Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to level up my knowledge of branding and business this year. I’d like to open my own space in a few years, and really get a good grasp on the administrative side of a massage career, as well as figuring out a cohesive brand for myself (that can then be transitioned to a larger scale).

I’m wondering if anyone has found any books or other resources helpful? General or specific - I’m just brainstorming at this point.

Thanks!

I've had this pain for going on two years. I had xrays done and nothing was found. No cracks. No fractures. My GP said that he thought that it was a floating rib that's out of place and that maybe a chiropractor could "adjust" it back into place. I tried that and it worked temporarily.

I don't know what to do. Will any kind of massage therapy work?

I have a question for fellow therapists - do you have a preferred massage medium to use on extremely hairy clients? I am a fairly new therapist and still facing obstacles and unexpected challenges with almost every treatment and this was one I ran into today. Mt client had a lot of body hair all over and I found it difficult to do detailed of specific work. I usually use Songbird wax but wondered if people found oil easier in this situation and which type? Many thanks. 🙂

First massage and I can handle pain as I have a high tolerance, but is it better to get a deep tissue as I have a world of pain to wake up to every morning from tension. Or should I go for a Swedish massage?

I'm 17 and grew very fast so my body was always under lots of stresss from my growth spurts and school. Everybody who does a basic level shoulder massage as a friendly gesture always says the same thing. That I am super tense, they're not wrong as my body is tensed up horribly and needs corrrcted.

I've wanted a massage for over a year and I finally found the time to head to my states capital to get a proper one.

So my question is should I get a deep tissue or a Swedish massage?

(Will be 1.5 hours to 2 hours)

Had a 90 min deep tissue massage with a focus on my neck and upper back. My left shoulder had been really tight and the therapist ended up focusing on it for most of the time. Lots of cupping, scraping, and deep massage with her elbow near my scapula. It felt mostly good at the time with occasional mild pain that I chalked up to the process of working out the tension. However, it’s been 10 days since the massage and I’ve been in pretty significant pain ever since. Intense burning sensation in left shoulder, neck, and clavicle. And strangely, a sunburn sensation all over my skin in that area, including down my left arm. Some bruising (not from cups, more like fingerprints.) It also seems like I have MORE knots in the shoulder than before and back rib pain when I take a deep breath. I’m living on pain meds, heat (microwaveable heating pad) and anti-inflammatories. What happened? Could this be nerve damage? It feels like I need another massage to alleviate this pain but I’m afraid to aggravate it more. This has never happened before and I don’t know how to make the pain go away. Do I need to see a doctor? Thanks for any thoughts/advice.

I went in for a massage today informing the therapist that my main issue is tension headaches, as well as a stiff neck and back. However it wasn’t so much head/scalp focused, more so a full body.

Do therapists usually not work on the head/scalp area, or would I have to request that? I still have that “tight band” feeling around my head even after the session and was confused as to why the area I specified wouldn’t have been worked on.

having back pain so got my doctor to prescribe a deep tissue massage for me. the office emails back that my insurance is covering it but not for tip and that i should bring cash - most people tip at least 15 dollars they say. is tipping normal etiquette for a clinical massage? im in san francisco

I have constant knots in the small area between the base of my neck and my shoulder blades, and every time I get a massage, the LMT doesn't always get the knots out entirely..it doesn't help much that there's a language barrier, and I'm too afraid to say something because of my social anxiety.

I got a full body massage bcs I had pretty bad back pain for quite a few years and I wanted to give this a shot as well. I’ve never had one before and I’m 29 years old (if that matters). I have been to multiple doctors and none of them has been able to diagnose anything, so I figured a massage might be able to alleviate some muscle tension. The masseuse wasn’t too rough, and I mostly thought too gentle tbh. After the massage, I was sore in my back (only) but I read that it’s pretty normal for a first time deep tissue massage. However, it’s been 2 weeks now, and it’s just getting worse every day. I have pretty acute pain in some areas of my back and neck, much worse than it initially was. Is this normal? Should I go to the masseuse again and ask? What can I do?

It may sound like i’m pointing the obvious but before getting massages; relaxtion music never really did anything to me (it just sounded like random smooth sound). Now it’s almost like a placebo to tell my body to relax for your massage

Hey y'all! Just wanted to share about an experience my girlfriend (29F) had recently, and see if anyone has any advice.

My gf went for a massage 2 weeks ago just to relax. She did not have any issues that she was trying to resolve, just wanted a nice relaxing massage. We moved recently so she was trying a new place that she found near us. When she arrived for her appointment the Massage Therapist (MT) says she specializes in cupping. My gf just wanted a massage so said she wasn't interested and the MT said she could just do a little bit to try it out, my gf agreed and did the massage.

The MT did cupping on her back for 80% of the 1h massage. My gf can be quite sensitive to a lot of pressure and the cupping was quite uncomfortable, so much so that she had to stop her at multiple points in the massage. She was a bit sore after the massage, but drank a bunch of water to try to recover.

Over the next few days her back started to develop some severe back pain. The pain strongest on her right side, just below her rib cage. It is very tender to the touch, and we have been using RUB A535 to help with the pain. The pain usually is not too bad in the morning and slowly builds throughout the day while she sits at a desk for work. The pain has gotten so bad that some nights she has trouble even sitting up or walking around.

This has been a pretty frustrating week for her, as she feels like she went for a massage to relax and it has caused a new issue that was never there. Have any of you ever heard of a result like this from cupping? We want to send an email to the MT, any idea on what we should say? Thanks!

So I get my foot worked on regularly because as a chef I am on my feet like 12 hrs a day without sitting... Between massages do you have any suggestions on what I can do at home to help... Already have orthotics but I am not slowing down enough to rest it to get it let up with just those

Hey, prospective RMT here, just wondering if there was anything that surprised you or anything you hadn't considered when you got into RMT that afterwards you were like oh I didnt think of that I wish I knew that before I got into this profession.

UPDATE;:

hi everyone , thank you SO much to everyone for all your replies. i know this is such a first world problem but it spoiled my day off.

i contacted the salon who wouldnt refund but offered to reschdule me for free instead. after speaking to Treatwell who wouldnt help, i agreed even though i really dont want to go back there,cos the alternative is to just lose $65. although i will also lose a further $20 on another train. I wanted to open a credit card dispute but didnt think id win because i already accepted the offer to reschedule snd think the credit card company will say i didnt solve the problem myself because i accepted and then changed my mind

hi everyone,

I booked a massage today and am unhappy because of the following:

1. received text about an hour before the massage saying that due to the previous client running late my massage would be postponed for half an hour. No apology given
2. When I got to the venue for the new time, massage was a further 15 mins late
3. When I got there, because I booked through a third party site ( treatwell), the receptionist tried to persuade me to cancel and refund the massage and rebook directly with them so they could save on the commission fees. To be fair she said she'd give me a 10% discount, but I didn't want to because the appointment was already running late and also I got 15% discount by booking through the third party site
4. When I got the actual massage, it seemed quite good but (I booked for 1 hour full body Swedish) the therapist did about 25-30 mins on my back, arms and legs but then did my scalp which I didn't want tbh (I have a sports injury hence booking the full body massage) and put hot stones on my back and then just left me there for 5-10 mins at a time. Throughout the last 30 mins of the appointment she kept walking off and I could hear her talking to others outside; when she came back she said it was because the receptionist had left so she was doing two jobs at once and was having to man reception hence why she kept leaving. But she left the hot stones on me and when she came back, did a minute or so of scalp massage before she left again. I think because she left the hot stones on me she thought I'd be able to just relax whilst she was gone (she was gone about 5-10 mins at a time)
5. During the last 10-15 mins of the appointment, I actually decided to leave because I'd pre-booked a train home to get the best price ($20) and I needed to make that specific train otherwise I'd lose my money. I had booked the train to fit in with the original appointment that was delayed by an hour and 15 mins so I basically decided to leave early to make sure I'd get the train and also because the therapist had been gone for ages at this point so I didn't want to wait further and the room was getting cold. When I got out the therapist seemed surprised I was leaving early and said she could give me extra time to make up for it, which was really sweet, she was lovely but due to the time constraints I couldn't stay otherwise I'd miss the train

I found the whole experience stressful as I only booked the massage to try and relax but the whole thing kind of had the opposite effect? I wanna ask for my money back or at least half (although half still feels like too much tbh) but I feel guilty at the same time because she did spend 25 mins or so doing the actual massageþ

"Disappointment" doesn't even begin to describe that entire exchange over the phone. The fact that you would call a clinic with the word "rehab" in the name with your asinine question speaks volumes over the fact that you were clearly thinking with the wrong head.

The fact that our number is displayed nowhere else locally outside of a Google search, where the clinic name is clearly displayed, means that you put your selfish desires above a fundamental understanding of humanity.

Your attempt at an apology after you called back a second time was nothing more than self serving. An apology doesn't put a broken glass back together nor does it remove a bullet from a wound.

A meager apology will never make up to the two receptionists you bothered or change the fact that they even have to deal with people like you. An apology will never add respect to the practitioners that have spent thousands of hours and dollars trying to perfect their craft of helping people through this sometimes unfortunate journey we call life.

So, keep your apology. Don't be sorry. Be better.

Any experts on massage. I went for a 1 hour leg massage. And for a few days now I am very wobbly on my feet and cannot stand on my toes and unstable on my balance. What happened?

Hello - thinking about going into RMT - just wondering if people find satisfaction in this career - do you enjoy what you do? Is there burnout? do you enjoy going to work every day? Have you done it for a long time and enjoy it? Or if you're newer is it something you can see yourself doing long term?

Does anyone here work at a med spa or rent from an Aesthetic nurse?

I know the laws and regulations for med spas are changing in my state in 2025 which might affect the rental options in these businesses. Not directly Because of the massage therapy board but because some of the med spas will simply close their doors. Anyone facing this issue?

I've been trying to figure out which company is best but the whole process is pretty confusing...was hoping y'all could provide me with a little help.

Hi friends. I'm starting at a new spa tomorrow (Monday the 2nd) and I'm used to using DaySmart but they use MassageBook. The system, to me, is not very legible. To those who use it, what tips do you have for me? I'm nervous I'm going to mess up someone's schedule lol

I get monthly massages and frequently, but not always, my back aches badly afterwards. It’s not muscle pain. That happens too, sometimes, but that’s not what I’m talking about. This is more like maybe nerve pain.

Ice, stretching and rest make it better.

I’ve gone to a few different therapists and it happens with different ones. The massage feels great when I’m getting it and my upper back and shoulders feel nice and loose, but my lower back seizes up in a painful way.

If it matters, massages always start face down and finish face up with a bolster under my knees.

Any idea why this is happening and what I can do about it?

Thanks.

Anyone use or have any opinions on the achedaway scrapers? I've heard lots of good things, but mostly from therapists who are borderline influencers, so I never trust social media opinions 😆

I got a massage done on Thursday because my body had been super sore from my swimming and aqua fit activities. I am learning how to swim and I can now do so so I am very new to the process. I’ve been to this RMT a few times and she does great work. I felt amazing right after the massage and slept like a baby. I did notice some pain in the neck and back areas right in the center a few inches from the base of the neck. I figured it was just soreness from the massage. I haven’t don’t any workouts since. Saturday I woke up with a migraine in the top of my head. Certain things like bending over to clean cause pain. So I took the rest of the day easy. Today I wake up because of pain. I noticed when my head was turned on its side when sleeping I was causing headaches. I’m up now and the area is still very sore in the middle. Not sure if it’s a pinched nerve but now I’m just sitting and hydrating cuz of the pain. Should I get a correction massage or should I just let it sort itself out?

I (26f) had a massage yesterday. It was done at a legitimate massage center by an LMT. She gave me weird vibes the second I walked in there. But, a very dear friend recommended the establishment since it saved her when she was having a horrific pregnancy. The massage was nice and really relaxed my shoulders. But, at the end, my massage therapist squatted down right next to my ear and whispered very strangely….almost sensually “thank you for sharing your body today“ it weirded me the fuck out I’m not gonna lie. I was just wondering if anyone in this group has said that to clients, if that’s normal, or have an experience with anything similar.

I’ve had massages before and never had anything like that said to me. All the LMT’s I have had in the past have always just said something like “we’re all done, I’ll be outside when you’re ready” and left the room. Is this a thing LMT’s say? No hate. I’m just genuinely confused. Thank you!

For reference, I’m (M24) also a regular gym goer. I started feeling this months ago, but a doctor told me it was costachondritis. But today, I was getting a deep tissue massage, and the massage therapist told me my left upper body is inflamed. She said to stop lifting until it eased up, and even then, go back into it with super light weights. She told me I can still build muscle with really light weights. I obviously got to go to a doctor, but God, this fucking sucks. Any suggestions or tips?

A few days ago I gave a massage to a client. I was working on his arms one hand massaging his forearms the other just holding his arm up, out of nowhere he moves his hand around finding my wrist he grabs it tightly, my heart drops & for some reason now im scared, I instantly pull my hand away by pushing his arm down and away. He kinda goes to grab it again but I pull away more, Finally I place his arm onto the table and keep massaging. I use the hand he grabbed (the one holding his up previously) to hold it down just in case, this all happened in a span of like 5 seconds, I could feel myself tearing up, I don’t know why him grabbing my wrist like that scared me so much but it did the remaining 20mins went by so slow…I know im free to exit the room if I feel uncomfortable but I convinced myself it was just a mistake on his part he probably didn’t mean to do it. Thinking back I still don’t know what to believe, mistake or not I did let management know I can’t massage that client anymore without feeling uncomfortable.

went to school and graduated for massage therapy 7 years ago and life happened I guess and just never got nationally licensed. So I need to take the Illinois MBLEX test. Doesn’t anyone know best way to prepare for it? Do they have any courses that I can take to refresh my mind?

I’ve found several therapists here In Ontario Canada who do not ask or obtain any kind of consent before treating these areas. The therapists haven’t touched my inappropriately but I would rather discuss this before hand as I didn’t ask for them to treat these areas

1. At every massage I have had, the therapist has told me some version of - lots of tight muscles / lots of knots.

Do some customers have relaxed muscles and no knots, or is this a default statement to most customers?

2. There are some muscules that I always find painful during deep tissue massages - IT band, parts of the calves, parts of the muscles around the shin, points around the shoulder blade.

Are these common eg most people find the same muscles to be more painful to massage than others? Or does it vary significantly among customers, eg some people don't find the IT band or calves to be painful and have some other muscle that causes pain.

I signed up to begin school in January and the program can be completed in 6 months. I’m curious to know how much studying and homework was given during school since I’ll be working full time.

How many hours did you spend studying? Did you pass the MBLEX the first time? Any input is helpful!