Massage: Worth It or Not?
Massages are often thought of as a luxurious indulgence, but are they really worth the cost and time investment? The average massage prices depend on if you are doing deep tissue massages, or if your massage therapist is trained in multiple modalities. It may also depend, are you in pain and you are trying to find a way out? Or are you just wanting a relaxation massage? If you have add ons to your treatment, and how long your massage therapist has trained for. Sometimes if a studio has a membership, non members will pay more. Always ask your licensed massage therapist if there are better options for massage and what they would recommend for your treatment plan.
So what are the some benefits of massage?
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Massage therapy sessions can be an amazing way of adding value to your self care routine, and have tons of benefits for the body, mind and spirit.
For example, a standard treatment with a massage therapist can help:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Alleviate pain and discomfort in soft tissues
Improve flexibility and range of motion of soft tissues
Enhance immune function
Increase circulation and movement of fluid through blood vessels
Boost mood and overall well-being
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How much do massages cost?
The cost of full body massage therapy really depends on what you are getting. Usually, as they say, you get what you pay for, and that includes massage prices for individual sessions or massage packages.
Health Insurance Massage
Some insurance plans may cover the cost of massages for certain medical conditions, some insurance companies will only cover a one hour massage session. Some therapists don’t take insurance and if your massage therapist doesn’t take insurance, you’ll have to pay out of pocket. It also depends on the type of massage, which we’ll cover later, and the quality of care you receive.
Motor Vehicle Accident Massage
 At IMMERSE, we often refer to chiropractors for prescription for massage and if you process massage through your PIP claim, your therapist can work on you for zero dollars out of pocket to help you through your injuries. Massage can be a great way to get relief from a motor vehicle accident.
Are there alternatives to massage?
If you don’t want to try massage right off the bat, there are so many alternatives that can offer some of the same benefits, like integrative medicine or self massage so you can be your own massage therapist.
- Self-massage techniques using a flat end tool on your skin or self massage work with lacrosse balls or golf balls can be great for tension in your muscles. If you rub lotion and perform gua sha on yourself or use a foam roller, that can be helpful to relieve achey muscles, tension, and increase blood flow. Foam rolling is popular right now with many athletes who are seeking pain relief and to relieve muscle tension from workouts.
- Stretching and yoga, and even small movements or light stretches can be an effective form of pain management and stress reduction for connective tissue. Your therapist may recommend regular stretching. This can relieve pressure and be a great complement to massage or regular massages. Yoga and its grandfather healing art integrative medicine Ayurveda can also be a great way to get relief, and often recommends self massage.
- Meditation and deep breathing can relieve stress and aid in relaxation as a treatment for anxiety, depression and other mood disorders and also alleviate other medical conditions. In a lot of ways, massage kind of forces you to meditate as you breathe deeply through the pressure and strokes of various massage techniques.
- Hot baths or saunas, if you submerge yourself in warm water with epsom salt, otherwise known as magnesium sulfate, this can aid in relaxation and improve circulation and soreness. Your massage therapist will usually recommend this for muscle tissue and to treat broad tension throughout your body. Epsom salt baths feel like a full body muscle melt that can relieve aches and most people will receive benefit from it. They are great to do for pain after a massage.
- Board certified acupuncture or other integrative medicine therapies have other benefits similar to massage
So, are they really worth it?
Ultimately, that will vary greatly on your budget, whether or not you enjoy a standard treatment, your lifestyle, and if you’d rather add or do some of the other activities listed in this article. All in all, massage is a great option for those in pain, if you have muscle soreness or connective tissue issues but massage therapists prices will vary greatly depending on your wellness routine.
Massage and Lifestyle
There are a few different types of massage that might make massage prices more worth it to you. Always make sure you are seeing licensed massage therapists so you can get the highest quality care.
- Swedish Massage Therapy is a great type of massage where your massage therapists that has more long gliding strokes, to soft tissues better for relaxation, stress and general tension. Day spas will often have couple’s massage in this category of massage that they offer.
- Sports Massage Therapy is a great type of massage for athletes. Your massage therapist will apply pressure to muscle sand skin in soft tissues.
- Medical Massage Therapy great for if you have a specific chronic condition, and want a plan for your treatment
- Hot Stone Massage Therapy are great add ons to any Swedish massage treatment. They can be used in your target area to relax muscles and are usually applied to the skin with enough pressure to massage deeply.
- Deep tissue Massage Therapy is a great way to get relief from chronic pain. Deep tissue massage is a form of massage that helps realign posture and heal from longer term discomfort that you may have felt for even years.
- Therapeutic Massage Therapy is a blanket term for massage that covers many forms of massage, from deep tissue, to medical and Swedish. If the intention of your massage is as a therapeutic, then you can really call it massage therapy and not just rubbing skin
Other Topics Related To Massage Therapy:
- How often should you get massages?
- When should you not have a massage?
- Are massages really worth it?
- How long are the benefits of a massage?
- Do massages help with weight loss?
- What is the difference between massage therapy and regular massage?
- What happens in a massage?
- Do you talk during massage therapy?
- Do massages have long term benefits?
- Benefits of massage therapy
- History of massage therapy
- Massage therapy for athletes
- Massage therapy for pain relief
- Massage therapy for stress and anxiety
- Massage therapy for pregnancy
- Massage therapy for seniors and people with disabilities
- Massage therapy for infants and children
- Massage therapy for cancer patients
- Techniques for self-massage
- Massage therapy for chronic conditions
- Massage therapy and alternative medicine
- Massage therapy and chiropractic care
- Career opportunities in massage therapy
- What should you not do during a massage?
- Is massage therapy painful?
- What happens to your body after a massage?
