Is It Normal Or Should You Be Concerned?

Dizziness after massage: is it normal or cause for concern? This is one of the most popular questions I get from you guys, so I figure why not write a post to talk about it!

Right off the bat, dizziness after massage is typically not something you should worry about!

And that’s because dizziness is a bit of a side effect (especially with deep tissue work!) of massage. Don’t worry we’ll look at why this is later in the post!

For now rest easy in knowing that having some dizziness post your massage session isn’t likely a cause for concern. Don’t let those alarm bells go off in your head just yet!

However If the dizziness persists for several hours, then you should start taking it seriously and seek medical attention. Let’s look at a few reasons you might be feeling dizzy after massage!

5 Reasons You Might Be Feeling Dizzy After A Massage!

#1 Because Your Blood Sugar Is Running On Low!

Planning before your massage appointment can be a bit of a tricky affair! One aspect is you don’t want to stuff yourself with a heavy meal right before the session, as you might end up feeling like crap both during and after the massage. The other aspect is of course you don’t want to be on a completely empty stomach either.

When it comes to meals before massage, it’s all about striking the right balance!

One reason you might be feeling dizzy after massage is because your blood sugar is running on low because you haven’t eaten anything in a while. If this is the case, it’ll be easier to know because your stomach will also be grumbling! Not to mention you’ll feel like you need to eat something.

#2 Post Massage Soreness & Malaise (AKA PMSM)

After a deep tissue massage, I usually experience some level of post massage soreness and malaise AKA PMSM. What is this PMSM anyways?

In simplistic non scientific layman terms, PMSM is basically when you feel a little “out of it” after an intense massage sesh!

It’s when you get up from the massage table and come to the realization that you actually feel worse after the massage than you did before. For those who get massaged frequently, you would know that this is of course to be expected. PMSM is especially characteristic of deep tissue massage!

But does PMSM contribute towards you feeling dizzy?

Some would say no, others would say yes. I side with the latter i.e. I do feel that PMSM is a contributor towards feeling dizzy after massage. Why? Simply based on personal experience!

Whenever I’ve had a serious case of PMSM, it’s always been accompanied by a slight bout of dizziness.

Nothing too intense though, and the dizziness only lasts for about 10-15 minutes and then transitions into a feeling of fatigue and sleepiness.

#3 Low Blood Pressure Could Be The Culprit!

Ever heard the term postural hypo-tension before? If you haven’t, here’s what you need to know:

According to Wiki, postural hypo-tension is a medical condition where an individual’s blood pressure drops when he or she stands or sits.

Does postural hypo-tension happen in everyone or is it with some people only? Also according to Wiki, very mild postural hypo-tension can happen with anyone, but if it does it’s usually very brief. That being said, it’s more likely to occur in folks who have a condition with low blood pressure already.

But that doesn’t mean we can rule it out completely as a reason for your dizziness post massage!

Postural hypo-tension could very well be the cause of dizziness post massage especially when you’ve been laying on the table for 2 hours or more!

It’s no different than when you wake up and rise from your bed in the morning. When you wake up tomorrow morning pay attention and you might notice that feeling of very slight disorientation when you get up from bed!

#4 You Might Be Dehydrated!

Another reason for your dizziness after massage is you might be dehydrated!

This is exactly why drinking water both before and after massage is so important!

But just like food, you don’t want to over drink water. It all comes down to drinking how much you need and no more. Try have a few sips before your session, and then once you’re done a glass of water is usually sufficient.

What about coffee/tea/soda? It’s best you avoid anything that’s caffeinated before/after massage. Your body is going through a natural process of physical healing, the last thing you wanna do is pump in more stimulants and sugar!

Goes without saying, but you definitely don’t want to be consuming alcohol either, especially not before your session! Not only is this going to cause trouble during massage, but it’s also incredibly disrespectful to the therapist and establishment.

#5 The Intensity Was A Bit Too Much!

As much as you try to deny it, your body always tells you what’s up. This applies for all things from what you eat, your sleeping habits, and of course massage!

If a massage is too intense and you’ve refused to throw in the towel, your body will reveal how it really feels soon enough!

Everyone has different levels of what they consider intense for a massage. Overstepping this level of intensity can cause damage to the body (particularly the muscles). If you’ve ever had a really intense massage, you’ll know this!

Even though uncommon, dizziness might show up as a side effect from all the deep tissue, high intense strokes!

And the reason you’re feeling a little shaky might be because your body has taken more of a “knock” than it should have. Plenty of rest, hydration, and some hot soup should help fix you up by the morning!

What Should You Do About The Dizziness?

Whenever I’ve felt dizzy after a massage, I usually take a moment to sit down in the establishment’s lobby. Reputable massage establishments will give you a glass of water post massage and ask if you’d like to sit and relax for a couple of minutes.

There’s no rush to head out! Take some time to relax post massage!

Take a moment to re-hydrate and only leave when your dizziness has subsided completely. If there’s no improvement, then stick around for a little longer.

What should you do if the dizziness persists or gets worse?

If the dizzy spells start getting worse, your best bet is to seek medical help as soon as possible. It might actually be a health condition not at all related to massage that’s causing the dizzy spells, and if that’s the case you wanna have it checked out ASAP.

Not that this needs to be said, but don’t drive if you’re dizzy!

Get someone to drive you to your nearest emergency hospital, or if no one is available then contact the emergency services to come get you. This might seem a little too extreme, but it’s better to be safe than sorry as the old saying goes!

If the dizziness is massage related, it should clear up pretty quickly by itself.

Do You Have Dizzy Spells When You Massage?

Have you ever experienced dizziness after a massage? If you have, please share your story in the comments below. Let us know what happened and what you did about it!

Alright, that’s it from me folks. If you enjoyed reading, please consider sharing this post on the socials. I’ll see you next week!