Contraindications and Areas of Caution

Compromising health conditions that cause Service restrictions.

Communication is Key in Massage Therapy

Generally, Massage Therapy and Bodywork techniques are a safe, beneficial and therapeutic practice. However, there are times when it isn’t safe for a person to receive treatment. Service should be avoided when certain risk factors are present, or when the potential risk from treatment outweighs the benefit.

We care about our Guests and want to ensure our Services will not cause any harm. It is highly recommended that a person with contraindications, pre-existing conditions that may respond negatively to Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments, seek the advice of their healthcare physician prior to receiving treatment.

If an appointment is made with AIM, it is important that Guests communicate their conditions with our Staff. Therapists will use discretion to determine if treatment should be conducted. In some cases, treatment should be completely avoided. In other cases, modalities may still be provided if the treatment is modified to avoid the affected area of the body.

Remember, communication is key when receiving Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments. Before, during and/or after your session, be sure to talk with us and let us know how you are feeling so that we can properly care for you.

Contraindications and Areas of Caution

Generally, Massage Therapy and Bodywork techniques are a safe, beneficial and therapeutic practice. However, there are times when it isn’t safe for a person to receive treatment. Service should be avoided when certain risk factors are present, or when the potential risk from treatment outweighs the benefit.

We care about our Guests and want to ensure our Services will not cause any harm. It is highly recommended that a person with contraindications, pre-existing conditions that may respond negatively to Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments, seek the advice of their healthcare physician prior to receiving treatment.

If an appointment is made with AIM, it is important that Guests communicate their conditions with our Staff. Therapists will use discretion to determine if treatment should be conducted. In some cases, treatment should be completely avoided. In other cases, modalities may still be provided if the treatment is modified to avoid the affected area of the body.

Communication is key when receiving Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments; so be sure to talk with us so that we can properly care for you.

What you should know


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Absolute Contraindication

Treatment is not suitable and is avoided on any part of the body. This is to protect Guests from aggravated symptoms and to prevent exacerbation of their condition, and in some cases, to assure the safety of others.


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Relative Contraindication

Treatment is modified which may include avoiding the use of certain techniques and lubricants, change in pressure, shortening treatment time, staying away from certain areas or repositioning Guests.


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Areas of Caution

Also called endangerment sites, areas of the body where delicate structures are located and vulnerable to injury are treated with caution and may result in the area being completely avoided or treated with minimum pressure.

No Treatment At All

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Some may think getting a massage when you aren’t feeling well will relieve symptoms. Though Massage Therapy boosts the immune system and helps you to relax, it is not a good idea to get a massage when you are sick. AIM Massage Therapy will not provide Services to individuals who are experiencing a contagious viral or bacterial infection. 

When you have the flu or a cold, your body is already working hard to recover. During a Therapeutic Massage or Bodywork treatment, muscles are stimulated and your body will work even harder to respond to the stimulation – making you feel even more exhausted and uncomfortable as opposed to feeling invigorated and refreshed.

Not only will you risk making yourself feel worse, you may pass on your sickness to your Therapist as well. So, treat yourself to a session with AIM when you’re back to feeling like your healthy self again and no longer experiencing any compromising symptoms.

Common cold/flu symptoms may include, but are not limited to:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache or dizziness
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache or dizziness
  • Loss of taste or smell

It is not safe to receive a massage while you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if you are planning to indulge in substances after your appointment.

Like massage, alcohol and hallucinogenic drugs have a powerful affect on the body. However, they don’t healthily mix well together.

Combining Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork techniques and substances can increase potential for a negative outcome. It can desensitize a person to pain, making it difficult for both you and your Massage Therapist to judge the best level of pressure for your treatment. It can also cloud judgment where Guests may perceive the intent of the session differently than just getting a massage.

As a variety of substances are dehydrating, we recommend Guests drink water before and after their session.

Massage is completely contraindicated for Guests during the first couple of weeks to months after a having stroke (the risk of experiencing a second stroke is higher during this time period) or heart attack. Therefore, Guests must wait until the condition is past the acute stage before getting a massage and their healthcare practitioner has advised their consent for treatment.

To ensure proper and safe recovery, AIM will not provide services to individuals who were recently involved in a traumatic accident or who recently had major surgery.

We recommend Guests wait until wounds and scar tissues have fully healed before scheduling a Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork session with AIM.

Seek the advice of your healthcare physician to discuss what is best for your body and confirm when you can receive treatment.

When getting a massage during pregnancy, you must be careful about how treatment may affect your body, as massage too early on in pregnancy can cause potential risks. The use of essential oils may also not always be safe to use during pregnancy, as the potency of the extract may have a harmful affect on your body and may affect your baby’s developmental.

We recommend scheduling a Therapeutic Massage and/or Bodywork session once you have consulted with your healthcare physician – at any stage of your pregnancy – to ensure you can receive treatment.

In addition to speaking with your healthcare physician it is also important you inform your Therapist that you are pregnant and advise of any health conditions you may have before making an appointment with AIM.

Massage therapy engages the circulatory system, which can alter blood flow in the body and potentially affect certain health conditions. Treatments may cause dizziness and add to morning sickness. Pressure points on a woman’s body may trigger contractions that are dangerous for both the mother and child, resulting in miscarriage or preeclampsia.

AIM will not provide Services to Guests who are experiencing conditions such as infections, severe abdominal pain, edema, fever or nausea, complications with diabetes or high blood pressure, bleeding or spotting, cancer, premature labor, or any other “high risk” conditions diagnosed by your healthcare physician.

AIM Massage Therapy will not provide Services to Guests who are currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatments or Guests with highly metastatic cancers, as the body is vulnerable and at greater risk of experiencing infection, bruising, fracturing or skin breakdown. There is also a potential risk of disrupting blood clots which could be dislodged and travel throughout the body.

Post radiation or chemotherapy treatment, it is extremely important that you consult with your healthcare practitioner to advise the best therapeutic care for you.

Though Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments are a way of relaxation and pain relief, if you are experiencing severe, unexplained or undiagnosed ongoing symptoms such as headache, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, imbalance, immobilization, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling, bruising, chest pain, joint or muscle pain, or any other “abnormal” condition, we recommend that you do not make an appointment with AIM; however, see your healthcare physician as you may have an underlying health condition.

Modified Treatment

Following an injury or infection, the affected area becomes red, warm and painful, and it begins to swell. The swelling process, also known as edema, is the result of acute inflammation, a response triggered by damage to living tissues, and could be a sign of underlying health issues.

Receiving a massage can further irritate an area of inflammation. In the case of localized inflammation, the affected area will be completely avoided.

Visible skin conditions such as ulcers, rashes, open wounds or sores, bruises, burns, boils, blisters, cuts or lesions, lumps, cysts or tumors are avoided areas by Therapists. Massaging the area can cause further irritation and unbeknownst to the Therapists, could be a sign of a number of underlying health problems.

Contact dermatitis is a skin condition that is caused by contact with an allergen or an irritant. Common allergens and irritants include chemicals, cosmetics, fragrances, fabrics and other topical substances and materials.

Symptoms may include dry, flakey skin, rash, itching, bumps and blisters, swelling, tenderness and burning sensations.

It is important to inform your Therapist of any allergies or irritants you may have to avoid the use of such substances.

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments are often used to reduce tension, assist with relaxation and minimize stress. As stress can be a seizure trigger for some people, therapeutic treatments may have a relaxing and calming effect which may therefore assist in seizure control in some way. However, for some people, a state of deep relaxation can have the opposite effect and trigger a seizure.

Additionally, while many essential oils can assist with relaxation, some can act as a seizure trigger as well.

It is extremely important that you inform your Therapist of any seizure disorders you may have, what medications or other medical treatments you use as it may be recommended that treatment be completely avoided or modified.

Be sure to seek the advice of your healthcare physician to discuss the right care for you and if treatment may affect your seizure activity.

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments can help increase blood flow and improve circulation. However, uncontrolled conditions that affect blood regulation such as high or low blood pressure, diabetes, anemia and blood clotting may have counterproductive affects on Guests.

Treatment may produce systemic responses such as blood pressure and glucose changes. Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to other health conditions that may be a contraindication to massage and bodywork treatments. Stimulating essential oils will be avoided by AIM, as its use may cause adverse affects on a person’s blood pressure.

For Guests with diabetes, poor – or lack of – circulation and excessive sugar in the blood can both contribute to nerve damage, causing lack of sensation or unhealed skin conditions and may result in treatment modification or avoidance.

Massage is also contraindicated if a Guest has a blood clot. Treatment may cause the blood clot to loosen and travel throughout the body, causing life-threatening conditions.

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments can help reduce muscle tension for easier breathing. However, in advanced stages where Guests are experiencing breathing difficulties, such as asthma, apnea, RSV and COPD, care is taken in the type of modality used for treatment and in many cases Guests are repositioned to maximize their comfort.

Please note that treatment is not recommended during the acute stage of conditions; however, may be scheduled after recovery. Additionally, though sometimes beneficial, the use of aromatic oils can cause risk to those with respiratory conditions, potentially triggering an attack; therefore, will not be readily used by AIM.

For Guests having recently experienced respiratory complications, lighter pressure and supportive treatment is used to guide muscles into relaxation and help alleviate some of the physical and emotional stress their body went through.

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork treatments can affect your heart and circulatory system.

If you have an abnormal heart rhythm, it is important to check with your healthcare practitioner if treatment is advisable, as you are at higher risk of blood clots that could travel in your bloodstream to your brain, lungs or limbs as pressure is applied.

If you have heart failure, gentle massages where you are sitting up (especially if you have breathing difficulties when you lie flat) is recommended.

If you have a device such as a pacemaker, stent or defibrillator, the area where the device is inserted will be completely avoided. 

Inflammatory/Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can affect different parts of the body. Though treatment and management may differ, Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork techniques are nonetheless used to temporarily reduce symptoms.

Certain styles of treatment can be too aggressive and may lead to increased pain levels. In some cases, inappropriate techniques could contribute to a disease flare-up. Having an understanding of the symptoms Guests are experiencing will help to determine the best modality for treatment.

Deep tissue massage and spinal manipulation are not appropriate if you are at high risk of breaking a bone, especially if you have already had spinal fractures because pressure on the spine could potentially cause a further fracture. However, a gentle massage may increase relaxation, help relieve pain symptoms and improve general wellbeing.

Emotional and mental trauma expresses through the body in many ways. Sometimes releases show up as a strong reaction (i.e. panic attack) in response to a sound, gesture, touch or smell. Heart and breathing rates may increase, nerves may become hyperactive and muscles may also become rigid.

It is common for Guests to verbally recall events, sharing deeply personal and intimate information while receiving treatment. If you are uncomfortable with a technique, please inform your Therapist. We will respect your request and steer away from any treatment that may cause a trigger to your body.

Also, if Therapists feel a Guest’s trauma response during treatment is to an unmanageable point, ending a session and offering a referral to a healthcare professional is appropriate.

It is important that you inform your Therapist of any medications you are taking as certain medicines, when combined with treatment and certain oils, may further perpetuate or worsen conditions.

Also, inform your Therapist of injection sites, as those areas will be avoided.

Endangerment Sites

Therapists use caution in these areas as nerves are slow to regenerate if they get damaged. Nerves are vulnerable to injury in places in the body where they can be compressed or stretched. If pressure is prolonged, Guests may experience numbness, tingling, burning or shooting pain and even a temporary loss of motor control.

For individuals experiencing nerve damage, i.e. neuropathy, Therapists recommends gentler Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork techniques as neuropathy can be hypersensitive to touch.

It is important to speak with your Therapists about your health conditions and the pain you experience so they can modify their modality use accordingly to accommodate your needs.

The neck is not a particularly fragile structure. However, as with any kind of neck manipulation there’s a risk of injury to the spine. This can lead to two main kinds of rare but truly dangerous side effects of massage: spinal cord injury associated with instability of the upper cervical spine, or a tear in the vertebral arteries which can cause a stroke.