In general, massage is an extremely safe form of therapy; however, there are some situations where massage should be avoided.
| Avoid Massage Therapy Under The Following Circumstances: |
| 1.AIDS(where there are cuts or lesions) |
| 2.Areas of local infection(e.g. shingles, ringworm, athlete's foot). |
| 3.Bruising (never work directly over a bruised area). |
| 4.Eczema (weeping). |
| 5.Fever or high temperatures. |
| 6.Full stomach-always allow at least an hour between eating a meal and receiving massage. |
| 7.Heart conditions. |
| 8.Menstruation (some schools suggest no massage during the first two days). In practice be much, much gentler over the abdomen. |
| 9.Nausea. |
| 10.Open cuts and sores. |
| 11.Pregnancy (some schools suggest no massage during the first three months). In practice just be much, much gentler on the lower back and avoid the abdominal area. |
| 12.Recent major operation. |
| 13.Recent scar tissue. |
| 14.Swelling or inflammation. |
| 15.Thrombosis or phlebitis (painful clot in vein). |
| 16.Tumors, or undiagnosed swellings. |
| 17.Varicose veins- especially when the veins are painful or swollen. |
