With a fever, the flu or any contagious illness, it is best to reschedule your massage. Your body is already busy recovering, and close contact makes it easy to pass things on. A cold in its first days calls for the same decision. With RHEA, you reschedule at no cost up to 24 hours before and come back to a gentle session once you feel well.
Key takeaways
- With a fever, the flu or a contagious illness, reschedule your session.
- A fever already asks a lot of your body; a massage adds one more demand.
- A cold is contagious in its first days too, and a massage means an hour of close contact.
- Go back once you have no fever without medicine and your energy is back, starting with a gentle massage.
- Rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before; inside 24 hours, the session is charged.
The answer, plainly
With a fever, the flu or any other contagious illness, it is best to reschedule your massage. With a cold in its first few days, the answer is the same. A runny nose, sneezing and a cough pass easily to anyone nearby. And during a massage, your therapist stays close to you for an hour.
The session can wait until you feel well. No fever, your energy back and your symptoms almost gone. Then a massage truly feels like rest. Before that, what your body wants is the sofa, a warm drink and time.
The decision is not always obvious. So here is what matters: when to postpone, how to tell a cold from an allergy, and when to book again.
Fever and massage don't mix
A fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection. That work uses a lot of energy. It is why a fever brings tiredness, aches and a strong urge to lie down. At that point, your body has a single job, which is to recover.
A massage adds one more demand to a body that is already busy. The aching muscles of the flu are not tense, they are worn out by the illness itself. Instead of helping, the session can leave you more tired or more unwell. And with a fever, an hour lying still tends to bring on shivers.
With the flu, it is tempting to think a massage would ease the aches. But those aches pass as you recover, not with pressure on your muscles. The best course is to rest, drink fluids and follow the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
- Fever: do not book or keep the session.
- Flu or suspected flu: reschedule.
- Any other contagious illness, such as a respiratory infection, a stomach bug or a contagious skin condition: reschedule.
- Medicine to bring a fever down: the fever may not show, but the illness is still there, and the rule is the same.
What about a mild cold?
A cold is milder than the flu, but it is still contagious. That is especially true in the first few days, when symptoms are at their worst. The virus travels in droplets from coughing, sneezing and even talking. An hour side by side, in a closed room, makes it easy to pass on.
One simple rule helps you decide. If today you would ask a colleague not to come too close, postpone the massage. If your nose is only slightly blocked after a week, you are probably near the end.
There is also comfort to think about. With a blocked nose, lying face down is hard work. Coughing and sneezing interrupt the session again and again. And your body can only slow down when your breathing is easy.
What if it is an allergy?
Not every blocked nose is a cold. A seasonal allergy to pollen or dust cannot be passed on. If you feel well, you can keep your session. Tell your therapist at the start, so you can spend more time lying face up.
And if you are not sure? Then the calmest choice is to reschedule. You wait a few more days, but you risk nothing.
A kindness to the person who looks after you
A home massage therapist visits several homes over a week. If they catch the flu at one session, they may be off work for days. They could also pass it on to other clients before they know they are ill.
Some of those clients may be pregnant, older or in more fragile health. For them, a respiratory infection can be far more serious. Rescheduling when you are unwell is a small act of care. It is what you would expect from any health or wellbeing service.
- Someone at home is ill with strong symptoms: let us know before the session.
- Air the room before your therapist arrives, especially in the months when colds are going round.
- Symptoms the day before or on the day: tell us as soon as you can, even inside the 24 hours.
After you recover, gently
There is no exact number of days that suits everyone. Each illness, and each person, has its own timing. A good guide is to wait for these three signs:
- You have no fever, without taking medicine to bring it down.
- You have enough energy for a normal day.
- Your symptoms have gone, or only mild leftovers remain, such as an occasional cough.
For the first session after being ill, choose something gentle. A 60-minute Swedish massage with light to moderate pressure is a lovely way back. Deep tissue massage can wait a little longer. Firm pressure asks more of the body, and yours is still finding its feet.
After days on the sofa or in bed, your neck and shoulders often feel stiff. Repeated coughing tires the neck, chest and upper back. A gentle session can help ease that tension. Tell your therapist at the start if you still have a slight cough.
If your neck stays stiff, our guide on massage for neck pain explains the options. Pain that is strong or does not improve is a reason to see a doctor.
There is no point making up for missed sessions with several massages in a row. One session at the right moment feels better than two in a week of recovery. To find your rhythm from there, read our guide on how often to get a massage.
When to speak to a doctor
Massage is no substitute for medical care. Some signs call for a proper check, not just rest at home. Speak to your doctor, or call your local health line, if:
- you have a high fever, or a fever that lasts several days;
- you feel short of breath, have chest pain or find it hard to breathe;
- your symptoms get worse instead of better, or come back after seeming to clear;
- you are pregnant, have a chronic condition or a weakened immune system.
After a more serious illness, such as a bad flu with complications or pneumonia, speak to your doctor first. That conversation comes before any new booking.
Rescheduling with RHEA, at no cost
Plans change, and a cold gives no warning. With RHEA, you can cancel or reschedule at no cost up to 24 hours before. Inside 24 hours, the session is charged. So at the first sign of a fever or a cold, let us know straight away, without waiting for the next morning.
Just send a message on WhatsApp to +351 920 540 239. We reply within minutes and find a new date with you.
Once you feel well, book at www.rhea.pt/booking/en, every day from 7am to 10pm. We are in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. You can even book for the same day, with 4 hours' notice.
If you were planning to use a gift card, you lose nothing by waiting, because it is valid for 12 months. We bring everything: the table, hot towels, linens and oils. A 60-minute session costs €85, with travel included.
Book your home massage
Book a Massage →Frequently Asked Questions
No. A fever shows that your body is fighting an infection, and a massage at that point only asks more of it. The illness is also likely to be contagious. The best course is to reschedule and rest. If the fever is high or lasts several days, speak to your doctor.
It is not a way to recover faster. While you are ill, your body needs rest, fluids and the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Once you have recovered, a gentle massage can help ease the tension in your neck and shoulders, especially after days of coughing.
Let us know as soon as possible on WhatsApp, +351 920 540 239. You can cancel or reschedule at no cost up to 24 hours before; inside 24 hours, the session is charged. Even so, rescheduling is better than passing your cold to the therapist and, through them, to other clients.
There is no exact number of days. The guide is to have no fever without medicine, enough energy for a normal day and symptoms that have almost cleared. For the first session, choose a gentle Swedish massage. After a more serious illness, ask your doctor first.
An allergy to pollen or dust is not contagious, so you can keep your session if you feel well. Tell your therapist at the start so they can adjust your position. If you are not sure it is an allergy rather than a cold, reschedule to be safe.
Let us know before the session, especially if that person has a fever or strong symptoms. That way we can decide with you whether to keep the session or reschedule. Airing the room before your therapist arrives also helps reduce the risk of passing anything on.
