Pre-Natal Massage and Circulation: The Dangers of An Untrained Therapist

There are many incorrect views and mis-conceptions about the practice of pre-natal massage. The first view is that all pre-natal massage is dangerous and should be avoided. As with many things, this is a popular mis-conception. The second view is that all massage therapists can give pre-natal massage. This mis-conception is made stronger by the fact that many massage therapists will provide pre-natal massage when they are not certified.

When a woman becomes pregnant, there are many changes that her body goes through that must be understood by her massage therapist. Especially when it comes to circulation, there are many critical changes that take place that do indeed make massage therapy by an untrained therapist dangerous. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body dilates all of the veins in her system. This is fine, but when receiving a massage, it can become dangerous if it is given in the wrong areas.

Most massage therapists who are not trained in this area do not know that certain areas on the legs should not be massaged on a pregnant woman for her own safety. If these precautions are not followed, there can be serious consequences to the woman. The most important and dangerous consequence is a pulmonary embolism, which can be caused by excessive pressure on the woman’s legs.

A pulmonary embolism can easily become damaging and potentially deadly if it is not treated. And since the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism resemble those of other problems, such as a heart attack, diagnosis may be difficult. In most cases, this condition does not lead to death, but if the clot is large and blocks a large portion of the lung, it can cause death.

Massage therapists who are trained in pre-natal massage and post-natal massage are familiar with these issues, and are able to avoid areas where a deep vein thrombosis may occur. While a deep vein thrombosis, or deep blood clot attached to the wall of a vein or artery, is somewhat common during pregnancy, it is when it is dislodged from its location that it causes a problem. For this reason alone, it is wisest to seek out a massage therapist who is trained in this area, for your own protection.

There are also other reasons to seek out a trained therapist as well. The more training a therapist has as it relates to your specific condition, the more techniques they will be aware of to specifically help you. For example, the aches and pains brought on by pregnancy can be better helped by someone who knows where they are likely to be. Also, a pre-natal massage therapist will be trained in abdominal massage, without fearing that she will hurt the fetus since she will be doing it properly, as trained.

For these reasons, among many others, a certified pre-natal massage therapist is a valuable addition to your pregnancy healthcare team. Mountainside On Site Massage Therapy has several trained pre-natal massage therapists available to provide massage to you during your pregnancy. Please click here to visit our website for more information, or to contact us to schedule a pre-natal massage.