The Library
Answers
The questions clients ask across the treatment table, answered plainly and sourced. One question per page.
70 pages
Can a massage damage a nerve?Rarely, and rarely seriously. Tingling or a zing during a massage is a nerve warning, not an injury. Where nerves sit exposed and what irritation is.
Can I get a massage after drinking alcohol?Not if you still feel the drinks. Alcohol dulls the feedback that keeps pressure safe, dehydrates you and adds to post-massage wobbliness. Hangovers too.
Can I get a massage when I have a cold?Best to reschedule. A cold is contagious until your symptoms have gone, and a fever or body aches are a clear reason to rest. How to decide, when to rebook.
Can I have a massage if I have osteoporosis?Usually yes, with lighter pressure, no deep work over the spine and ribs, and careful positioning. Severe osteoporosis means checking with your doctor first.
Can I have a massage with high blood pressure?Yes, if your blood pressure is controlled. Uncontrolled hypertension needs your doctor's okay first, and relaxation-style work beats painful pressure.
Can lymphatic drainage help fluid retention before your period?It can ease the puffy, heavy feeling for a day or so, but it does not change the hormonal cycle behind it. What the research shows and when it is not PMS.
Can lymphatic drainage help numbness after surgery?Can lymphatic drainage help numbness after surgery? Not directly: feeling returns as nerves recover. It can ease swelling, and numb skin needs care with heat.
Can lymphatic drainage help swelling after a sprain or injury?Yes, once a fracture and a clot are ruled out. Injury swelling is fluid the lymphatics must clear; MLD is used in sprain rehab, but not in the first days.
Can lymphatic drainage help swelling from varicose veins?Yes, as comfort: venous swelling is mixed venous and lymphatic fluid. It does not treat the veins; compression is the mainstay; phlebitis or a clot stop it.
Can lymphatic drainage make swelling worse?Done correctly, no. Swelling can rise if drainage is given during infection, to a heart or kidneys that cannot cope, or with no compression.
Can lymphatic drainage make you feel sick?A few people feel mildly off after lymphatic drainage. A fever afterward is a sign of infection that needs a doctor. How to tell the two apart.
Can massage break up muscle knots?Massage does not break anything up, because a muscle knot is not a lump to crush. It is a patch of muscle that will not relax, and massage helps it let go.
Can massage make sciatica worse?Massage can make sciatica worse when you lie face down and the low back is pressed hard in a flare. Side-lying, lighter work and 'first, do no harm' avoid it.
Can you combine lymphatic drainage with a regular massage?Yes, most healthy people can combine lymphatic drainage with a regular massage in one visit. How the two halves differ, and when to keep them apart.
Can you drive to lymphatic drainage after surgery?Can you drive to lymphatic drainage after surgery? Not for 24 hours after anaesthetic, or while pain medicine makes you drowsy. Plan rides for early visits.
Can you get a massage and acupuncture on the same day?Can you get a massage and acupuncture on the same day? Yes, for most people. What the combined research shows, which order to choose and how to plan the day.
Can you get a massage or lymphatic drainage after a vaccine?Can you get a massage or lymphatic drainage after a vaccine? Yes if you feel well: skip the sore arm, reschedule if feverish, leave a swollen node alone.
Can you get a massage with a new tattoo?Can you get a massage with a new tattoo? Yes, everywhere but the tattoo. Keep oil, friction, cups and pressure off healing ink until the skin has settled.
Can you get a massage with a skin rash?Can you get a massage with a skin rash? It depends on the rash: contagious ones mean reschedule, others can be worked around, and some need a doctor first.
Can you have lymphatic drainage when you have a cold?Not while you are actively sick. Fever and active infection are standard reasons to postpone lymphatic drainage. What to check before you come in.
Can you have lymphatic drainage with a heart condition?Not with uncontrolled heart failure: fluid a session returns to the blood adds to the heart's load. Stable, treated heart disease needs a doctor's go-ahead.
Can you have lymphatic drainage with a thyroid condition?Can you have lymphatic drainage with a thyroid condition? Usually, if it is treated and stable. When to wait: overactive thyroid, nodules, cancer, surgery.
Can you have TMJ massage with braces or Invisalign?Can you have TMJ massage with braces or Invisalign? Usually yes: aligners come out for the session, and gloved work can stay clear of brackets and wires.
Can you massage swollen lymph nodes?No. A tender, swollen node is doing its job against an infection, and rubbing it will not shrink it. The signs that mean a doctor should see it first.
Do lymph nodes grow back after they are removed?A removed lymph node is not replaced. Vessels can open new routes and surgeons can transplant nodes, but the filter is gone. What it means for swelling risk.
Do lymphatic drainage drops work?Do lymphatic drainage drops work? No human trial shows herbal drops move lymph or reduce swelling. What the research found, the risks, and what does help.
Does deep tissue massage have to hurt to work?No. Deep tissue massage does not have to hurt to be useful. A strong but welcome ache is fine; sharp, electric or bracing pain means ease the pressure.
Does lymphatic drainage do anything if you are healthy?For a well person, lymphatic drainage means deep relaxation and a lighter feeling as fluid moves, and it eases everyday puffiness from flights or long days.
Does lymphatic drainage help cellulite?Only the fluid part. Lymphatic drainage can smooth puffy, dimpled thighs for a day, but cellulite is structural and the bands that cause it do not change.
Does lymphatic drainage help you lose weight?No. Lymphatic drainage moves fluid, not fat. Any drop on the scale is water that returns within days. What the 2023 metabolic study did and did not show.
How does lymph move if there is no pump?Lymph has no heart behind it. It moves on muscle contraction, breathing, arterial pulsing and vessel squeeze, with valves to stop backflow.
How long after Botox can I have a massage?Wait a full 24 hours before any facial, head or jaw massage after Botox, and tell your therapist the injection date. Here is why, and what changes at Renu.
How long before a race should I get a sports massage?Not within 48 hours of the start. Experienced massage clients can book two to seven days out; first-timers should go several weeks before or wait until after.
How long do Brazilian lymphatic drainage results last?How long do Brazilian lymphatic drainage results last? The de-bloated look lasts hours to days; suction effects fade within a month; collagen takes months.
How long do cupping marks last?How long do cupping marks last? Most fade within one to two weeks, lighter ones in a few days. How to time cupping before a wedding, photos or a beach trip.
How long does complete decongestive therapy take?How long does complete decongestive therapy take? The intensive phase is about 3 to 8 weeks, ideally 5 days a week; maintenance follows and can be lifelong.
How long should a lymphatic drainage session be?How long should a lymphatic drainage session be? Long enough to clear the neck and nodes, then your area: often 30 to 60 minutes, or 90 for several areas.
How often should I get a deep tissue massage?Leave at least 48 hours between deep tissue sessions so soreness clears. For a stubborn problem, closer sessions for weeks, then taper; upkeep, monthly.
How often should I get a massage?Weekly for a problem you are actively treating, every two to four weeks for maintenance, and longer sessions over frequent short ones. The research.
How often should I get massage for low back pain?For low back pain the relief from massage is short term, so sessions work best clustered while it hurts, then spaced out as movement takes over.
How often should you get lymphatic drainage?It depends on why. Lymphedema reduction means near-daily sessions for a few weeks, post-surgery two or three a week, general puffiness only as needed.
How soon after a car accident can I get a massage?After a car accident, see a doctor first, wait a few days so early healing is undisturbed, then start gentle massage. Deeper work comes later.
How soon after microneedling can you have a lymphatic facial?Lymphatic facial after microneedling: wait until redness, swelling and flaking have settled, often about a week, and follow your provider's aftercare.
How to check a massage therapist is registered in AlbertaHow to check a massage therapist is registered in Alberta: ask which association they belong to, confirm it with that association, and check their training.
Is a 60- or 90-minute massage better?60 minutes covers a full body or one area well; 90 adds a focus area or a second technique. Research favours regular 60-minute sessions over rare long ones.
Is acupuncture safe?Is acupuncture safe? Yes, with a trained practitioner and sterile needles: serious harm is about 1 in 10,000 patients; minor needle-site reactions are common.
Is massage safe when you have arthritis?For most people, yes, outside a flare and away from damaged joints, with moderate pressure. The precautions for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Is massage safe with a pinched nerve in the neck?Massage is generally safe with a pinched nerve in the neck if the therapist works the muscles around it rather than pressing on the tingling spot.
Should I get a massage during a migraine attack?During a migraine's headache phase, rescheduling is usually kinder: skin is often tender, smells and effort make it worse, and the attack passes in hours.
Should you stop retinol before a facial?Should you stop retinol before a facial? Not for gentle lymphatic work, but pause or ask first if your facial includes exfoliation, extractions or a peel.
What to ask before booking post-op lymphatic drainageWhat to ask before booking post-op lymphatic drainage: the therapist's training, how they follow your surgeon's plan, what they do if something looks wrong.
When can you get a regular massage after surgery?When can you get a regular massage after surgery? Away from the incision, often soon; on or near it, about six weeks and only once your surgeon clears it.
When can you use an infrared sauna after liposuction?When can you use an infrared sauna after liposuction? The Aesthetic Society advises waiting at least six weeks before heat, and only with your surgeon's okay.
When should you book post-op lymphatic drainage?When should you book post-op lymphatic drainage? Before surgery: reserve the first two to four weeks around your surgeon's start date, then adjust.
Who is qualified to do lymphatic drainage massage?Who is qualified to do lymphatic drainage massage? It depends on why you book: esthetic, post-surgical and lymphedema care each need different training.
Who should avoid deep tissue massage?Avoid deep tissue massage with blood thinners or a bleeding disorder, a fracture, severe osteoporosis, an arthritis flare or acute inflammation, or frailty.
Who should not have lymphatic drainage massage?Lymphatic drainage is avoided with active infection, cellulitis, a blood clot, uncontrolled heart failure, kidney failure or recent stroke. The list and why.
Why do I feel tired after lymphatic drainage?Tiredness after lymphatic drainage is a known, brief reaction: the slow technique shifts you into rest and moves fluid. What helps, and what is not normal.
Why do I feel tired or emotional after a massage?Feeling wiped out or teary after a massage is common and usually harmless: your nervous system has shifted into rest mode. What is happening and what helps.
Why do muscle knots keep coming back after a massage?Muscle knots return after a massage because the massage eased the contraction while the habit that caused it carried on. Here is what keeps them going.
Why do my ankles swell after sitting or standing all day?Still calf muscles mean no pump, so fluid pools in the feet. Long sitting and long standing both do it. The movement breaks that help and when to see a GP.
Why do my feet swell on a plane?Hours of sitting let fluid pool in the feet; one review reports swelling in about 97% of passengers on flights over 7 hours. One swollen leg needs a doctor.
Why do you pee more after lymphatic drainage?Peeing more for a day or two after lymphatic drainage is expected: fluid moved from your tissues returns to the blood and the kidneys pass the extra as urine.
Why does it hurt between my shoulder blades?Pain between the shoulder blades is usually the rhomboids and trapezius, strained by hours of sitting with arms forward. What helps, and when to worry.
Why does lymphatic drainage start at the neck?Lymph empties into the veins at the base of the neck. Clearing that exit and the main nodes first makes room downstream, so a leg session starts there.
Why is clear fluid leaking from my swollen leg?Clear or straw-coloured fluid weeping from swollen skin is lymphorrhoea: lymph escaping through stretched or broken skin. It needs a doctor or nurse today.
Why is lymphatic drainage done without oil?The strokes need grip. Lymphatic drainage stretches skin over the tissue beneath, and oil makes the hand slide instead. Dry skin also suits compression.
Why is lymphatic drainage pressure so light?Lymphatic drainage is light because the vessels it treats lie just under the skin and open when the skin is stretched, not pressed. Why harder is not better.
Why is my swelling worse at the end of the day?Hours upright let gravity pull fluid into the ankles faster than the lymphatics return it; lying flat overnight reverses it. Why the pattern is reversible.
Why is one leg more swollen than the other?One swollen leg is a reason to be seen promptly: a clot (DVT) or skin infection are the common causes. Lymphedema is one-sided too but needs diagnosing first.

West Hillhurst, NW Calgary
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Book online in a minute, or call the clinic. New clients can begin with the 60-minute intro massage, which includes a complimentary infrared cocoon session.
200, 209 19 St NW · Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 8:30 pm · Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

