Whether you want to get a massage or find out how to give one, there are some important tips and guidelines to keep in mind. Safety is of the utmost importance, so be sure that you’re aware of contraindications and vulnerable spots on the body before giving your loved one a massage or settling in for one yourself.

As innocuous as massage may seem, there are still times when you should refrain from giving one because it may adversely affect a health condition of the person who receives it. Contraindication is the medical term for these conditions. "Contra" means against, as in contrary, and indications are things that tell you what to do one way or the other.

Giving a massage is great, but it’s even better when you take time to remember important massage-giving rules. They help you perform your best work and, most importantly, give your partner the best experience possible. Review these rules before you begin giving a massage: Do no harm: This guideline is the number one rule for giving a massage.

Contraindications (conditions that make massage unadvisable) can bring down a great massage for both you and the recipient. If you are aware of the contraindications pertaining to massage, you’ll be a much safer massager and/or recipient. Following are the contraindications for massage: Fever or infectious diseases: When you have a fever or infectious disease, your body is trying to isolate and expel an invader of some kind.

Receiving massage may seem like a passive activity, but knowing and following a few important guidelines can make you a better massage recipient and help you to get more out of your massage. Let these massage-receiving rules guide you to a great experience on the table (or floor, or couch . . . you get the idea): Keep breathing: While receiving a massage, focus your mind as fully as possible on your breathing to bring your awareness back to your body.

Some vulnerable areas of the body are exposed during a massage. Highly trained massage therapists can actually work in these areas, but if you’re not a massage professional yourself, you should stay away from these areas. Avoid the following spots of vulnerability: Front of the neck/throat: You’ve heard of the expression, “Go for the jugular,” right?