your first massage...what was it like?

bluesky, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2004

You know I only got a massage once as sort of a challenge--- I am a person who's been assaulted and I wanted to see if I could trust a stranger to touch me again. I have to say it was a liberating experience from the standpoint of overcoming that fear, however the actual physical experience didn't do much for me, kind of painful, with no real feelings of relief afterwards like they say you're supposed to have.

zenman · Dec 1, 2004

Esalen massage shortly after getting married. She was a friend of my wife so it was a freebie. Really nice. I really had no expectations.

zenman · Dec 1, 2004

You know I only got a massage once as sort of a challenge--- I am a person who's been assaulted and I wanted to see if I could trust a stranger to touch me again. I have to say it was a liberating experience from the standpoint of overcoming that fear, however the actual physical experience didn't do much for me, kind of painful, with no real feelings of relief afterwards like they say you're supposed to have.

Just keep in mind that your traumatic experience is locked in your body as well as your mind.

allnurses Guide · Dec 1, 2004

Never been able to do it . ... too intimate.

steph

Gompers, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2004

Had one massage in my life, and probably will never have another one. I was way too tense to enjoy myself. It was at a spa, and the massuese made me uncomfortable. I expressed that I was nervous and very modest, yet she still massaged parts of me I would have rather not been touched (buttocks, upper thighs - the sort of thing that I understand is part of a massage but I had implied I didn't want up front). She also took the sheet and instead of folding over just the corner where she was working - she folded the ENTIRE THING in half, from neck to feet, so I was completely exposed on one side of my naked body. I almost complained to the spa manager.

Much preferred the herbal wrap and mineral bath I experienced - very good for a modest person like myself, and both left me relaxing in a room by myself for 20-30 minutes without having to worry about what was being looked at or touched.

xmaxiex · Dec 2, 2004

I by nature am a cheap person and would never dream of paying for a luxury service . However my friends got me a gift certificate for a massage at a particurly stressful time in my life . I LOVED it ! As a high octane person I never realized how tense I held my body and muscles . I expected to be embarassed but a few rubs and I was in la la land ! I think nurses shoudl recieve a massage a month as part of any company policy !

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Dec 2, 2004

I think nurses shoudl recieve a massage a month as part of any company policy !

We got 'em free for Nurse's Week last year.

It was SO cool! They set up the break room with soothing water, herbal teas, and a foot massager, and started at 0630, and kept the service going til all shifts were covered. This was just an upper-body type, mostly shoulders and neck, but it was wonderful!

I had a Swedish-type massage (we were asked if we wanted light or deeper), and man! my neck muscles never felt so great. We really do get incredibly tense by the end of a shift.

Nemhain · Dec 3, 2004

We got 'em free for Nurse's Week last year.
It was SO cool! They set up the break room with soothing water, herbal teas, and a foot massager, and started at 0630, and kept the service going til all shifts were covered. This was just an upper-body type, mostly shoulders and neck, but it was wonderful!
I had a Swedish-type massage (we were asked if we wanted light or deeper), and man! my neck muscles never felt so great. We really do get incredibly tense by the end of a shift.

Wow. I'm impressed that your employer did that. I think they should do something like that every month.

I'm assuming it was chair massage (that seems to be most convenient for employers). I looooove massages in a chair, but funny enough, I don't like giving massages in a chair...I don't know why.

Nemhain · Dec 5, 2004

Gosh, since I started the thread I should have posted my first massage experience. I guess I forgot! Better late than never.

My first massage wasn't too long before I entered school; I'll have to guess about 5 months. I didn't have any expectations other than I new I'd be half naked with someone I'd never met before. Also, I hoped that pain in my back would be relieved for a few days.

My massage was at a beautiful spa and my therapist was a very handsome man. Yikes! I thought, "oh no...a guy"?! Apparently, I had an unconscious expectation that the therapist would be female. I quickly calmed myself down and thought, "he's a professional...I can do this". He turned out to be very nice. I told him that my back hurt all the time while I washed dishes in the sink. So he asked me a few more things and then he went to work. The first 15 minutes were pleasant and then he started going a little deeper (all the while asking me if it was okay and I always said yes). I certainly wasn't in pain, but it was a little uncomfortable. I think it was due to my muscles never being kneaded, stretched, and pulled like that. It did feel good in an odd way.

The session ended (I think I paid $40) and I went home. The next morning I was very sore...really sore, but not in pain. It felt like I had done a huge gym workout the day before. I thought, "good god am I supposed to feel like this?" So I got up and moved around and stretched. I felt really great about 2 hours later. I noticed a big difference! My back pain was relieved for 2 months!!! I was a true believer in massage after that. I thought, "oh wow", I want to go to school and learn how to do that...so I did!

landonsles · Dec 5, 2004

I have had several massages, and I can't remember my first one. But these have stuck out in my mind:

My first and only prenatal massage was WONDERFUL!!! I worked at a dental office at the time as assistant/office mgr so I had horrible neck/back pain from the positions I sat while assisting, not too mention from the pregnancy. The massage helped my pain. The therapist recommended taking a warm bath with 2lbs epsom salt and 2 small boxes of baking soda. (The water can be hot if not pregnant) Let me tell you--I was only sore in the area that I didn't soak--my neck. Worked wonders!!

I had a massage one time with a male therapist. Wouldn't have been so bad except we realized at the same time that we had gone to H.S. together--talk about un-comfortable!!

I love massages--I only wish I had a therapist who was all mine and could be at my every beck and call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW--I am a very modest person, but massages do not bother me. Go figure.

weetziebat · Dec 6, 2004

I had my first massage in 1996, when I was living overseas. Was at some kind of health related get together and an Indian gentleman introduced himself to a friend and I. Said he was a massage therapist and would we like a massage. I was really anxious to try it and my friend wanted to come along as "chaperone" cause she thought he might be a weirdo:rotfl:

Went into his office and laid on the table. Said I could take off or leave on as much clothing as I felt comfortable with. I stripped cause it seemed the most sensible thing to do. He spent about an hour giving me a massage. I didn't know what to expect but had a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders that I just couldn't get rid of.

He had been trained in India and, although I've had numerous massages since, the first massage was unbelievable. He was actually standing on my back as well as almost pummelling it. But it felt so great, so relaxing. I could just feel all the tension melting out of my muscles. When he was finally finished I couldn't believe the difference. All tension gone and felt like a very relaxed, wet noodle. I can sincerely say that I felt better for about a year after that!

As I mentioned, I've had numerous massages since - by everyone from a Chinese acupuncturist to a chiropractor to massage therapists - but have never had any that could even come close to that first massage. The others were pleasant and relaxing, but no long term effects that I could feel.

Oh, and did I mention that the Indian man refused payment? Said he was just doing it to drum up business and that was a complimentary massage. I definately would have gone back weekly but was leaving the country, so never got to see him again. Very glad to have had that experience but kind of disappointed to not be able to find someone who could duplicate it.