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FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    difficult diagnosis talking about chronic pain

    What is the difference between massage and massage therapy?

    There isn’t a difference except for personal preference. Most Massage Therapists will prefer the term massage therapy if they do more medical, orthopedic, or pain management work. While massage, by itself,  can be used to refer to  a combination or spa services, relaxation work, and a slew of modalities such as hot stone, thai foot treatments etc.

    What type is best for knots and muscle tension?

    While all various types of massage are good for knots and tension we use Myofascial release, trigger point, and deep stripping on our clients. These techniques are simple, effective, and enjoyable. A more aggressive approach is scrapping, Graston Technique, in which a tool is used to “scrape” the underlying tissues. While this can bring a lot of relief to clients it can also leave bruising and cause more damage. Tranquil Therapy uses this technique on scar tissue but usually reserves this as a last resort. 

    Can muscle knots be massaged out?

    Short answer yes! Muscle knots are formed when muscle fibers stick together, causing a decrease in range of motion in the muscle itself. These fibers limit mobility and if they are not worked out early they continue to grow as more muscle fibers stick to the area. Massage is a great way to work these out as well as regular strengthening, stretching, and even self massage. Self massage, in this case, looks like a ball (myofascial ball rolling) or a theracane

    What should you not do during a massage

    You should not ask inappropriate questions or make inappropriate suggestions. Massage therapists are professionals and should be treated as such. Asking or suggesting inappropriate things will make the therapist uncomfortable with consequences varying from a call to the authorities to asking you to leave on site. You shouldn’t treat massage therapists any differently than any other service provider. 

    Should I shower before?

    If you were active prior to your massage and are dirty then we would absolutely appreciate you showering before your session but if you are not dirty and have showered earlier that day or the day before then you are fine to arrive as you are.

    What should I wear?

    Depending on your massage you can arrive in whatever you want. A typical massage where you undress doesn’t have restrictions on what you can wear to a session because you will be undressing. You should wear clothes you are comfortable in and are easy to put on and take off. If you are getting a Thai Massage or Shiatsu Massage then you should wear comfortable loose fighting clothing.

    Do massage therapists talk during the session?

    That depends on the therapist! If you are here to relax then talking may not be best for your session. I talk with some of my clients since we are working on pain management and I require you to tell me how the pressure is. Play it by ear and communicate what will make the experience better for you. We don’t mind either way.

    Is deep tissue massage good for you?

    Deep Tissue isn’t really a thing. We call it that to communicate a “deeper” pressure but for a therapist all it means is “this client wants a lot of pressure”. If you are a person that likes a lot of pressure you can seek this type of massage out. If  you are unsure then let your therapist know and we can work with you to determine what your preferences are. Although deeper work is usually beneficial it should NEVER hurt. If a therapist refuses to listen to you when you say that hurts or use less pressure then leave. You have every right to stop a service.

    purple haired massage therapist

    What kind of topics do you write about?

    Ashley writes the majority of our blog posts and service pages like “Couples massage classes” , “The benefits of strength training“, & “Massage for bartenders

    Sometimes you may find posts that are no longer active but worth keeping around such as “Open Path Collective” or things to do in lancaster for our old school Philly clients. You will also find entries about Ashley’s Hobbies such as “Hula Hooping and Somatics“. While we talk a lot about massage we also offer strength training services and have free videos. Organizations we love are also featured at times. 

    But she also enjoys writing about other topics such as:

    5 home office tools you need for pain management” &  “Doula services

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