Massage Therapy

Massage therapy at CorePoint comes in two forms: a one hour Swedish massage and a one hour deep tissue massage. They are for people carrying muscle tension, whether it is spread across the whole body or concentrated in one place that will not ease up. Both are performed by Dr. Tina Navarifar, who has been a licensed massage therapist since 2008.

That year is the story of this service. Massage was Dr. Navarifar's first profession, one she practiced for more than ten years before she earned her Doctor of Chiropractic degree, and the foundation for everything she added afterward. When you book a massage here, you are getting a therapist's experienced hands guided by a clinician's understanding of anatomy.

Swedish or deep tissue, and how to choose

Swedish massage uses long, gliding strokes with light to moderate pressure, most of them running toward the heart, warming the tissue layer by layer. Its job is to settle the nervous system and ease overall tension, and the hour is paced so your body has time to actually let go. If your goal is to walk out calmer and looser than you walked in, this is the one.

Deep tissue massage is slower and firmer, working into the deeper layers of muscle and the connective tissue around them. Expect sustained pressure that sinks in gradually, sometimes applied through a forearm or elbow where fingers alone would tire, and long pauses on a single spot while the tissue releases. It spends real time on specific, stubborn areas rather than sweeping evenly over everything. It runs the same full hour as Swedish; the time is simply spent differently.

A useful shorthand: if you want to fall half asleep on the table, book Swedish. If there is one knot under your shoulder blade that has survived every stretch you know, book deep tissue.

What the hour looks like

The first few minutes are conversation. What hurts, what kind of pressure you like, what you want the hour to accomplish, and anything Dr. Navarifar should avoid or spend extra time on. A massage that starts without those questions is a massage aimed at nobody in particular.

You then undress to your own comfort level and lie on the table under a drape, with only the area being worked uncovered. Oil or lotion is used so strokes glide instead of drag. Dr. Navarifar checks in about pressure early, and she expects you to speak up at any point. Silence is not politeness on a massage table. It is lost information.

About pressure, honestly

Deep tissue work can be intense, and intense is fine. Gritted teeth are not. If you are clenching against the pressure, your muscles are guarding instead of releasing, and the work stops helping. The right depth is the strongest pressure you can breathe through comfortably, and finding it is a two person job.

Some soreness the day after deep tissue work is common and feels like the aftermath of a solid workout. It typically fades within a day or so. If you would rather avoid it entirely, say so and the pressure will be planned accordingly.

Massage in a clinic, not a spa

Because Dr. Navarifar is also a Doctor of Chiropractic and holds a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, massage here sits inside a bigger clinical picture. If she finds something during a massage that deserves a closer look, the person who noticed it is qualified to examine it properly.

Massage also works as preparation. Warm, released muscle responds differently to a chiropractic adjustment, and some patients schedule the two together for exactly that reason. Others alternate massage with acupuncture visits, using each for what it does best. Care is combined when it fits your situation, and one clinician sees all of it.

Payment and cancellations

Swedish and deep tissue are paid for the same way as every other visit here: cash, check, credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Zelle, or Venmo. If you hope to use insurance, call (949) 377-4707 with your plan details before you book, since coverage differs from one plan to the next.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, the clinic asks for 24 hours of notice.

How to prepare

There is not much to do. Avoid a heavy meal in the hour before your appointment, and give yourself a few unhurried minutes on either side of the hour rather than arriving at a sprint. Everything else, including how much clothing you keep on, is your call, and draping keeps you covered throughout.

If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are recovering from an injury or surgery, mention it when you book so Dr. Navarifar can plan the session appropriately or tell you honestly if massage is not the right choice yet.

Booking

The clinic is at 25411 Cabot Road, Suite 204, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Pick a session on the booking page, or describe what you want at (949) 377-4707. If you cannot decide between Swedish and deep tissue, book either one and talk it through in the first five minutes. The hands are the same. Only the plan changes.