soul, and spirit in a massage. One has to face the future, yet being in the ‘now’ is surely not escapism, nor ignoring things as if saying, ‘Cheer up, it may never happen’. 

Having experienced a massage, one can find it wholly beneficial, and helpful in promoting peace of mind, so that one goes from these ‘now’ moments, on to the ‘not yet’ moments that are the future, with a better sense of well-being to face whatever one must, or needs to, face in life each day.

It’s true, if one may make such a claim, that undoubtedly there are psychological as well as physiological benefits in massage.

What are the Benefits of a Swedish Massage?

There are benefits in human touch, even in these times where gloves may need to be worn. These benefits can be experienced through massage.

There is outward and inward benefit in this, in that there is the outward physical touch to the areas you require massaging.

 Also inwardly there is benefit, although unseen, ‘feel-good’ chemicals are released – oxytocin, serotonin, and melatonin. Not that it’s vital to understand the scientific aspects, nor have a chemistry lecture of a massage.

Yet touch causes a release of these chemicals within. They are made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, with a little sulphur too in oxytocin. 

It’s all good stuff, helping to inwardly renew us, as well as the pleasure and enjoyment of having a massage. Or more on the therapeutic side perhaps, if having a Sports Massage

Come for a ‘whole’ or holistic massage, possibly covering things you may know about it, and maybe learning new things you did not know about it; experiencing things outwardly that you can see, and things inwardly that you cannot see.

Sense-sational Massage

 

As we sanitise our hands these days, a similar sounding word is sensitised.  This can be experienced in massage, through one masseurs two hands, or through two masseurs four hands.

There is the realisation of the benefit of human touch, and different sensations may be felt.  This will not be unpleasant, though some treatments may require more pressure to locate and deal with trouble-spots, such as in a Sports Massage.

 Ensure you ask for the appropriate massage you desire, or else, for example, if asking for a Sports Massage instead of a Swedish Massage, you may feel afterwards that you have been pulled through a hedge backwards! Or vice versa, you will have had a gentler Swedish Massage when you wanted a more firmer Sports Massage.

 There are other items too, such as hot stone massage or head and shoulders massage, it can be pleasurable and enhancing, just to come along for a treatment, soaking up the positive and healing atmosphere, and being put at ease by a friendly masseur – or two, if you so wish!

Moments of Massage

With a massage, or other treatments, this will last longer than a few moments. Some treatments may be shorter than others, though you will receive your full hour, or whatever length of appointment time may be booked.

This can be as a haven, a time to relax and experience massage. Even with some treatments that may not be so relaxing, e.g. waxing, you will be put as ease, so that your session will be as painless as possible.

It can be a ‘time-out’, maybe with ideas of escapism, and yet not unrelated to the ‘real world’. Hopefully some benefit of some sort will be relevant to you, not disconnected as though reality is only  ‘out there’, outside the masseur’s/therapist’s front door. 

If one can take a step, maybe a new step, and book an appointment, even if needing courage to start with, one can find it a very positive and rewarding experience.

In some treatments, senses may seem to be ‘assaulted’, though only in pleasant ways, mainly the senses of touch and smell and possibly, to some lesser extent, the senses of hearing, sight, and taste. Sometimes in indirect ways.

Come and find out, or continue to explore, how a massage or other treatments may, or more positively, can, help you. 

This could relate not only to the physical aspects, but to aspects of spirit and soul too – the soul including the mind, or some say, the mind entirely. 

You will find a welcome to hopefully many enjoyable ‘moments’ of massage.

Massage and Covid 19

What to write about massage, when there is no massage at present? Here are some thoughts.

Extraordinary, Unusual. Unprecedented. These are some words to describe the current coronavirus crisis. In many places at present there is a notice of temporary closure shown in shop windows, on websites, etc. The emphasis is on ‘temporary’ with that word often being underlined, or in bold type or capitals. This is so with your friendly masseur here.

We know we are not being anti-social on purpose, but all doing our vital part, hopefully short-term for the long-term good. Though terrifying in one sense – do follow rules, or potentially die, being the stark options.

Some emotions at this time may be feeling hurt or pained, whether because of our own situations, or the general situation of everyone. There may be the stress too of remembering to observe social distancing, and an essential walk to shops and back home, or going out for permitted purposes, such a walk or exercise, can feel like walking through a minefield. This can work two-way – come not near me, and I will not come near you, in case......we all know why.

When the crisis eases, come along to experience a lovely massage or other treatment, even if involving a bit of unavoidable pain to obtain what you wish through particular treatments. There is, for example, Sports Massage and Waxing. Meanwhile, maybe try gentle self-massage, relaxation, meditation, or other things to calm mind and body.

With trusting that ‘normal service will be resumed as soon as possible’, a massage may seem extra-special, and a treat to pamper oneself with. This will be when we are not two metres apart, but two inches next to each other, as it were. Or at least meeting in person with each other again for a massage, remembering and experiencing what we have all had to do without for a time.