You’re lying on the table, enjoying the soft music and the feel of your therapist’s strong hands. You can actually feel your stress melt away as you take a deep sigh and relax into the massage.
But wait — what’s that strange tingling feeling?
If this has ever happened to you, it’s natural to feel confused (or even alarmed). After all, we normally associate tingling sensations with bad things, like a pinched nerve or poor circulation.
It’s not uncommon to experience tingling in your hands or feet during a massage. You might also feel tingling along your spine, in your head and neck, or down your extremities.
What does it mean? Should you be worried? Or is does it mean something good is happening inside your body? We’ll answer those questions and more in this post, so keep reading!
The Muscle-Nerve Connection
Your muscles make up 30%-40% of your total weight, making them the largest sensory organ in your body. Meanwhile, everything is connected by billions of sensory neurons that originate in your central nervous system.
What’s the point? Your muscles and nerves are interconnected in an amazing way through the peripheral nervous system. Any movement you make, whether it’s taking a breath or running a marathon, is made possible by stimulated nerves.
Let’s say you want to wiggle your fingers. Your brain sends a signal through your nervous system to activate the muscles in your hand and forearm. The nerve endings release a chemical known as acetylcholine, which causes the muscles to contract.
The result? Your fingers are wiggling. And the most amazing part is that all of this communication between your brain, nerves, and muscles happens within a few milliseconds.
So What Causes That Tingling Feeling?
Now you understand how the nerves affect the muscles, but did you know that the same process can happen in reverse?
Your muscles and other soft tissues (tendons, ligaments, and fascia) are full of nerve endings. When you get a massage and those soft tissues are manipulated, it can activate nerves in the muscle or even trigger nerve activity in other areas.
Another factor for that tingling feeling is increased blood flow. Improved circulation is another wonderful benefit of massage therapy. As new blood flow brings oxygen to tense or damaged muscles, the tissues begin to relax and heal.
The healthier your muscles become, the better the affected nerves will function. In areas of muscular congestion or poor circulation, you might experience temporary tingling, numbness, or even itching during your massage. These are all signs your nervous system is becoming activated once again.
What type of massage should you get if you want to experience these benefits for yourself? Deep tissue massage or trigger point therapy are the two most likely modalities to create this tingling sensation.
But don’t forget: Even if you don’t feel “tingly” during your massage, it’s still doing your body a world of good!
Calm Your Nerves at Simply Massage
As you can see, a tingling feeling during a massage isn’t just normal — it’s a very good thing! It means your muscles, nerves, and circulatory system are all functioning the way they’re supposed to.
Has all this talk of tingling made you eager for your next massage? Our skilled therapists are ready to help you feel your absolute best.
Click here to view our pricing and packages, or give us a call at 970-748-1600 to ask a question or book your next appointment.