Massage therapy is beneficial for the mind and body. Unfortunately, there are some conditions that either completely contraindicated massage or should prompt you to reschedule your appointment ahead of time. A contraindication for massage means that the massage therapist cannot massage the client without worsening symptoms or spreading the negative effects. Here we discuss common reasons to either reschedule a massage or receive prior approval from a physician to receive massage. These are not all the conditions that contraindicate massage, so please check with your physician before hand if you have any concerns.

Reason to Reschedule: Intoxication

Some clients think that drinking alcohol, getting high on medication, or taking prescribed pain medication might help take the edge off during massage. The reality is that these all interfere with your body’s pain tolerance response. This means that is will be very challenging for your massage therapist to get an accurate reading on your comfort level in regards to applied pressure during your massage. We recommend coming in sober for your massage in order to effectively treat your tissues.

Reason to Reschedule: High Fever

If you have a fever of over 100.4 degrees F, please reschedule your massage. This means that your body is fighting off an infection and that runs the risk of exposing the massage therapist, their clients, co-workers, and family to the infection. Once the fever breaks, you are in the clear to receive massage.

Reason to Reschedule: Infectious Skin Disease

If you suspect that you have an infectious skin disease, you should reschedule your massage appointment. These are also highly contagious and since massage works with the skin, the risk of spreading the infection to your therapist is very high. It’s best to be checked out by a physician and receive their approval before attending your next massage appointment.

Reason to Reschedule: Unexplained Internal Pain or Severe Headache

If you experience unexplained internal pain or severe headache, you should cancel your appointment and seek medical advice immediately. This is especially important if you haven’t experienced similar pain or headache level discomfort in the past. This could be the sign of something more serious going that requires immediate medical attention.

Overall, massage therapy can be a wonderful option to help you heal and make progress towards symptom relief. Like other forms of therapy, there are situations where it’s best to reschedule your appointment for both you and your therapist’s health. If you have any questions about if you are contraindicated for massage, please contact your physician or us about whether or not you should receive massage therapy.