Massage Related Pain?

Okay so you had a massage yesterday and it felt so nice on the table but now...ugh! That soreness is setting in! HELP! What are some things you can do at home to help with pain?​​

First: after a massage, most important rule: WATER!!! Drink lots. It helps to rid your body of those toxins your body stores in the muscle fibers called LACTIC ACID. Some say this is a myth but I am a firm believer, it just makes sense. So please drink plenty of water. ​​

Another tip is to add a supplement to that water! My favorite is Coconut Enhancer by PURE INVENTIONS. Yes it is pricey but it is SO TASTY and it enhances your H2O's hydrating potential by 30 percent. WOW. Plus if you get bored with water every now and then, this is a great way to take a break from bland for a few days. Just a couple droppers in about 20 oz is perfect for me. No artificial sweeteners either, so perfectly safe and healthy. The other reason I recommend this product with water specifically after a massage is the renewal properties it offers your muscles. It is infused with magnesium, potassium, and other great vitamins and minerals your body needs shortly after releasing all that tension. Believe it or not, massage is quite a workout for your body's cleansing system. Give it a hand with PURE INVENTIONS. LOVE THIS STUFF.​​

Next: using topical analgesics is always a great way to help those sore muscles bounce back. My personal favorite is BIOFREEZE. I love this stuff and I think its the menthol and eucalyptus blend that gives it such a powerful yet gentle effect. It also goes on well, it does not leave any sticky residue which I like. I can wash it right off. So NICE. Now YoungLiving does produce its own pain relief cream or Sports gel (SIDE NOTE BELOW) as well which I was so happy to find out! I plan to try this one ASAP! It is called COOL AZUL and comes in a little 3.4 oz bottle of cream. It is safe of course to use on minor joint aches and pains as well as muscular strains. By combing Wintergreen and Peppermint Cool Azul promises to produce fast and effect synthetic free pain relief. AWESOME. Cannot wait to try. SIDE NOTE: so I had a question about gels vs. creams the other day. Because a wide variety of topical agents come in different emollients. My biggest belief is that they are made in different forms to suit people's taste in textures. My hubby HATES the feeling of lotion while I love it. Maybe it also has to do with an individual's skin type...IF you have naturally oily skin: definitely go with a gel but if you have naturally dry: lotion is most likely your thing. However, If I have just been working out and sweaty the last thing I want is a lotion on me. So that is another reason for gel products, it depends on situation. I strongly believe gel applies easier and cleaner when you are a sweatball and that is why it is widely advertised linking with sports. I will also testify that I do believe gel goes deeper into the tissues. I don't have any scientific proof of this but I really think that as a former athlete and a sports massage therapist, I just felt like gel products got to my deeper pain more effectively and at a faster rate and most of my clients have agreed. So my advice, try both! I have also heard of ARNICA GEL as it happens to be a favorite of my uncle (a physical therapist by trade who also strongly promotes and believes in natural pain relief). I do not know much about the product but I do know that Arnica is said to be one of the best numbing agents in the natural world so it is worth a try also!

Some other products out there to google or try that I have worked with and know work but aren't my personal favorites for reasons are Tiger Balm (shoutout to Terri P), gosh she loves that stuff and ICYHOT. Why not Tigerbalm? IT IS SO STICKY!!! I hate that. As a therapist nothing is worse than trying to spread glue on someone HA! Sorry Terri. Why not ICYHOT? Well, it's the smell! It reminds me of horribly strong gum. And I overused it in high school and it is SOOOOO HOT on my hands when trying to apply on clients. Not a fan. In my opinion they are both just so hard to get off your hands which is a big deal to me. But those are my opinions and I strongly encourage you to try everything, just be careful if you have sensitive skin!

Third: GET MORE MASSAGES! When your tissues aren't used to being manipulated, the facia will fight back! Fascia is the strong tendinous casing your muscles are wrapped in down to the tiniest fiber! Like Saran wrap holding you together! This facia stuff also gets super sticky like cling wrap and causes pain, limits mobility, pulls bones and joints and muscles out of place, and can even become inflamed when untreated. So the more massage you get, the more pliable that facia becomes and the more pliable your tissue becomes, the better you will feel after each massage as well as just performing everyday activity. There is hope, and you don't have to feel like a tightly wrapped leftover forever my friend, and the solution is simple...JUMP BACK ON THE TABLE! I mean... not a bad thing.

Fourth: three words—Epsom Salt Bath. This is another great way to reintroduce some of those key minerals your muscles need to rehabilitate after serious body work. Dr. Teal's has a lavender infused pack ready to buy or you can just drop in your own essential oil blend as well. Remember that lavender is a calming agent so a great choice for a soothing muscle bath. Salt also makes the body more even more buoyant than just plain old water in a tub thus relieving a lot of pressure on those achy joints. This should really help if you need some serious relief.

Last: break out the Panaway. Oh my goodness do I love this product. When I was pregnant with my son, I would get so sore and believe it or not massage just made me feel sick for a day after session just because of all those hormones running through my body. So I was addicted to a few essential oils. Panaway being the one I HAD TO HAVE after a massage or for sciatica or for my PSD or for so many other reasons. Another one I tried was BASIL. BASIL is a natural muscle relaxer. When my muscles got too fatigued they would spasm and I would get horrible leg cramps as well, BASIL and Panaway were my best friends for a good four months. When my husband would help me rub these on, I swear to you it worked faster and more effective than any amount of Tylenol could. So please give that a go! I do not think you will be disappointed.

If you have ever assumed, "Hey I just had a massage and so now I will feel so great!" but then the soreness sets in and so does a little bit of regret (let's be honest) don't worry! You are not the only one. Just take the proper post-session steps and I promise, you will notice that post massage soreness will become a thing of the past.

Absolute Gold

My Favorite Topical Analgesic

Seriously, if you have not tried this... you are missing out.

About Me

I am Courtney, a massage therapist and small business owner. Married to an incredible man and together we have one beautiful baby boy! I am just about to finally go back to work for the first time since my son was born last July. I am so passionate about helping people reach their healing potential and in my massage practice, essential oils are a HUGE essential part of the process. A lot of what I blog about on my website correlates to my life-long experience surrounded by Young Living Essential Oils and how they have changed my life. My nana was a massage therapist and oils distributor also while I was growing up and I feel at home whenever I immerse myself in their healing presence. So I hope you can take something away from my articles, I try to make them fun and informative so I can share something so dear to my heart and health with others!