Remedial massage, sports massage, and deep tissue massage can sometimes make you feel like you have cold or flu-like symptoms afterwards. Feelings such as body aches, fatigue, dizziness and feeling “out of it” can be common. There could be a few reasons for this:
1. You are already sick.
Massage, no matter what kind, increases lymphatic drainage throughout your body. Our lymphatic system is where we store germ fighting cells and where any germs and swelling exit our body. So, increasing the movement through this system can increase the rate at which germs are flushed out. If you are feeling somewhat sick before your massage and get sicker the next day, this is because we have stimulated your body’s germ fighting system. This is why we always recommend you stay home from a massage when you are sick. Not only can it make you feel worse, but you don’t really want to be passing any germs onto your massage therapist if at all possible!
2. You have had an injury.
If you have pain from a muscle injury that “didn’t quite heal right,” you may have some scar tissue in your muscles. This happens when our muscle tissue is regrowing but doesn’t lay down in the direction of already existing muscle fibers. Think of it like a pile of toothpicks lying every which way on top of a larger pile of toothpicks that are perfectly lined up. During a deep tissue massage, this scar tissue can get broken up, causing inflammation. Our body’s response to this inflammation is to release inflammation fighting cells. When these are released in our body, we can feel fatigued, have sore muscles, or experience headache.
3. You’re dehydrated.
When we are dehydrated, our blood vessels have a hard time eliminating metabolic waste from our cells. When getting a massage, the pressure of the massage therapists’ hands physically pushes cell and tissue waste back into the bloodstream. When this waste is suddenly back in your blood stream it can make you feel sick because your body must work overtime to eliminate this waste through your kidneys – this is another reason why drinking water is so important after massage.
4. The pressure of the massage is too much for your body.
Massage therapists will communicate with you on what pressure feels good for your body. Some pain and discomfort are normal, but if you are struggling to breathe normally or are clenching your fists the whole time, the massage pressure is probably too much. If your body is tensing and resisting the massage therapists pressure the entire time, it can lead to microscopic damage in your muscle tissue, thus creating tissue waste that your body must remove.
So to conclude - stay at home if you’re sick and reschedule your massage as needed. Communicate effectively with your massage therapist about pressure so that it’s not causing unnecessary damage. Some minor soreness, fatigue and dizziness can be side effects for some people but luckily these are generally short lived and a normal response. You can assist with some aftercare after your massage such as rest, warm Epsom salt bath, heat therapy and ensuring you stay hydrated before and after your treatment!