Massage when sick: when to go, and when to stay home

You booked the massage three weeks ago, you have been looking forward to it, and this morning your nose is blocked and your throat feels like sandpaper. Should you go? Whether to have a massage when sick depends on how sick you are, and on whether what you have is something other people can catch.

The short version. With a fever, flu, a stomach bug or anything contagious, stay home and move the booking. With a mild cold and no fever, a gentle session may be fine, though it is not always comfortable. Massage will not treat a cold, and we would not tell you it does.

When to reschedule

If any of the following is true, please reschedule. It is kinder to your therapist, kinder to the guests who come in after you, and honestly kinder to you.

• A fever, or feeling hot and shivery. Your body is working hard, and being rubbed firmly for an hour is not what it needs.
• Flu or flu-like illness. Aching all over, a high temperature, a cough and exhaustion. This is when you should be in bed.
• Vomiting or diarrhoea. For hygiene and everybody's sake, please stay home until you have been well for a while.
• A positive COVID-19 test. Stay home, and tell the branch you will not be coming.
• Anything you suspect is contagious, such as a new rash or a bad, spreading cough.

This lines up with the official advice. The UK's NHS tells people with flu to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, and notes that flu is most contagious in the first five days. Healthify, the New Zealand health information site, says colds can spread before symptoms appear, and suggests avoiding close contact with others in the first two to four days of illness.

A massage is, by design, close contact. Your therapist is within arm's reach of you for an hour or more, in a small room, and breathes the same air. They then do it again with the next guest. One sick booking can easily become several.

What about a mild cold?

Many people have a cold that is barely a cold: a bit of a sniffle, no fever, and energy that is mostly normal. For that, it can be reasonable to keep your booking, but think first about whether it will be a good experience.

• Lying flat is awkward. A blocked nose is worse face-up, and a runny one is worse face-down. An hour in either position can be uncomfortable.
• You may cough or sneeze. That is not a problem, but it can interrupt a session that was meant to be restful.
• You may feel tired afterwards. A massage can leave people feeling heavy and sleepy. When you are already run down, that can feel like a lot.
• Your therapist is exposed. A cold is easy to pass on. Tell them, and let them decide how they would like to proceed.

If you do go, tell the branch when you book or phone to say you are coming, so the therapist is not surprised at the door. Bring tissues, wash your hands before you come in, and keep the pressure light. A gentler treatment such as aromatherapy, with lighter touch, is a better choice than deep tissue when you are run down. Many guests also prefer a shorter session when unwell, such as 30 or 60 minutes.

"If someone phones to say they are coming down with something, we would always rather they move the booking. We will find them another time, and nobody feels awkward about it."

Siri therapist team

What massage will not do for a cold

This is where wellness writing sometimes gets carried away. A massage will not clear a cold, shorten the flu or fight off an infection, and nobody at Siri will claim otherwise. What it can do is help you relax and ease the aches of tight muscles. When you are well, that is worth having. When you are ill, your body needs rest, fluids and time more than anything else.

If you are ill and low on sleep, our guide to massage and sleep may be a better read for once you are back on your feet. The point is not to rush yourself back into your usual routine.

How to move a booking politely

Phone or message the branch as soon as you know you will not make it. The earlier you say, the easier it is for the team to offer your slot to someone else and find you another time. You do not need a long explanation: "I have a fever and do not want to pass it on" is enough.

We have not set out a fixed rule for changes here, because it depends on the booking and how much notice there is, so please ask the branch directly. A quick phone call is better than a no-show, and much better than turning up while unwell.

• Viaduct, Auckland CBD: 027-722-6564
• St Heliers, Tamaki Drive: 027 654 6642

The contact pages for the Viaduct and St Heliers have the details. Both spas are open seven days, 10.00am to 8.00pm.

Questions worth asking yourself

Before you decide, it helps to be honest about a few things. Have you had a fever in the last day or so? Are you coughing a lot, or is it mostly a sniffle? Are you sleeping badly because of it? Do you feel like a massage, or do you just feel obliged to go because you have paid or because you have been waiting?

If the answer to the last question is obligation, that is usually your answer. A massage is meant to be a pleasant hour. A day when you would rather be on the couch is a day to rebook, and nobody will think less of you for it.

If you are not sure how sick you are

There is a grey zone, and most of us know it: you feel off, you have no fever, you cannot tell whether it is a cold, hay fever or tiredness. A simple test is to ask whether you would go to the office, or the gym, or to a friend's dinner. If the honest answer is no, rebook.

If you have symptoms that worry you, such as a fever, wheezing or trouble breathing, chest pain, or a cough or sore throat that keeps getting worse, see a doctor. Healthify lists these among the signs of something more than a cold. It also suggests taking a COVID-19 test if you have respiratory symptoms, rather than assuming it is only a cold.

And if you have a long-term condition, are pregnant, or are recovering from surgery, check with your GP, midwife or specialist before booking any massage, and tell the therapist when you book.

Coming back when you are well

Once you are better, give yourself a day or two before you book. A massage is a pleasure when you are well, and it is a poor way to test whether you have recovered. Our guide to how often to get a massage is a good read for when you are back on your feet, and the aftercare guide covers what to do on the day.

Treat the first session back as an easy one. Choose an hour rather than ninety minutes, tell your therapist you have been unwell, and keep the pressure moderate. Most people find that is plenty, and the longer sessions can wait for another week. Drink water on the day, rest in the evening and go gently on yourself. Rest and fluids are the dull answer to most illnesses, and they are the right one.

Common questions