What to tell your massage therapist before a session

Most of what makes a massage good happens before it starts. A therapist cannot feel your stiff neck from the inside, or know that your left knee has been odd since spring. They work from what you tell them and what they can feel under their hands. A little information at the beginning goes a long way, and it is easy to give. Here is what is worth saying.

Where you want attention

Start with the simplest thing: where it feels tight or sore, and where you would like the time spent. Be specific. “My back” is a start; “the right side, between the shoulder blade and the spine, mostly after I have been sitting” is something your therapist can work with. If you want something left alone, say that too. Some people do not enjoy their feet worked, and some would rather skip the scalp. There are no wrong preferences.

It helps to mention how long it has been going on, too. A tight neck that showed up this morning and one you have carried for years may get different handling, and the therapist cannot guess which one you have.

How firm you like it

Pressure is the second thing to name. Light, medium and firm mean different things to different people, so use your own words: I like to feel it the next day, or I tense up, so please keep it gentle. If you are not sure, say that, and ask the therapist to start lighter and build. It is much easier to add pressure than to take it away mid-stroke.

Pressure can also change by area. Plenty of people want a firm touch on the back and something much lighter on the neck or the feet, and that is a perfectly ordinary request.

Anything recent

Mention anything recent: a fall, a sprain, a pulled muscle, surgery, a new workout, a bruise, a sunburn, a rash. The word recent matters more than the severity. Fresh injuries and tender areas are places a therapist will usually work around or handle lightly, and that only happens if they know about it. If you are in the middle of seeing a doctor or physical therapist for something, say so, and keep following the advice you have been given.

Pregnancy, medications and health conditions

If you are pregnant, or think you might be, say so when you book rather than when you are on the table. Pregnancy massage is one of the services listed at Dawson's Stress Reduction, and positioning and areas of focus differ from an ordinary session. The same goes for medications and health conditions. Blood thinners, high blood pressure, diabetes, a history of blood clots, cancer treatment, a pacemaker, anything your doctor has told you to be careful about: all of it deserves a mention.

Whether massage is right for you with a given condition is a question for your doctor, and a therapist is not a replacement for that conversation. If you are unsure, check with your doctor first and book afterward. Allergies and skin sensitivities belong in this part too, along with any scents or products you react to.

Speaking up once you are on the table

Telling the therapist at the start is half of it. The other half is speaking up during the session. Pressure that felt right five minutes ago may be too much now. The room may be cold. A position may have become uncomfortable. You can say a little lighter, or stay there a bit longer, at any moment, and a good therapist wants to hear it. You will not hurt anyone's feelings. Staying quiet to be polite is a common reason a session ends up fine rather than good.

Sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness are reasons to say something right away, not to push through.

A short list to take with you

If you tend to forget everything the moment you lie down, keep this list in your head or on your phone:

• The two or three places you most want worked.
• How firm you like it, in your own words.
• Anything recent: injuries, surgery, a new workout.
• Pregnancy, medications and conditions your doctor has flagged.
• Allergies, scent sensitivity and sensitive skin.

The initial consultation at Dawson's Stress Reduction is free, which makes it a good place to put all of this on the table before you spend money on a session. Appointments run Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM, in Oakland, and the number is (510) 229-0214.