I received a massage and it was VERY painful. Is massage supposed to be painful?

No, it is not.

As was previously commented on:NO, massage should NEVER be painful to the point that tears come to your eyes and you want to curl your fingers and toes while screaming. There are some techniques that are a little bit more intense than others, but there is a BIG difference between discomfort and pain. On a discomfort scale of 1-10, you should NEVER go above a 7 If it goes past that number, please let your therapist know so they can back off while still being able to cause change in the muscle tissue. I DO NOT believe in no pain no gain, so rest assured that you will be heard if you communicate that you’re going over into the painful stage! Massage should NEVER be painful!