Whether you are getting a massage for enjoyment or for pain relief, going to a clinic for your first massage therapy session ever can be a little overwhelming for some people. If you are trying to prepare for your first massage visit and feel nervous about it, here are some tips that may help you reduce your fears and get the most out of the visit.

You Have Some Control

When you enter the room for your appointment, you may have some worries, such as:

• Will you have to get naked?
• Will the therapist see your scars or imperfections?
• What if you have areas you do not want the therapist to touch?

The therapist performing your massage will be glad to answer any questions you have, and he or she will allow you to make some of the decisions. For example, therapists often recommend taking off all the clothes you are wearing; however, most will allow you to keep your undergarments on if you feel more comfortable with this.

The therapist is also likely to ask you if there are areas you would like him or her to focus on, and if there are areas to avoid.

You should also realize that during a massage, the lights are dimmed and you can pull a sheet over you. Most therapists will only move the sheet to reach certain areas during the massage, and the sheet will then be replaced. In other words, the therapist will not see your entire body, and the therapist will not be judging you for any imperfections you may have.

You Must Relax

The second thing to realize during a massage is that you have to find a way to relax. If you are tense and nervous, it will be harder for the therapist to perform the massage, and you may not even receive any benefits from the massage because your body is fighting it. To help you relax, the therapist may play soft, calming music. Some therapists also light candles and keep the lights down, but you must still focus on relaxation.

As you lie on the massage table, focus on breathing in and out slowly and try to relax your entire body. Keep your mind focuses on the enjoyment of the massage and try to clear your mind of any anxious thoughts.

If you are ticklish, doing this might be hard for you. Keep in mind that therapists are trained to know how to avoid tickling people, but you may still experience some ticklish feelings during the massage. If you can try to ignore the feelings, they will usually go away on their own. The therapist will sense when he or she tickles you though and may even ask you if it tickled.

If you are extremely sensitive to this, the therapist may use sequencing. This is a process that involves massaging other parts of the body first and slowly working towards the ticklish parts. This often helps reduce the sensitivity of ticklish body parts, such as the abdomen, feet, and back.

You Should Drink Water Afterwards

Finally, you should plan on drinking extra water after getting your massage. This is not because massages make you thirsty, but it is actually to help clear out the toxins in your body. A massage is beneficial for the body in many ways, including:

• Loosens muscles
• Stimulates blood flow
• Helps eliminate trapped toxins

When you have areas in your body that are sore, it is usually because the muscles are tight. Tightened muscles generally contain toxins that are trapped inside. While the massage helps loosen these areas, the only way to remove the toxins from your body is to flush them out, and you can do this by consuming a lot of water after your massage.

Getting a massage can help you feel better if you have pain, but massages are also nice for relaxation purposes. It's quite common to feel nervous before your first appointment, but once you are in the middle of the massage, you will see why people love getting them. To make an appointment for massage therapy, call a clinic in your area.