While few can resist a good rub down at the end of a long week, there are those who need their pampering a lot more regularly.

Retiree Ivy Lian has massages up to three times a week so that she 'feels comfortable'.

If she does not get her regular dose, 'my skin becomes very dry and my neck and body start to tense up', says the 66-year-old who gets her hour-long massages at home with a personal masseuse.

Each session costs $50.

Her stiff muscles are the result of four- to five-hour-long twice-weekly mahjong sessions on weekends.

Madam Lian, who has been a massage regular for 20 years, insists she is not a massage addict. But she says: 'I'll feel very tired without a massage.'

While addiction is unlikely, not to mention difficult to prove, can a person have one massage too many and experience adverse effects?

It is a pertinent question, since Singaporeans these days, perhaps spurred by a combination of high work stress and high disposable income, appear to be signing up for more spa and massage packages.

Qi Mantra has seen a 15 to 20 per cent growth in business since last year.

Madam Lian's freelance masseuse, Ms Mary Chua, who has been in the business for 26 years, also reports a jump in clients.

Most of the 54-year-old's clients book her services once a month but two or three, including Madam Lian, want massages up to thrice a week.

Experts LifeStyle spoke to could not find scientific studies that show negative effects of having too many massages.

However, Ms Shamsynar Ani, senior physiotherapist at the Changi Sports Medicine Centre in Changi General Hospital, said: 'For the majority of us who are not engaged in any competitive sports, a monthly massage should suffice in giving our body a special treat.'

Even a spa such as Qi Mantra does not recommend that its clients get massages more than once a week as the body needs time to rest between treatments.

It also advises that each session should be limited to no more than two hours. Prolonged periods of massage can cause bruising.

'As with everything else, excessive consumption can lose its benefits,' said a spokesman for the spa.

If the frequency of massage is not a concern, untrained practitioners in the industry are.

Mr Lim Hun Teck, principal physiotherapist at Raffles Hospital, said a massage using non-professional and forceful techniques can lead to problems such as nerve damage and cerebrovascular accidents such as stroke and bruising.

These are the severe problems but Mr Lim said he has seen a number of cases where patients complain of muscle and joint pain, or numbness in arms and legs as a result of bad massage techniques.

He added that those with viral or bacterial infections such as skin rashes, unstable heart conditions, tumours and varicose veins should consult their doctors before they go for a massage.

Massages may aggravate these problems, he said.

Like Mr Lim, Mr James Huang, lecturer at the TCM Professional Centre's School of Humanities and Alternative Medicine, who specialises in clinical treatment for stroke patients, also stressed the importance of using the services of trained professionals.

He, too, cautioned that incorrect massage techniques can damage the skin or nerves.

'A professional is familiar with the human body and how it reacts to the massage,' he added.

If some people feel like they cannot do without a massage, he said, it might be because of 'self-indulgence' rather than an addiction.

Senior relationship manager Stanley Chen agrees that massages are a time for self-indulgence.

The 28-year-old, who goes for massages at Qi Mantra twice a month, said: 'Massages are little treats for me to relieve stress and tension.

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