I read an article on my Facebook feed a few weeks ago on this topic, and since we are in the cold/flu season, I thought it was appropriate to write about this topic to help you make a decision as to wither or not to cancel your treatment if you are sick. (I have provided a link to the article in the References)
The answer – cancel.
Massage therapy has a wide range of benefits, including boosting the immune response. When you are sick, the general immune response is what causes you to feel lousy (congestion, fever, nausea, etc). Generally, these symptoms are what your body needs to fight off the virus and make you better. What your body needs most at this time is time to rest. Rest will help your cells to fights and eliminate the virus and make your feel better. (Porth, 2007, p. 468-470)
But doesn’t your body rest during a massage treatment?
In a way, yes. A massage will help relax your body and mind. HOWEVER, the techniques actually mobilize your tissues. So it is considered more of an active function. The body will maintain a balance, and with the changes in the tissues, it will focus on dealing with those changes as opposed to fighting off the virus and healing the body.
Another thing to consider is your position on the table. Even when you are healthy, lying face down can cause some minor sinus congestion. If you have an infection that causes a runny nose, being face down will be a nightmare. Even if we have your resting on your side or on your back, you won’t be comfortable with the added sinus pressure.
One final thing to consider is how contagious you are. In most cases, when you are ill, you may not even know you are contagious until it is too late. Coming in for a treatment when you are contagious not only puts me at risk, but it can contaminate my work space, and potentially make my other clients sick. Like everyone else, I do not enjoy being sick, but I understand that I cannot put your health at risk if I do become sick, I will be staying home to recover. By staying home when you are sick, you lower the risk of others becoming infected.
Bottom line – if you are sick, don’t feel bad about cancelling last minute. I understand life throws some unexpected curve balls. As unfortunate as it is, I would rather you get better by staying home rather than coming in for a treatment. The cancellation fee will not be changed in this situation as long as it doesn’t become a regular habit.
As a general guide, here are a list of symptoms that I would recommend you cancel your treatment:
Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea that has lasted longer than 24 hours
Fever lasting longer than 24 hours (including general body pain, fatigue and chills)
If you have a runny nose, sniffling, coughing and/or sneezing that are not caused by allergies.
If someone in your house is sick. You could be contagious and not even know it.
It is often difficult to determine what stage you are at when you are sick because there are so many different kinds of illnesses and your body will react differently with each of them. If you are unsure, please contact me, and we can make a decision together. I will often give you a call about a week later in the hopes that the virus ran it’s course and your body is functioning more normally.
As always, if something in the article isn’t clear please ask! But I do hope this article provides some clarity as to where I am coming from when I recommend you cancel.
Until next time, stay well!
References:
Porth, C. (2007). Essentials of pathophysiology: Concepts of altered health states. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Should I cancel my massage if I'm sick? (2015). Retrieved February 02, 2016, from http://www.soothemt.com/should-i-cancel-my-massage-if-im-sick/
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