Massage Brisbane FAQ - Learn all you need to know to choose an appropriate treatment. A new you awaits!
Do I need to do anything to prepare for my massage?
What should I expect in my first massage visit?
Can I choose the gender of the therapist?
Do I or should I talk in the massage?
What style of massage should I receive?
What if I have an injury or illness, can I still get a massage?
Will I be charged if I cancel my bookings?
We will conduct an intake interview based around the details your provide on your form and ask questions about your presenting condition. Once we have a understanding of the issue we will conduct an assessment that may include active and passive range of motion, palpation, observing posture and functional patterns and special tests to determine function, mobility and tension.
This assessment forms the basis of the plan we devise for your massage and it shows us areas of reduced function, postural patterns and insufficiency that contribute to your issues. We will explain what we find to you and let you know what we feel is the best approach for your treatment. We ask if our plan meets your needs and gain your approval before continuing with treatment.
You choose to disrobe to your level of comfort. You will be draped at all times to ensure that you feel safe and secure. Normally if we are doing upper body work we would ask for a female to remove their bra but if you are not comfortable with this just let your therapist know. Sometimes when doing special tests we ask you to move in specific ways and ensure you are draped through the process.
If you have a preference either way please let us know when you make your booking. We will always tell you the name of the therapist and that is your cue if you want someone of another gender to ask. If you make a booking and then decide you wanted a different therapist at the booking time you will be required to pay for the treatment booked.
Do I or should I talk in the massage? Will the therapist talk through the massage?
It is completely up to you if you want to talk, however we recommend that beyond giving the therapist feedback when asked you let your mind relax. Massage slows brain waves and this can't happen effectively if you are talking and therefore concentrating. This may mean you miss out on some of the wonderful benefits massage has to offer.
In regards to therapists talking we ask our therapists to let clients set the pace with this. Some people don't want to talk, they just want to zone out and having a therapist talking when you want this can be very annoying. All of our therapists respect what the client wants, some people like a chat, some don't and we take note of that. If a therapist is talking too much about things unrelated to the massage and you want to relax just gently let them know that.
This really depends upon why you are having a massage and what kind of pressure you like. If you are new to massage you may wish to go with a general relaxation with some deep tissue on problem areas. If you are having a massage because of excessive stress, anxiety or depression you may also opt for a more relaxation approach. If you work out a lot, or have pain or injury Remedial Massage or Myotherapy (MST) will be more appropriate. Discuss your needs with the Receptionist when you make a booking and they will guide you.
Only if you want it to be. We don't believe in the "no pain no gain philosophy". People tend to think that massage has be to hard and painful to be effective when often the exact opposite it true. Muscles that are tight and in spasm often contract more to hard pressure, causing more pain and discomfort. Massage can be deep without being excruciating by warming up and using specific techniques to encourage muscles to relax. For some hard pressure is relaxing and for others it is pure pain so we are always guided by you and we use pain scale to understand your needs.
Some conditions are contra indicated for massage which means that you either should not be massaged at all or a specific area of your body needs to be avoided. Please discuss your issues with the therapist at your initial treatment. If you wish to you can call us and have a chat before you come in for a massage.
How long will a massage treatment last and what is included?
You can choose from 30 mins to 2 hour treatments. A treatment includes the time we spend speaking to you about your needs but not the time it takes you to change and exit the room after the treatment. Typically a relaxation or Deep Tissue Massage will be 55 or 58 minutes of massage. Remedial treatments include a postural assessment process that can last 5 to 15 minutes. We ask new clients to come 5 to 10 minutes early for their appointment to fill out paperwork so this does not eat into massage time.
Sometimes you can feel lightheaded directly after the massage which is why we give you water. This brings up your blood pressure which drops considerably when you lie on the table. The next day you may feel achy or sore or with a slight tender feeling in places that have been worked deeply. You may also experience some lethargy and emotional feelings can surface. These will pass within a day or so. It is important to drink plenty of water and to rest if possible.
This depends on many factors such as what your problems are, finances and what kind of work you do. Initially you may need a weekly massage to ease muscle issues and get things moving. Likewise if you are highly stressed this is a good option. Once your issues are more manageable then dropping back to a fortnightly and then monthly maintenance is the best. We of course feel you should have massage as often as you can afford it! The benefits of massage cannot be understated as they positively affect every system of your body and well as your mental and emotional state.
Yes we have eftpos and credit card facilities for visa, mastercard and american express.
Yes but you must ask at time of booking. On each therapists profile you can see if they provide health fund rebates. Click on the Meet the team image to the right to view therapists profiles.
If you want the lunch time or after work periods then book as far in advance as you can and these spots book up fast. We have online booking making booking even easier. You can register online or if you have been into the clinic for an appointment already then simply login with your email address.
If you prebook a massage you must cancel or change the day before your treatment. Should you cancel on the day and we can't fill the appointment we will charge 50% of the cancellation fee. Cancellations within 2 hours will attract a 100% cancellation fee.
If you make a booking on the day - the cancellation fee still applies if you cancel and we can't fill the space. For bookings made on the day we won't charge you if you cancel it within 30 mins of making it. The reason is that we are a busy clinic with many people booking online. Once we block out a time anyone booking online thinks it is unavailable. So just because you made the booking on the day doesn't mean that if you cancel we haven't missed out on filling it.
We have these policies to protect the livelihood of everyone in our business and to make sure we help as many people each day as we can.
Are your therapists Qualified and Insured?
Yes all therapists hold massage qualifications that represent their level of education. We display their Diplomas, Degrees and Certificates in our Reception area. All therapists have to hold Insurance and be a member of a Professional Massage Association such as AAMT, ANTA or MAA. The majority of our therapists are Remedial Diploma or above.