Thai Massage therapy — Thai Yoga Massage or Thai Bodywork — can be a rather tough “workout,” and the client typically needs to take certain things into account after having received a session. As a Thai Massage therapist it’s part of your task to inform your customer about what to do (and what not to do) after a Thai Massage.
eBook | Click for details
One of the first things is to advise them to take quite some rest, certainly on the day of the massage, and to go to bed early if possible. The body simply needs the energy to digest the work done to get its equilibrium and natural balance back. You would commonly advise your customer not to engage in intense physical work or sports activities after the massage, but to take it easy, including the following one or two days.
Hydration is another important thing because massage therapy dehydrates due to the compression of body tissues and also because of stimulation of the circulatory system and the kidneys, which often leads to quite some peeing. Drinking plenty will rehydrate the body and diminish or decrease risks of feeling weak, muscle soreness, and muscle spasms.
Nevertheless, in the first one to two hours after a Thai Massage it’s best to drink something warm instead of cold in order to not disturb the blood circulation that has been intensely stimulated during the session. For instance, having some tea — in Thailand you would typically get a cup of Ginger tea after a session — would be a good option.
Taking a warm bath after a Thai Massage is also a perfect way to prolong the beneficial effects of the massage. Not only will it keep the blood flow going, which supports lymphatic drainage, detoxification, and the immune system, but a warm bath also profoundly relaxes the muscles.
eBook | Click for details
In the days after a Thai Massage session the body may react significantly, sometimes in unexpected ways, which can include muscle soreness, muscle spasms, overall tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, alternations between feeling low energy and high energy, or hot and cold flashes. This is usually simply an adjustment of the body to recover from a session and find its new equilibrium.
Additionally, it’s not at all uncommon that receivers may also experience emotional effects i.e. emotional release in the days after the massage; think of feeling sad or euphoric, inexplicable crying, quickly alternating or deeply introspective moods, and so on.
In any case, after a session it’s always good to tell your clients that they can contact you if they feel unsure about what they experience physically or emotionally in the days following the Thai Massage.
Receive occasional news about our new eBook and Video Workshop publications.
