Effect and Benefits of Massage Therapy

• Promotes relaxation and reduces stress
• Stimulates circulatory system
• Improves immune system
• Increase vitality & energy flow
• Release built-up toxins
• Accelerates healing process
• Relieves pain and discomfort

The following information is intended to make your first massage a pleasant and comfortable experience.

Initial Visit:  When you first arrive at the clinic you will be asked to fill out a health history form which will include;

• A brief history of your health
• Detailed description of your present condition and complaints
• If there is anything on the form that was no covered, please feel free to ask any questions before, during and after your massage.

Patient/Therapist Interview

• Your Therapist will then show you to your treatment room where he/she will conduct an interview based on the information you have provided on the health history form, as well as any other information that is relevant.
• During this time your condition will be assessed both subjectively and objectively and a treatment plan will be formed for your specific needs.
• During the interview your therapist may well conduct an orthopaedic assessment tests in order to help determine what may be causing your condition:  this can take up to 15 minutes of your session.
• The therapist will explain exactly how the treatment is going to progress.  At this time, they will also answer any questions that you may have with regards to your visit to our clinic or massage therapy in general.
• At the end of the interview, the therapist will leave the treatment room to allow you to disrobe and get on the massage table in private.

Treatment

• It should be noted that you will only be asked to undress to your level of comfort.
• A sheet will be draped over you at all times and only the part of the body being worked on will be uncovered, and then recovered before the therapists moves on to the next area.
• If at any time you are uncomfortable, please inform the therapist and an alternate treatment method can be arranged.

Follow-Up

• After the massage, we will discuss your thoughts and feelings about the work.  You might receive some homework to help you along your road to recovery.  We have found that clients that do the suggested homework recover/heal more quickly than those that do not.  The follow-up time is also a good time to reschedule any further appointments.

Things to Consider before arriving

• Please refrain from smoking at least two hours prior to the massage
• Make sure you have eaten in the last four hours
• Drink lots of water prior to arriving and after your session.

Things to Expect After Your Massage Therapy Session

If you are coming for treatment work, and have never had treatment massage before, here are some things you could expect:

• You could be a little sore afterwards.  It should feel as though you went to work out at the gym, and should not last more than 24 hours.  After the soreness frmo the massage work has receded you should be able to start feeling the benefits from the massage session.
• You could feel dehydrated.  Massage moves fluid around the body, enhancing normal body processes.  We encourage you to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water so that your cells have enough water for metabolic and waste processes.  If you drink alcohol, we suggest you avoid it for the whole day on which your massage occurs.

Massage Intake Form