FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who are RMTs?
Registered Massage Therapists are health care professionals committed to restoring and maintaining optimal health and pain-free function of the body. They are educated and trained to accurately assess and treat with techniques that include massage and manual therapy, joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, and rehabilitative exercise such as stretching, strengthening, postural exercise and client education.
Does OHIP cover Registered Massage Therapy Services?
No, however, most extended employee health benefits will have partial or full coverage up to a certain amount for Registered Massage Therapy.
Are massages covered by my extended health insurance plan?
Many private health insurance plans do include coverage, as long as you are seen by a Registered Massage Therapist. Some may require a prescription for massage therapy from a medical practitioner, such as your family doctor (other Plans may not). Please check your employee handbook to see if you qualify for this accessible, worthwhile benefit. If you do not have benefits, I will be happy to discuss payment options with you.
What can I expect during my 1st visit?
I ask that you arrive 10-15 minutes early on your first appointment to allow you time to complete a health history form. This information is confidential and is required in order for me to formulate a safe and effective treatment plan for you. Together we will review your health history, noting any modification requirements, and discuss your current concerns.
In most cases, I will perform some initial assessment to determine the source of your pain or discomfort and obtain a benchmark of your current function level. I’ll explain my findings and together we will discuss a suitable treatment plan, including a suggestion of the appropriate frequency of treatments. Questions are encouraged and welcome at any time during your visit.
With your consent, your 1st treatment will then begin. After this initial appointment, a full assessment is not done every time, but periodic re-assessments will help to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment plan and the need to update it.
During your initial appointment, I do not charge for the time it takes me to review your medical history or complete the assessment.
What do I wear?
It is more beneficial for massage therapy techniques to be applied directly to the skin and therefore, you are encouraged to undress to your level of comfort (often clients will leave their underwear on). Massage Therapists are required to cover you with a sheet and only undrape the body part being worked on. When changing positions on the table (face up, face down) you will also be covered by a sheet throughout the process.
Should you feel more comfortable partially/fully dressed, massage therapy is still possible but this will limit the type of techniques that can be used. Your decision will always be respected and your comfort is very important to me.
Why Massage Therapy?
There are many reasons why you should consider massage therapy as a component of your existing rehabilitation program or as a part of your overall wellness program. Massage can have immediate and long term benefits for a variety of people– athletes, elderly, office workers, pregnant women, and children to name a few. Massage therapy, in a number of research studies, has shown remarkable advantages in patients who just had surgery. Premature infants who are massaged have shown to gain more weight and autistic children also demonstrated less erratic behaviour after regular massage therapy.
Concluded and continual research support the numerous benefits of therapeutic touch, so no matter the reason for seeking massage therapy – stress relief, pain management, or simply a luxurious treat at the end of the day – the benefits are multiplied many times over if you go to regular and scheduled massage therapy sessions.
Karen Switzer, RMT
Registered Massage Therapist
1315 Canford Crescent
Mississauga, Ontario
L5J 3M9
Email: [email protected]
