In a deep tissue massage, the therapist will apply extra pressure to manipulate the deep muscles and connective tissue of the body. The therapist will warm up the superficial levels with a heating pad or superficial strokes, and then dig in with their hands and fingers to access points of tension in the deeper layer. While massage is never supposed to be painful, deep tissue sessions can be uncomfortable at times, and the vigorous work can have a number of minor side effects.
Muscle Soreness
A common side effect of deep tissue work is muscle soreness. The therapist is working areas of the body that are not used to stimulation, and you might experience some pain after your session that is similar to what you’d feel after an intense workout session. Over the counter pain relief medications should be sufficient to treat this pain.
Bruising
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) points out that bruising can be a side-effect of deep tissue work. When the therapist digs in to work on a trigger point, they are using a large amount of pressure. This brings blood to the area and a bruise may be present after your session. Bruising should be mild, and most deep tissue massage recipients won’t experience this problem.
Nausea
During a deep tissue session, the massage therapist will use light strokes on the affected area after applying the deeper work. These strokes will point toward the heart, and they’re intended to drain all of the fluid and waste that has accumulated in the area. Some massage recipients feel a light amount of nausea after a session, which usually passes soon after they get off the table.
