Massage During Cold & Flu Season

We understand!  It's the pits to feel miserable, and body aches and pains associated with seasonal sickness are no fun to go through, but did you know that receiving massage therapy when you have active symptoms of cold or flu (or any other communicable illness like shingles, TB, etc.) can be detrimental to your health?  There are many conditions during which receiving massage therapy is contraindicated. In fact, there are many illnesses that can actually become worse should you, the client, receive massage before your body has had adequate time to recover.  Additionally, visiting any establishment while suffering from active symptoms of cold/flu etc. also increases risk of transmission from you to your therapist, as well as to any other clients that may visit the same establishment in the same time period that you do. 

Experts agree that it is important to be sure that your symptoms (such as fever, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, rash, shingles blisters, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) be absent for a minimum of 72 hours before you receive a massage to ensure that you do not risk making your illness worse, and that the likelihood of transmission between yourself and others will be greatly reduced.

Let's help keep each other healthy this year by rescheduling your massage therapy session after you have been symptom free for at least 72 hours.  And please be considerate of your massage therapist's time constraints and cancel as far in advance as you are able, they'll greatly thank you for it!

TIPS  
Here are a few tips for fighting off cold or flu naturally:

• Contrast showers
  
• Lemon and ginger tea
• Thyme tea
  
• Rest (a minimum of 8 hours each night; preferably as early as 8pm to facilitate faster healing)
  

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