Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MASSAGE?
Massage has many proven health benefits from reducing stress, muscle tension, joint stiffness, headaches, pain and swelling to improving mood, treating depression and anxiety, reducing insomnia and improving circulation, flexibility and range of motion.
HOW LONG DO THE BENEFITS LAST?
The benefits of massage can last anywhere from 3 days to a number of weeks. Massage can even resolve some problems permanently. Other conditions such as chronic tension or repetitive strain injuries require regular treatment.
HOW REGULARLY SHOULD I GET MASSAGE?
Weekly treatments are optimal for ongoing and lasting benefits, or at least every two weeks if your schedule is more complex. This is due to the opportunity that massage creates for healing in the body, which is lost if there are no further treatments after approximately three weeks.
WHAT KIND OF CONDITIONS CAN MASSAGE ASSIST?
Massage can assist a wide range of physical AND mental conditions from chronic stress, muscle tension, fatigue, muscle spasm, headaches, joint stiffness, anxiety, depression, lower back pain, carpal tunnel, pinched nerves thoracic outlet syndrome and plantar fasciitis.
WHEN SHOULD MASSAGE BE AVOIDED?
Speak to your doctor before having massage if you have a fever, infection, migraines, unstable hypertension, broken or fractured bones, open wounds, sunburn, varicose veins, malignancies, acute flare-up of arthritis conditions, deep vein thrombosis, irritable skin conditions, osteoporosis, infectious diseases and recent surgery.
DOES MASSAGE HURT?
Massage can be painful at times, especially if there is a lot of swelling or chronic muscle tension. This can depend also on the therapist’s pressure level and the tolerance of the client. In general massage does not have to hurt and it can be very relaxing. Talk to your therapist to achieve the optimum level of pressure for you.
WILL I BE SORE THE NEXT DAY?
On occasion clients can be a little tender the day following a massage. Typically this is due to the client being dehydrated prior to a treatment or not drinking sufficient water following a treatment. During a massage, a lot of stuck tissues are separated and the body uses a lot of resources to flush out stagnant blood and lactic acids in the muscles. If the client isn’t sufficiently hydrated, the body will feel sore because it doesn’t have the adequate amount of resources to repair the tissues properly.
HOW DO I AVOID FEELING SORE THE NEXT DAY?
It is important to stay well hydrated so be sure to drink plenty of water before and after massage, especially within the first 24-48 hours post massage. Take a shower after your massage but alternate between hot and cold water as it promotes circulation and aids the body to detoxify, restore and heal massaged tissues.
WHAT MASSAGE TECHNIQUES DOES THE THERAPIST USE?
Our trained therapists use a combination of Swedish techniques, acupressure, myofascial release, deep tissue, trigger point release and sports massage.
WHAT DO I WEAR DURING THE MASSAGE?
Depending on the primary technique your therapist uses, you may or may not need to undress. For a full body massage, most people undress completely. However, you may choose to wear underwear. Your massage therapist will give you privacy to undress, and you will be covered with a sheet and blanket at all times except the area being worked on.
WHAT IS IASTM?
IASTM stands for Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization. It is a skilled intervention that includes the use of instruments with beveled edges and contours that can conform to the body, providing a mobilizing effect to scar tissue and myofascial adhesions. The technique itself is said to have evolved from Gua sha which is a method used in Chinese medicine, using instruments with smoothed edges to scrape the skin till red blemishes occur. In our office, we use RockTape blades & have been certified in RockTape IASTM. The RockTape blades have been designed to be used with very gentle applications of force; aggressive techniques with heavy pressure are not required.
WHAT IS REIKI?
Reiki is a spiritual healing art with its roots in Japanese origin. It comes from the Japanese words “rei” (universal) and “ki” (life energy). Reiki is not affiliated with any particular religion or religious practice. Reiki provides a complementary approach to overall good health and well-being by alleviating tension and facilitating the flow of energy throughout the body to help assist in this process.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A REIKI SESSION?
A session is usually 60 to 90 minutes long. A discussion will usually take place during an initial session with a Reiki practitioner. The practitioner will describe the session to the client, give the client an opportunity to discuss any particular problems or issues they are experiencing and ask them what they are hoping to achieve from their session. For the actual session, the client will rest comfortably on a massage table on their back with their shoes removed. There may or may not be music, depending on the client's preference. The session will then proceed with the Reiki practitioner moving through specific standard Reiki hand positions beginning at the person’s head or feet. A session can either be hands-on, where a practitioner will apply a light touch during the session, or hands-off where they will hold their hands slightly above the body. A recipient of Reiki might feel a warming sensation or a tingling during the session or nothing at all but sheer relaxation. The session should be very pleasant, relaxing and invigorating.
WHAT CAN REIKI ASSIST?
Reiki is a great tool for stress reduction and relaxation. Many people use Reiki for wellness. Reiki is not a cure for a disease or illness, but it may assist the body in creating an environment to facilitate healing. Reiki is a great tool to use as a complement to traditional medicine and is practiced in many hospitals and medical care settings.
CAN I JUST WALK IN?
No, we do not accept walk-ins. You need an appointment to be seen and we kindly ask for 24 hour notice for your appointment.
HOW DO I BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?
You can book an appointment by calling or texting us at (585) 485-9983, emailing us at roctherapeuticmassage@gmail.com or booking online at www.massagebook.com/biz/rochestertherapeuticmassage.
HOW DO I PAY?
Payment can be made online with your credit card, debit card or HSA/FSA using Massagebook when you schedule an appointment or credit card, debit card, HSA/FSA, cash or check when you pay in person.
DO YOU ACCEPT TIPS?
Yes. If you feel like your massage was exceptional and you would like to tip above the price of the session you are welcome to do this, however, it is not necessary. We have priced our services at a fair market rate for our area so please don't feel like you have to tip especially if it would be a burden to do so in any way.
CAN I ASK MY THERAPIST OUT ON A DATE?
No. The client-therapist relationship is strictly a professional relationship. The therapist is friendly, but not flirting. Please do not ask your therapist very personal questions, make inappropriate comments, or touch the therapist. Any kind of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour is unacceptable and will result in a termination of treatment. The therapist may even choose to refuse future treatments.
CAN I CANCEL AN APPOINTMENT?
We respectfully ask that you provide us with a 24 hour notice of any schedule changes or cancellation requests. Please understand that when you cancel or miss your appointment without providing a 24 hour notice we are often unable to fill that appointment time. This is an inconvenience to your therapist and also means our other clients miss the chance to receive services they need. For this reason, you will be charged 50% of the service fee for the first missed session and 100% of the service fee for each session after that.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM LATE TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Appointment times are reserved for each client, so often times we cannot exceed that reserved time without making the next client late. For this reason, arriving after your appointment time may result in loss of time from your massage so that your session ends at the scheduled time. We ask that you arrive 10-15 minutes early so you and your therapist can discuss your goals for your appointment and you can start on time.