Prevention or cure?

I have seen a string of new people lately who have come with specific issues that have plagued them for a while and have become life distracting. I have a 3 treatment rule with myself, if I cannot get on top of a problem or have made significant change in 3 treatments then I must refer. 

Usually 1 session can do the trick but it is fair to say that if an issue has built up over a period of time then it can take a period of time to remove! So, I work the work, it can be truly amazing what some deep targeted massage can achieve. People leave feeling a sense of freedom from the problem that they had thought was not possible, we talk about why issues arise and how crazy it is that we are a nation of 'putter up withs' and soldier on. Why do we leave it so long? Inevitably the massage is far ,more uncomfortable than it needs to be.

A 2nd/3rd session is needed when it becomes clear that the presenting issue is actually the referred pain and others issues surface once a layer has been peeled away. I think of it as a 'mother child syndrome' the mother is sick so the child cries.

What is obvious here is that whoever I am treating has 'put up with' niggles and pain for a really long time, then come along looking for a cure.

Now is it not true that the better we look after something the longer it lasts?

I think about a great pair of shoes, maybe I am showing my age in this disposable consumer society we are in but once upon a time, polishing, re healing and caring for a fab pair of shoes meant they lasted well, got more and more comfortable and hard to part with. I have boots that I bought over 10 years ago, irreplaceable!

So that brings me to prevention..it may seem a strange notion, "I feel fine, why do I want a massage?" because it keeps you feeling fine. Massage can promote recovery from life's day to day wear and tear, strain and toil. There is always a price to pay for whatever we do, when we are feeling good is the time to take the best care.

I always think that when I congratulate myself on how well something is going it inevitably goes wrong! We should nurture and persevere in 'good times' conserve and respect, maintenance programmes allow for steady progress on whatever path we follow. 

We brush our teeth twice a day to preserve their longevity, we wash/shave/cut/colour our hair, use products to promote/enhance our physical self, how far do I need to go with this??

I get a massage every 4 weeks, for me it is necessity, my job is physical, my hobbies are physical, I am a 'do-er' the idea of injury fills me with dread, I will do what I can to prevent. 

For some a massage once a year is enough and absolutely can be, there is no fixed rule apart from the one that states I MATTER! 

So, there are therapists for most ailments, cures are out there and thank goodness, if needing one leads to the revelation that prevention is the way to go then that is great and often is what it takes for the light to switch on.

If you are reading this and don't have a need for a cure and you feel pretty ok then BOOK A MASSAGE!!!!