Do you have the flu too?

Feeling feverish or chills?

Are you coughing, having a sore throat?

Or maybe a runny or stuffy nose? What about muscle or body aches?

Headaches?

Feeling fatigued?

You might have the flu, and you are not the only one! The flu comes around every year, and for most of us, it is just a bit annoying. You feel sick. Stay in bed. Sleep a lot. And after that, you are fine again.

Massage if you’re ill?

Since the flu involves a lot of times muscle pain, we are asked quite often: ‘I have the flu and muscle pain. Can I get a massage?’

The answer is no!

Why ?

Before we tell you why, let’s explain first what is a flu. The flu that we know most is seasonal influenza.

Seasonal Flu

It is so called because it is there in the coldest season twice during a year. This means once in the Northern hemisphere’s winter and once in the Southern hemisphere’s winter. Plus is circulates year-round in the tropics and subtropics.

How to avoid flu

Influenza is a virus that unfortunately is constantly mutating to evade our immune systems. It can easily be spread between people. So the best way to avoid flu you probably know already is to wash your hands regularly. Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth, because germs are most likely to enter your body this way. Avoid being with people who have flu. But if you are near people who have flu disinfect surfaces in your home when someone is sick. This is clear, we all know that. But now, why don’t get a massage when you have the flu?

Massage your muscle pain?

As said influenza is a virus. And when you have a virus you should just take a rest, drink plenty of water and let your body fight against the virus, done by the immunity system. Massage can make your flu worse. With massage, we are improving the circulation. However, when you have a virus in your body, you want to give your body a rest and let the immunity system do its work. So even though you have muscle pain due to the flu, just rest, go to bed and sleep it out.

Improving the immune system

However, massage does improve our immune system. Because massage improves the movement of lymph. And part of lymph are the white blood cells that fight against bacteria and diseases. So by receiving a massage treatment based in stretches and acupressure, you move. The therapist is stimulating the movement of lymph. So your immunity system improves.

So hope it is clear… please don’t get a massage when you have flu. Just get massage treatments to prevent yourself from being sick. And when you have been ill, and you are recovered, so you don’t have a fever anymore, do get massage treatments to improve your immune system again and prevent the flu.

Have a flu-free season!

Create a healthy day!

Nicole & Manel

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