Massage Therapy FAQs | HPC, Guelph
It is very important to give accurate and up to date information of your health and any injuries on your health history form. Your therapist will use this information to design the most appropriate, safe and effective treatment for you.
There is no requirement to book an appointment for a massage with a Registered Massage Therapist. Extended health care plans, and insurers may require a referral note from your physician before you will be covered. You need to check with your policy to see if you need one to be reimbursed for the treatments.
Currently, there are no Provincial Health plans that cover therapeutic massage therapy, but many workplaces or private Extended Health Care Insurance programs have full or partial coverage.
In many provinces Worker’s Compensation Insurance, WorkPlace Safety Insurance WSIB (ON), and private auto insurance plans cover the cost of massage therapy for injury rehabilitation. Before you go for your therapeutic massage therapy treatment, your details of coverage should be arranged with your insurance representative.
Let your therapist know. Therapists can adjust to many different comfort levels. It is possible to work on a client who is fully dressed. Direct skin contact can get the best desired outcome with an application of oil or lotion but is not always necessary to achieve benefits. Your Massage Therapist is required to cover/drape you, only exposing the area which they are working on. Some clients bring other items of clothes they feel more comfortable in, such as shorts or short tights for their sessions.
This is a personal preference for each person.
It is possible to bruise from a massage treatment. With your health history, you can advise your HPC massage therapist, so they are aware. Also, providing feedback during the session will help the RMT understand your sensitivity level and adjust the pressure to fit your comfort. Remember, your recovery is our priority and we do not want you to experience discomfort in any way either during the treatment or after.
If you wish to be quiet, you can let the therapist know at the beginning of the treatment. However, the therapist may require feedback of comfort level at times during the session.
After your massage therapy treatment, hydrating is beneficial. Drinking water helps to rehydrate tissue and flush toxins that have been released from the tight muscles. An Epsom salt bath is also recommended post-massage treatment to help soothe and calm muscles and enhance the benefits of the massage. It will also help alleviate any stiffness that you may feel the next day.
Gentle stretching and range of motion movements also help the muscles restore themselves from the tissue releases. If deep tissue massage work has been performed, a cool compresses can also help post treatment tenderness.
In 1919, the Drugless Practitioners Act was passed and the Board of Regents was established to regulate massage therapy and other drugless health professions in Ontario. In 1994 the Regulated Health Profession Act was proclaimed and the Drugless Practitioners Act was revoked.
Your Massage Therapist can help you establish a treatment plan which fits your individual needs. Following each appointment, you can re-evaluate your needs and create new goals.
If you just want to experience massage therapy to relax then one session is beneficial, as per need. However, to have a longer therapeutic benefit one treatment may not be enough. Massage therapy is beneficial in both acute and chronic conditions, when used over a series of treatments and followed up with maintenance or preventive treatments. Together with your massage therapist, you can decide on a treatment plan and goals that work.
Yes, we have set aside time, especially for you, and appreciate advance notice if you are unable to make the appointment. Always ask your therapist what their policy is, and it should be posted in the clinic. You should be informed of any policy when making an appointment. Many clinics require a minimum of 24 hours prior notice of cancellation. You can be responsible for partial or the full treatment fee.