- Never massage a person who is suffering from fever or an infectious illness. Massage induces heat in the skin, muscles and joints which will exacerbate symptoms. More often than not, however, the person will feel disinclined to receive massage; an instinctive safety reaction.
- Never give firm massage directly over varicose veins.
- Never massage a person who suffers from thrombosis or phlebitis. Blood clots may become dislodged with the possibility of provoking a stroke.
- Never massage directly over skin rashes, skin ulcers, boils, swellings, bruises, sprains, torn muscles and ligaments, broken bones and burns. In any case, it is unlikely that the person would allow you to do so because any amount of pressure or friction will cause a great deal of discomfort. Even though massage is a marvelous pain reliever for arthritic and rheumatic complaints, never massage directly over swollen or inflamed areas (inflammation and swelling tends to flare up and die down at intervals) as this may cause further pain and tissue damage. However, regular massage over the vunerable areas at other times, when the pain and inflammation have subsided, will help to reduce the frequency of flare-ups.
- Always seek medical approval before massaging anyone suffering from a serious condition, such as advanced heart disease or cancer. In most cases, however, massage is an excellent therapy for soothing body and mind.
- Never massage a pregnant woman without first seeking the go-ahead from the woman's doctor or midwife.
- If something hurts, abandon the movement and move on to another area of the body.