You feel pain after a massage because it's similar to how your muscles feel after a workout.
Here's a breakdown of the reasons:
- Increased Blood Flow: Massage forces increased blood flow into your muscles, delivering nutrients.
- Temporary Inflammation: This influx of blood can lead to temporary inflammation, particularly in areas that your body perceives need attention or healing. This inflammation contributes to soreness.
- Muscle Fiber Disruption: Deep tissue massage, in particular, can cause microscopic tears in muscle fibers, similar to what happens during exercise. This is a normal part of the healing and strengthening process.
- Release of Toxins: While the concept of "toxins" being released is often debated, massage can mobilize fluids and metabolic waste products from muscles, which the body then needs to process and eliminate. This process can temporarily cause discomfort.
- Dehydration: A lack of proper hydration can exacerbate muscle soreness. Massage can release fluids from your tissues, so it's important to drink plenty of water afterward.
- Muscle Tension Release: As tense muscles are released, you may become more aware of previously existing pain or discomfort.
In summary, post-massage soreness is often a sign that the massage was effective in stimulating blood flow, addressing muscle tension, and promoting healing. It's usually temporary and should subside within a day or two.
