Do you have questions about your First Massage Appointment? If you do that is great, as this is your massage appointment and we want to make you feel comfortable.
Why it is important to ask questions? If you would like to talk to your massage therapist about the amount of pressure when your getting massaged, what are your areas that you would like worked on, is there a particular position for the massage, and also are you too cold or hot during your massage? We would like to know, as this is YOUR massage so please speak up and ask!
Your massage therapist wants to give you the best experience during your massage, and any questions that you ask will only help you get the experience you would like. If this is a repeat visit, maybe your areas of pain or discomfort are different this time and you would like them to focus on a different area, maybe give you a full body massage, or maybe just want some work on a specific area like the neck, shoulders, mid back, arms, lower back, legs, calves, or feet. It is perfectly okay to ask any questions to your massage therapist, because YOU will enjoy these massage sessions more if you get the massage you prefer.
Below are some of the frequently asked questions that may come up when you show up for your massage.
What should I anticipate during the 1st massage appointment?
Upon showing up to the office, you will be required to fill out the initial paperwork which includes general information about you, your areas of injury, health history document, consent of treatment, and a cancelation policy form. When you enter the massage room, the massage therapist will ask you some general questions to help establish your areas of interest to be worked on, any medical conditions, and other questions that may come up related to your care.
When getting the Massage, am I supposed to be entirely undressed?
You can get undressed to your level of comfort, as most people get fully undressed for a full body massage, but it is not a requirement. If you feel more comfortable leaving your underwear on during the massage, this is completely fine. The massage therapist will be able to work around what clothes you leave on the best they can. If you feel uncomfortable with taking all of your clothes off, then don’t feel like you have to, because if you are nervous and not able to relax on the massage table you will not be getting the most out of your massage session. You will have ample time in private to make the decision to completely undress or not before getting onto the massage table and getting comfortable for when the massage therapist re-enters the room.
Do I need to cover myself completely with the sheet when I lay on the table?
Draping is what this is called, and it depends on the massage therapist and the Washington state law. Most massage therapist will do this draping, as to make you massage more comfortable and only uncover the areas that are being worked on at that time. With the private areas (genitals) for both men and women and (breasts) for women will be covered the entire massage. If during your massage there is work to be done with a women’s abdomen, there will be a second sheet or towel that will cover the breasts or other areas of concern so that the first sheet may be moved to help uncover the abdomen for the massage.
During the massage treatment what do I do, can I talk, do I have to stay silent?
When lying on the massage table and getting the massage, you should make yourself comfortable and relaxed. If there is movement that is needed to change positions, your massage therapist will let you know what is needed. Otherwise in general you can move around to a position that feels more comfortable for your massage. Some people prefer to stay quite and close their eyes, others like to talk during the massage. It is important to remember that this is about your treatment and getting the relaxing or therapeutic massage you need, and please feel free to do what feels more natural to you to relax. The important thing to remember is if something doesn’t work for you, please relay that to the massage therapist so they may alter the way the massage is being given.
How long are the massage appointments?
Most massages in our office last 60 minutes, but we allow a 75-minute window for you to be able to take advantage of the entire hour for your massage. Some people like to extend their massage time to 90 minutes, which we can accommodate also.
Will this massage be painful?
Different types of massages and different strokes that the massage therapist is doing, depends on the level of tightness, tension, pain, and injury to the area. When getting the light touch relaxing massage, this type of massage doesn’t go too deep into the muscle structure and shouldn’t be painful. You can always talk to your massage therapist about what you are feeling, as there are pains that ‘feel good’ to pains that feels like ‘ouch that’s painful’ to ‘stop that hurts’ type of pain. Most massages should fall into the ‘feels good’ pain, as this is a good even deep massage that is effective. Now with that being said ‘pain’ can be that indicator that your muscles or soft tissue are inflamed or injured, and the pressure of the massage should be altered. There is pain that you may feel that will cause your muscles to tighten up and this may limit the effects of the relaxing massage.
When should I get a massage, and how often?
It all depends on what your looking for, as well as the level of pain or injury you are experiencing. If your looking for the relaxation massage, then maybe a massage every 3-6 weeks works for you, but if it is addressing an injury or specific condition then the recommendation is more on a frequent weekly or biweekly basis initially. The frequency of your schedule should be addressed with your massage therapist, as they have a good hands-on understanding with your muscle structure of your body. Also what are your goals for the type of injury or relaxation experience your looking for plays a part in the frequency and duration of your massage.
If your wanting a deep type of massage, should you see a male massage therapist?
The overall answer is NO, because there is myth that people believe men can give a deeper massage than the women, which is not the case. All massage therapists can give a deeper type of massage and also a lighter type of massage, it is a style preference for the therapist and their training. If your inquiring about a deeper tissue massage, its best to just ask if your massage therapist does that type of massage. During the massage session it is more than okay to let your massage therapist know that you would like a lighter or deeper type of massage, as it is YOUR massage session and we want you to get the most out of your massage.
Is there a specific type of music that I have to listen to while getting my massage?
No, there is not a specific type of music that you have to listen to, but many massage therapists play a type of quieter, slower music during the massage but you can ask them to change to different music if you like. There have been studies that show music with 60 beats per minute and slower creates a calming type of atmosphere for your body to ultimately relax a little more for the massage. If there is a certain type of music that relaxes you, please let the massage therapist know so they may accommodate your type of relaxing music.
After the massage, how should I feel?
Most of the time people do feel relaxed, and some even have a substantial decease with their long-standing aches and pain. You can feel a little slower paced with movement for a short amount of time, but some do notice that they energy increases with being more productive and a heightened sense of awareness of your body and muscles. If your getting the deep tissue massage, you may be a little sore over the next few days.
How many massage treatments do I need?
It is hard to figure that out at the beginning of the treatments, as every person has a unique circumstance, condition or injury that has brought them into massage therapy. It could be only one massage treatment that is needed, but it could also require several treatments. Your massage therapist will work with you and your individual condition after the first massage treatment, as they will have a better understanding of what your body and muscles need for treatment.
Is there a time that I should NOT get a massage?
There are a few conditions that would require or prevent you from receiving a massage treatment. If you have the cold/flu, if you have a fever, or if you have a skin infection that could be contagious, then you should NOT be getting a massage. There are other types of conditions that may require the massage therapist to adapt their specific techniques, or they may have to avoid the area completely due to a burn or open wound. Some other types of conditions that have more of a serious health condition, it would be a good idea to talk with your primary care physician or chiropractor, just to make sure everything is okay for your massage. These don’t necessarily mean you will not be able to get a massage, but it is always great to proceed on the side of caution to make sure everything is ok before the massage.
What’s the difference between Medical Massage vs. Wellness Massage?
In our office, we work with many patients who have a medical prescription for massage therapy for treatment of a specific medical condition.
Medical Massage is defined as: “A treatment with the intent of improving conditions or pathologies that have been diagnosed by a physician; this procedure is utilized to focus the treatment based on the diagnosed condition.” It is a treatment that is directed by the referring doctor and carried about by our licensed massage therapists. We accept medical insurance for this and we also work with auto insurance companies as well as Labor and Industries.
The CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code used for a medical massage in our office is 97124. The rate billed to insurance is $48 / unit. There is a maximum of 4 units billed per day.
Wellness Massage
This is the category of massages that we offer that are not doctor directed and do not require a medical prescription. There is a wide variety of massage types that our therapists are trained in. They include Swedish, sports, pregnancy, relaxation and more. The distinct difference with a wellness massage that differs from a medical massage in this office is that a wellness massage does not require a specific diagnosis, there is often not a treatment plan or medically necessary goals, there is not a need for a care plan and there is no limitations to the number of sessions one has because this service is elected at the discretion of the patient.
There is no CPT code for a wellness massage. They are not billed to health insurance. We can not bill health or auto insurance for a wellness massage. Even if a patient has health insurance, we will not bill a wellness massage to their health or auto insurance company because a) medical massage is a different and unique service & b) medical massage requires a doctors prescription.
We understand the definition of WAC code: 246-808-545. We are fully complaint with all WAC sections issued by the CQAC.
There is a a distinct difference between a medical massage and a wellness massage within this clinic. This is why the charges are as differentiated as follows:
Wellness Massage: $100/hour
Medical Massage: $50/unit (One unit equals : 8-22 minutes) (Two units equals : 23 minutes – 37 minutes) (Three units equals : 38 – 52 minutes ) ( Four units equals : 53 minutes – 67 minutes)