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I was in my early twenties and had such a wonderful day planned. I was going to go get a massage and then go home and relax – pre-Netflix – and make myself a healthy lunch. However, shortly after getting home, I became intensely sick, but I wasn’t throwing up. Maybe this has happened to you, or you’ve had a friend that it’s happened to, but it’s more common than you might think. Read more about it, how to prevent it, and what to do if it does happen to you, below.
Why Do People Get Sick After a Massage?
Massage is extremely detoxifying. You’re stimulating the lymphatic system, which stores our bodies toxins and is responsible for flushing them out. During massage, lymphatic fluid gets pushed all throughout our body. This can be a lot for our bodies to handle. That’s especially true if you’re the type of person to drink, smoke, or use any other substance that our body needs to process. This also includes any patient who has gone through chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is incredibly toxic to our system, and when you get massage after having these treatments, it can push these toxins through the body at a rate that our body just isn’t ready to handle, resulting in a queasy – or highly cleansing – day of staying near the bathroom.
How to Prevent Getting Sick After Massage
The most important thing you can do to prevent getting sick after a massage is to drink TONS of water. We typically recommend at least a liter of water within two hours after a massage. However, if you’ve been drinking more, using any substance that your body will need to detox out of its system, or have recently undergone chemo or surgery, you’ll want to at least double that. This can also be in the form of herbal teas, just make sure that you’re allowed to drink those, especially if you’re under a doctor’s supervision.
We also advise steering clear of any caffeinated beverages. Caffeine further dehydrates the body and makes it harder for your body to process all the toxins. Alcohol is a big no-no after a massage as it’s not only incredibly dehydrating but also toxic. When you drink alcohol after a massage, you’re essentially undoing all the positive detoxifying effects that your massage just had on your body.
What To Do If You Get Sick
First, stay calm. It’s not a completely abnormal occurrence. Although, if you’re vomiting or having diarrhea for a long period of time then you should seek medical attention as this is also dehydrating. The best thing you can do to cure your upset stomach is to drink some herbal peppermint tea if you’re allowed. You can also sip on water, Pedialyte, or coconut water. We prefer coconut water to Pedialyte because it’s packed full of minerals and electrolytes and it doesn’t come with all the excess sugar and chemicals that Pedialyte has. Finally, rest! Clearly, your body is working through a lot of things right now. Allow your body to rest and recuperate. Your to-do list can wait.
Getting sick after a massage isn’t something that people think will happen to them. Although it’s not pleasant, if you are mentally prepared for it, then you’ll know what to do if it happens. You can also take preventative measures to ensure that it most likely will not happen to you.
Have you ever been sick after a massage? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!