I have had a bad back since a car accident over 5 years ago and often suffer from extreme back pain as a result. I've tried medical massages in hospitals, dry needling, TENS units, cupping, regular epsom salt baths, etc. If it exists, I've probably tried it.
My back pain is chronic and I have desperately searched for a solution since 2018 with minimal results. But I'd never tried deep tissue massage before.
This was my first experience with a deep tissue massage and after the first massage (honestly within the first few minutes of the massage!!), I was ready to sell my soul for a lifetime membership. It was such an incredible relief and I'd not felt that good in years. Genuinely brought tears to my eyes to just not feel in such pain, so I went ahead and booked my next appointment with the same massage therapist to be after I returned from a work trip in a few weeks.
It was perfect timing because my back had started to get really bad again by the time I returned and my migraines had also begun again. I'd gone from 20+ migraines a month to not having any for a few weeks after the massage -- that's pretty much a miracle in my books!
Unfortunately, my second massage here was an absolute nightmare.
I have a very sensitive spot on my lower back that's linked with a very traumatic experience from years ago, and I made a point to bring it up before both appointments as I need immediately firm pressure in the area if someone is touching me there.
It's a bit of a fight or flight response when someone grazes me there or uses light pressure, and my immediate response is to run away/get away from the touch. I'm fine with firm pressure, but anything with a light touch has me out the door before I've even thought about it.
Although I had the same massage therapist for my second massage here, it was a completely different experience. She kept using incredibly light pressure in the area to where it felt like she was testing my boundaries(?) I felt incredibly violated and kept reminding her I needed only firm pressure in the area, but she kept just gently brushing over the area and would then ask me if I was okay when my legs were taking me off the massage table instinctively.
Beyond feeling traumatized by her continuing to touch my lower back and disregard my requests, the massage itself was extremely painful because it felt like she was massaging my tailbone instead of actual muscle.
While the first massage helped relieve my back pain and prevented migraines for weeks, the second massage left me in pain for days (where it was a bit sensitive to even sit with pressure on my tailbone/lower spine) and I ended up getting worse and more frequent migraines than before.
Again, it was the same massage therapist who did both massages and I genuinely do not know why there was such a stark difference in the quality of care, the feel of the massage, or the respect of my boundaries.
I literally cried about it later and ended up calling them to explain my experience, cancel all future appointments, and let them know how violated I felt during my second appointment. They never contacted me back to offer any type of explanation or apology for my experience, which I find deeply upsetting beyond the poor service itself.
I've since gone to a different massage place, DEEP Relief, every 2-3 weeks and have had nothing short of amazing experiences there. The massages are consistently fantastic and the massage therapists are so caring and wonderful about respecting my boundaries. And the massages are so wonderfully deep that I just feel so much better on a regular basis.
Based on my experience at Austin Deep in the downtown location, I will say that it's more "luxe" with them providing a little epsom salt bag after every massage, having little deodorant and makeup removing wipe ls to use before/after your appointment, and a very upscale interior that is calming and aesthetically beautiful, but I does not make up for the poor experience I had here.
You also have to pay for parking if you drive to Austin Deep, and DEEP relief has free parking.
Altogether, I cannot recommend Austin Deep as a result of the second massage and lack of accountability or communication after the fact, which is so unfortunate because I truly thought the first massage was amazing. If you're looking for an amazing deep tissue massage with massage therapists who will listen to your needs and requests, you won't find it here. read more