Flu Season is here!

Posted: October 18th, 2019

With the changing of the leaves, the re-introduction of pumpkin spice everything, and colorful mums and gourds found on porches galore also comes the dreaded flu season. Whether you're already recovered from the flu but still feeling drained and exhausted or just trying to prevent the flu with old fashioned self-care, a trip to the day spa to see a licensed massage therapist is a great way to help boost your immune system or heal sore muscles.   Having the flu means several days of aching muscles, fatigue, and weakness, among other symptoms. Massage therapy has numerous health benefits that are beneficial for recovering from or even preventing the flu. A professional massage can improve your health and wellbeing through promoting circulation, increasing the number of white blood cells (which helps boost immunity), and supporting a better night's rest.  There are several different types of massages, each one using particular techniques to focus on different layers of tissues or muscle groups. When combined with essential oils, massage therapy can be extremely relaxing and help reduce stress, which also contributes to supporting a stronger immune system. Several essential oils are actually considered helpful in boosting immunity, such as lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus.   If you're considering a post-flu massage to treat achy muscles, be sure that your doctor agrees that you are no longer contagious in order to avoid getting others sick. Additionally, please consider that when you're sick with the flu, your body is already working hard to recover. Massages themselves can sometimes cause muscle soreness, especially if you're not used to getting regular massages. To prevent further muscle fatigue, it may be best to wait a few days after recovering to see a massage therapist.