It doesn’t matter who has the fever, cough, runny nose, headache: giving or receiving a Massage Therapy session is not safe. In fact, it is a contraindication for several reasons, not the least being the transmission of a virus from the infected person to a healthy person. Also, symptoms of an illness can actually be elevated in severity or frequency when massage therapy is applied. Finally, most people feeling blah and fog-headed won’t particularly enjoy the massage.
Right Now … and Always
Simply, people are always concerned about acquiring a virus; no one wants to be sick or pass it on to another high-risk person they come in contact with … even while appearing asymptomatic.
Awareness is key, and being aware of your own health status is paramount. Early detection of viral-invaders can be life-saving – there are few pharmacological cures for any particular virus; the biological cure through activation of your body’s natural defenses is on what most people depend. Populations at high-risk should be ultra-aware regarding their own health status before coming into physical contact (via mucous-membranes or breathing [aerosol] space) with others. These populations, also, should seek medical advice and assistance when appropriate.
Prevention is a priority for Hands In Motion, employing all the best practices. There are methods of hygiene and sanitation Massage Therapists can [and David does] employ that assures the public’s safety.
Hands In Motion’s/David’s Responsibility
Even in an asymptomatic world, Hands In Motion’s professionally-mandated and David’s personal health-safety practices are:
PERSONAL
- Body Hygiene –
- fingers – regularly keeps nails short and clean of debris under the nail-tips, per the CDC’s Nail Hygiene guidelines,
- hands – hand-washes with client-supplied soap in water, before and after each client-session, in this fashion,
- body – showers, daily;
- Clothing – wears clean clothing washed in hot water w/ sulfate-free, fragrance-free laundry detergent;
PRACTICE
- Linens are re-used after they are washed in hot water w/ sulfate-free, fragrance-free laundry detergent, stored, and transported pursuant to Nevada Administrative Code (NACs 640C);
- Equipment (table/chair) are of high-quality design and materials, diverse Specifications, and kept in excellent repair to avoid aggregation of bacteria or viruses, pursuant to Nevada Administrative Code (NACs 640C);
- Cleaners include the use of EPA-approved Disinfectants.
But…is David sick? Without precise testing, no one can say definitively whether a person has a virus or not. David is super-vigilant about any symptoms when it comes to being in contact with other people. Viruses typically are accompanied by our body’s defense-response of a fever. David strives to keep his immune system functioning well. Unexplainable grogginess or crappiness – especially that affect his ability to concentrate – is dealt with swiftly; David’s clients are rescheduled as soon as possible when this is the situation.
My Client’s Responsibility
You are an important source of health-safety for receiving therapeutic massage from David/HIM. The cleanliness of your own home, office, or hotel a super-important factor in the transmission of viruses. Please check the CDC’s recommendations for keeping your home as bacteria- and virus-free as possible.
Since HIM Is A Mobile Service, it does beg the question of letting David into your home – as always, I will never come to your home with a suspected, transmittable virus or bacteria. It all comes down to whether 1) you trust me to be virus-free, and 2) I trust you and your home to be virus-free. I choose to trust your knowledge, awareness, and actions in keeping yourself and your family healthy and your home a healthy environment.
Clients With Symptoms
Please: Reschedule your appointment with HIM if you are symptomatic or feeling ill; your consideration for your own recovery and prevention of communicating that potential virus is seriously appreciated. Plus, getting a massage while your not well can make you feel worse (symptoms heighten), not to mention may just not feel all that great. Thank You for letting HIM know as soon as possible (even at the last minute) – rescheduling is easy.
Cancellation policies – Hands In Motion has always been sensitive to reasons clients may cancel their massages ‘at the last minute’. David does not want to be exposed to a potential virus that a client may be carrying, so he encourages clients to be as vigilant as he is when determining contagiousness-risk. He will continue to contact his clients and cancel – when possible – outside 24 hours of their appointments because of his own potential contagiousness. For any ‘under 24-hour cancellations’ that David initiates, his clients receive their rescheduled massage therapy session at no cost. David respects his clients’ health and time, as well.
Bottom Line
Massage Therapy employs physical touch and close social interaction as its functional, therapeutic nature and essence. David strives – for over 23 years – to facilitate the benefits of massage therapy in a low-risk environment with every client-interaction. Awareness and respect for you and your health are always paramount at Hands In Motion.
If the positive effects of touch using massage therapy techniques to get you healthier are what you want or need, David looks forward to working with you to achieve your health and wellness goals!
