As we get further in to autumn and the cold snap sees us spending more time inside in warm environments and battling temperature variations, we tend to get more exposed to the sorts of situations that winter bugs tend to thrive and multiply in.
Whether it's the common cold, flu or other type of seasonal viral infection, it's no surprise that conditions like this can spread like wild fire in warm open plan offices, university libraries, classrooms and other warm spaces where they have lots of options to spread and multiply.
When it comes to massage therapy, you might think that having a massage when you don't feel great will be just the thing to give you a boost. However there are a few things that we need clients to know. We want to give all of our clients the best service possible and ensure that receiving massage therapy from us is both beneficial for your wellbeing and an enjoyable experience.
Getting a massage when you are sick may actually amplify how unwell you feel. Many people can feel a bit congested when lying face down on a massage table generally. Add in having a cold or sinus infection and this can become uncomfortable as the pressure in the sinuses may increase. Sometimes lying face down with a cold or sinus infection can result in the nasal passages opening and there can be a streaming effect. Also not pleasant when you are needing to blow your nose every few minutes during your massage. The same goes for viruses, if you are achy, feeling hot and cold, have an upset tummy, massage may just make you feel even more yukky, which defeats the point of having a massage really!
Infections can be spread without realising. If you have any sort of virus or infection, you WILL be contagious. This means that if you come for a massage, you risk passing it on to others. While we take infection control in our clinic very seriously, we don't want to risk catching anything that may mean we unwittingly become infected and pass something on to clients we see after you. Some of our clients have compromised immune systems, so we take this seriously.
If I'm out of action, my clients miss out. There's no other way of saying this but if I'm laid out by a cold or virus myself, I am unable to work, and my clients miss out too! I want to avoid that as much as possible. I love my work and having to cancel other clients appointments can be an inconvenience to them as well as adding extra pressure into the booking schedule.
What you can do. If you are sick - with a cold, flu or other virus - anything that may be contagious or cause you to feel unwell, please cancel your appointment ASAP. Sickness is one of those life things that happens to us (and our children), we understand this. We don't charge a fee where an appointment has to be cancelled on the day because you are sick or you have a sick child (or other family member) to look after. It is no problem to rebook for a later date when you have recovered. The best thing you can do is stay home, rest, keep hydrated and look after yourself. If you aren't recovering, it may also be worthwhile getting checked out by your GP.
Our infection precautions. To ensure that we and our clients' health and safety is taken seriously, if a client arrives and is obviously unwell and we believe that massage is not appropriate at that time, we reserve the right to reschedule the appointment. The cancelled appointment will not be charged for.
The take home message? If you are sick, particularly if you are infectious, reschedule for another time and do things to recover. Your body will thank you for it.
Useful information
There is a range of information available on how to stay well during winter, some of it is conflicting and of course will depend on what your own beliefs and practices around wellness and illness are. Some of these links may be useful. None of this information replaces that of a registered medical professional, so if you are unsure, get checked out by a doctor.