How Often Should You Get a Massage?

Short answer? It depends.

Long answer? Also, it depends, but based on why you’re coming in, how your body responds, and what your goals are.

There isn’t a universal “you must come every month” rule. And there isn’t a magic frequency that applies to everyone.

Let's deconstruct it.

The “Monthly Maintenance” Question

You’ve probably heard it before:

“You should get a massage once a month.” But where does that come from? Is it medically required? Is your body going to fall apart without it? No (though, some clients will fight me on that one)

Monthly massage isn’t a physiological mandate. It’s a rhythm that works well for some people... depending on their situation. Here's where frequency actually makes sense:

If You’re Managing Chronic Pain

Massage has moderate evidence supporting short-term relief for things like:

• Chronic low back pain

• Neck pain

• Osteoarthritis

• Fibromyalgia (especially short-term symptom relief)

• Headache & migraine frequency reduction

What research tends to show:

• More frequent sessions at the beginning (1-2x/week) often create more noticeable change.

• After improvement, some people can maintain benefits with less frequent sessions.

• When care stops entirely, symptoms often gradually return.

Massage doesn’t fix most chronic pain conditions permanently.

It modulates them.

For some people, a monthly session becomes:

• A symptom management strategy

• A flare-prevention touchpoint

• A recalibration session

That’s reasonable. But it’s not universal.

If You Accumulate Mechanical Load

Think about someone who:

• Sits at a desk 40+ hours a week

• Trains hard in the gym

• Has repetitive movement patterns

• Feels stiff every few weeks

Massage doesn’t permanently change tissue structure in dramatic ways. But it can:

• Improve short-term range of motion

• Reduce perceived stiffness

• Increase movement tolerance

• Make returning to exercise more comfortable

If you notice a predictable “tightening cycle” every 3-5 weeks, monthly care may simply match your pattern.

That’s not medical dependency. That’s rhythm-based support.

If You Use Massage for Stress Regulation

Even without talking about hormones, massage reliably:

• Reduces perceived stress

• Lowers heart rate acutely

• Improves subjective relaxation

• Helps some people sleep better

For people with consistently high stress levels, a monthly session can function as:

• A structured pause

• A reset point

• A habit anchor for self-care

Not because your body requires it. But because humans tend to do well with consistent regulation.

Because You Want to

Having a monthly massage because you like to... also 100% valid. You don't need to have a defined reason to get a massage every month or permission... you do what you want. "I want to" is absolutely legit.

The Overlooked Piece: Ongoing Support

This one doesn’t get talked about much.

Regular sessions can:

• Catch small issues before they become big ones

• Reinforce exercise or movement plans

• Improve body awareness

• Support behavior change (in regard to your own improved body awareness - not in licensed mental healthcare provider territory)

In that sense, monthly massage can act more like: Ongoing support instead of repeated repair. That’s a different mindset entirely.

What Monthly Massage Is NOT

Monthly massage is not:

• A universal requirement for staying healthy

• A detox program

• A hormone maintenance plan

• A substitute for structured rehabilitation

• A required fascial hydration routine

**In some clinical cases, massage is part of a medically necessary treatment plan. But for many people, it functions as supportive care rather than a required health intervention.

The rest of those ideas are largely marketing language... not strong evidence.

So… How Often Should You Come In?

The most honest answer?

You don’t “should” anything. (That’s a sentence now)

Some clients feel best on a 3-5-week rhythm.

Others come only when something flares up.

Some book more frequently during high-stress seasons.

And for a few.... twice a week is what they find helps diminish their chronic pain signals.

Some taper off entirely.

It's entirely dependent on YOU, and your body.

Frequency should reflect:

• Your goals

• Your response to sessions

• Your lifestyle

• Your budget

• Your autonomy

(Notice the common denominator in all of those...hint: it's you)

There is no gold star for coming monthly.

And there is no penalty for spacing sessions out.

My approach... I don’t push automatic monthly maintenance. Instead, we:

• Pay attention to how you respond

• Notice your patterns

• Adjust as needed

If your body seems to thrive on a rhythm, we use it.

If you feel good and don’t need to come in for a while, that’s completely fine too.

Massage is a support tool... not a subscription requirement.

If you’re unsure what frequency makes sense for you, we can talk about it at your next session. The goal isn’t to create dependence. It’s to support your body in a way that makes sense for your life.