Healing Reactions

Why do you often feel worse after (or even during) a holistic treatment? Whether that be a massage, reiki, a qigong session, soundbath, or even a reiki attunement!

A healing reaction—also known as a healing crisis, detox reaction, or Herxheimer reaction—is a temporary response that can occur after a holistic treatment, sound bath, energy work, or even taking herbs. It often manifests as fatigue, emotional release, headaches, muscle aches or spasms, vivid dreams, or even flu-like symptoms. This can be surprising, especially when people expect to feel immediately better or more energized after a session.

Aftercare & Understanding Healing Reactions - Honouring Your Healing Journey

You may leave your session feeling deeply relaxed, lighter, or more energised. But sometimes, you might also feel tired, emotional, or even a bit unsettled. This is completely normal and is known as a healing reaction.

What is a Healing Reaction?

A healing reaction is a natural part of the body and energy system rebalancing itself. Holistic treatments like sound baths, energy healing, bodywork, or herbal remedies can shift stagnant energy, release emotional blockages, and activate the body's natural healing processes.

As your system releases what it no longer needs, you may experience temporary symptoms such as:

• Fatigue or needing extra sleep

• Headaches or body aches and pain

• Digestive changes

• Emotional sensitivity or sudden mood shifts

• Vivid dreams

• Feeling ‘spacey’ or ungrounded

These are signs that your body is integrating and clearing. It's a positive process, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at the time.

How to Support Yourself After a Session

Give yourself permission to slow down and receive. Here are some simple practices to support your integration:

Drink plenty of water – helps flush out toxins and rehydrate your system.

Rest or nap if needed – your body may need time to process.

Spend time in nature – walking barefoot or simply being outside can help you ground.

Eat nourishing foods – gentle, wholesome meals help support your system.

Journaling – if emotions arise, write them down to acknowledge and release them.

Take a salt bath – Epsom salts or magnesium flakes can support physical and energetic detox.

Avoid alcohol or heavy foods – for at least 24–48 hours to allow the healing to deepen.

Breathe and be kind to yourself – healing isn’t linear. Trust your process.

Why does it hurt more after a massage?

Sometimes, especially if you haven't had a treatment such as a massage before, or for a while, or maybe there are pre existing health conditions,

or muscle tension, poor posture, or underlying health issues you may experience muscle pain or spasms after even the gentlest of treatments, even something as non invasive as reflexology.

A neck spasm after a gentle massage can happen due to several reasons, including muscle fatigue, nerve stimulation, increased blood flow, or release of tension. These spasms are often temporary and harmless. To ease the discomfort, you can try applying heat or cold, gentle stretches, and over-the-counter pain relievers. 

Possible Reasons for Spasms After Massage:

• Muscle Fatigue:

  Even a gentle massage can fatigue neck muscles, causing them to spasm as they relax and recover.

• Nerve Irritation:

  Massage pressure can sometimes irritate nerves, leading to spasms.

• Increased Blood Flow:

  Increased blood flow to the muscles can cause them to contract, leading to temporary spasms.

• Release of Tension:

  As muscles relax after releasing tension, they may exhibit spasms as a normal part of the relaxation process.

• Muscle Soreness:

  You might experience soreness after a massage, which can sometimes be mistaken for a spasm, especially if you haven't had massage recently. 

  
  

What to Do:

• Rest: Allow your muscles to rest and recover. 

• Gentle Stretches: Try gentle neck stretches, but avoid any that cause sharp pain. 

• Heat or Cold: Apply a warm compress or ice pack to the affected area for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. 

• Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers: Consider taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief. 

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids to help with muscle recovery. 

• Consult a Professional: If the spasms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, consult a doctor or physical therapist. 

• Communication with Therapist:

  If you're getting a massage, communicate with your therapist about any pain or discomfort you experience during the session. 

• Regularity:

  Regular massage sessions can help your muscles become more accustomed to massage and reduce the likelihood of spasms. 

When to Reach Out

If you’re ever unsure or feel overwhelmed after a session, please know you can reach out. I'm here to support you on your healing journey.

Remember: Healing is not just about feeling good—it's about becoming whole.

What About Other Factors?

Do you ever feel affected by the moon?

Now that may be stepping into the realms of the 'woowoo', but you are on this page reading this blog! We are energetic beings, and we certainly do feel the affects of the planets and the moon - think of the tides, that swell and ebb with the phases of the moon - we are 70% water and so it also affects us.

Women will align their cycles with the moon phase, and ask anyone who works in a hospital or prison and they will certainly tell you that activity is heightened at these times!

I see it in my practice that people feel different around full and new moons, as well as when the planets are working their energies, such as retrogrades, all witches can tell you about Mercury retrograde! All manner of technology goes awry at this time!

We respond to solar flares, the Schumann resonance, (the electromagnetic 'heartbeat' of the earth) even though most of us might not notice or be aware that's what is happening and causing is to feel up and down, moody for 'no reason', disturbed sleep patterns, it's because we are all energy, connected to the universe, the earth, each other, even if we have been conditioned to not remember that.

All of this is about noticing - notice how your body and energy feels after a treatment, or a sound bath, notice how you feel around the time of the full moon. And it being ok to feel a bit 'off', give your body and your energy time to process things.

In our fast paced world that wants instant results it's easy to want to come for a treatment and to walk out 'fixed', but that is not the purpose.  I always say to people the whole aim of any complementary therapy, treatment or practice, even meditation, is to "rattle the cage", to make room, create space, shift and release energy, in our physical as well as energetic bodies. It's not always fluffy clouds and rainbows, sometimes we need to bring out the old dark stuff in order to begin the healing process!

So as well as noticing, slowing down, give yourself time to process and assimilate. Healing is not a one stop fix, it's a continuous process that unfolds throughout our whole lives - and when we really give ourselves time to surrender to it and notice, it becomes something magical.

May your healing reactions be gentle,

love and green blessings,

Sam AuroraStar Green Witch XXX