Yes, you can eat before a massage. In fact, having a snack before a massage can help prevent or minimize post-massage dizziness when you get up off the table.
Some clients also report intense hunger during massage (after all, massage helps the body’s autonomic nervous system switch from the sympathetic “fight or flight” mode to the parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode). If you are prone to significant hunger pangs or blood sugar dips, it’s a good idea to eat something modest but nutritious—like a banana or an energy bar—before your massage. And you may want to have a snack on-hand for after the massage is complete.
But there are a few exceptions to this advice:
If you are getting a deeper abdominal or visceral massage (a massage that focuses on your internal organs, i.e. your “viscera”), eating before the massage can result in some discomfort. Your stomach sits right below the muscle called the diaphragm which is the main muscle involved in breathing. The snug proximity of the diaphragm and stomach is why it can be difficult to take a deep breath after eating too much. Similarly, if the therapist is trying to massage the diaphragm, the unavoidable nudging of your stomach will likely feel uncomfortable if it’s recently been filled with food.
This same idea applies to psoas massage, which targets the back wall of the abdominal cavity and requires the therapist to nudge several digestive organs out of the way. However, psoas massage is rare and usually only called for to address severe issues in the lumbar spine, pelvis, or hip flexors.