The Library
Answers
The questions clients ask across the treatment table, answered plainly and sourced. One question per page.
77 pages
Can a deep tissue massage make my pain worse?Yes, temporarily. In trials, 1.5 to 25 percent of people felt more pain after massage, usually for a day or two. Pain that sharpens or spreads needs a call.
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 ask my massage therapist to stop or change the treatment?Yes, at any moment and for any reason. Consent in massage therapy is ongoing: you choose the pressure, the areas, what you undress and whether to continue.
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 get a massage with a pulled muscle?Not on the injury in the first few days. A pulled muscle is a tear; early on the job is rest, ice and gentle movement. Massage starts around it, then on it.
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 I work out after a massage?Light movement is fine after a massage; hard training is best left until tomorrow. Why the order matters and how to fit a massage into your training week.
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 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 help with bloating?Sometimes, and only for fluid. Lymphatic drainage can ease puffiness from fluid in the tissues, but not gas or constipation. How to tell them apart.
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 'healing crisis' is not a diagnosis, and a fever afterward means infection, not detox. How to tell.
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 neck pain worse?Massage can leave a neck sorer for a day or two, and its benefit is mostly short term. How to tell a normal flare from the rare signs of harm.
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 medications cause swollen ankles?Yes. Blood pressure pills (amlodipine-type calcium channel blockers), NSAIDs, steroids, hormones and gabapentin can all swell the ankles. Ask your prescriber.
Can varicose veins cause lymphedema?Yes. Years of venous pressure overload the lymphatics until they fail too (phlebolymphedema). Skin that darkens, thickens or stops pitting marks the change.
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 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 I need to drink extra water after a massage?Massage does not flush toxins, so you do not need to drink litres afterwards. Normal hydration, especially before, is what prevents a headache.
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.
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 actually work?For lymphedema and post-surgical swelling, yes, modestly and best with compression: Cochrane found about 7 percent extra reduction. For detox, no.
Does lymphatic drainage boost your immune system?No evidence says so. The lymphatic system is part of immunity, but moving lymph faster does not make immune cells work better. Where lymphatic care helps.
Does lymphatic drainage do anything if you are healthy?A healthy lymphatic system does not need help. What you honestly get is deep relaxation and a brief lighter feeling, plus who in the well group does benefit.
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.
Does lymphatic drainage remove toxins?No. Lymph carries water, protein, fats and immune cells back to the blood; the liver and kidneys do the clearing. What lymphatic drainage really does.
Does massage help sore muscles after exercise?Yes, modestly. A meta-analysis of eleven trials found massage lowered post-exercise soreness at 24, 48 and 72 hours. It eases the ache, not the recovery.
Does massage work for chronic low back pain?Massage helps chronic low back pain modestly and briefly, on low-quality evidence, with no serious harms. Guidelines favour exercise and acupuncture first.
How do I know if I need lymphatic drainage?Rings and shoes tightening, one limb heavier, puffiness after surgery or injury: the signs fluid is lingering, and the ones that need a doctor first.
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 the effects of a massage last?The calm lasts hours to a day; looser muscles and less pain usually last days, sometimes a week or two. Research calls massage's benefits short-term.
How long do the results of lymphatic drainage last?The lighter feeling lasts a day or two if nothing changes. Reduced lymphedema can hold for a year or more, but only with compression. What the evidence says.
How much pressure should a massage have?The right massage pressure is the one you choose. It should feel like good work, not pain, and you can change it at any moment. Here is how to ask.
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 a race or hard workout can I get a massage?If you are used to massage, a recovery session within 48 hours of a race is fine. If you are new to it, wait three to four days until the soreness eases.
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 bruising after a deep tissue massage normal?A small bruise or two after very firm work can happen, more so on blood thinners, but it is not the goal. Widespread bruising means too much pressure.
Is it normal to be sore after a massage?Mild soreness after a massage is common and usually settles within a day or two. Here is what it means, what helps, and when to call.
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.
Is massage therapy regulated in Alberta?No. Alberta has no college for massage therapy; an application to regulate the profession was filed in October 2024 and is under review. What RMT means.
Massage, cupping or acupuncture on blood thinnersOn blood thinners, gentle massage is usually fine with a doctor's okay, cupping needs clearance first, and acupuncture may not be safe. What each changes.
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.
What does lymphatic drainage massage feel like?Lymphatic drainage feels light, slow and rhythmic: skin stretched gently toward the neck, armpits and groin, no oil, no kneading. Here is what to expect.
What should I do after a deep tissue massage?After a deep tissue massage: drink normally, eat something light, use heat or cold on sore spots, stretch gently, and leave the hard workout until tomorrow.
What should you do after lymphatic drainage?Compression back on if you have it, a walk rather than the gym, water in normal amounts, loose clothes and no hot tub. What makes the rest of the day count.
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 I get a headache after a massage?A headache after a massage usually comes from dehydration, too much pressure, a scent or product, or standing up too fast. Here is how to prevent it.
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 found swelling in about 97% of passengers on flights over seven hours. One swollen leg needs a doctor.
Why do my legs feel heavy but not look swollen?Heaviness, tightness and rings or shoes that pinch can come before visible swelling: stage 0 lymphedema or early vein disease. The best moment to be assessed.
Why do my legs swell in hot weather?Heat widens skin vessels to shed warmth, and more fluid leaks into the tissue than the lymphatics can clear. Usually harmless: elevate; diuretics do not help.
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 does TMJ massage go inside the mouth?The medial and lateral pterygoids, two of the four chewing muscles, lie deep behind the jawbone. Only a gloved finger inside the cheek can reach them.
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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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

