A massage is a great idea any time, right? Wrong. There are certain times to avoid getting a massage, as any Portland massage therapist can attest.

DON’T Get a Massage When…

…You are ill. Don’t risk passing on your sickness. Stay home and rest until your symptoms clear up. When you’re sick, the body already has enough “work” to do—namely fighting infection and resting. Massage may actually make that work harder, by stimulating tissue when rest is really the best medicine.

…You’re taking certain medications. Always ask your doctor about counter indications to proscribed drugs. Massage can interfere with the action of certain medicines. […]

During the winter, the blues strikes about 10% among the general American population; that number rises to 20-30% in northern latitudes such as Portland (Portland Psychotherapy). About 6-8% of Americans and 5-9% of Portlanders will develop a more serious form of cyclic depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is triggered by the scarcity of natural light the fall and winter.

Symptoms of SAD include:
–Fatigue during the day.
–Decreased ability to focus; feeling like you’re “in a fog” mentally.
–Grumpiness and irritability.
–Decreased libido.
–Amplified need for sleep.
–Growing appetite for “comfort foods” such as starchy carbohydrates and sweets.
SAD may also prompt social withdrawal. Women between […]