Short answer: the CDC says you can go back to normal activities once, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are getting better overall and you haven’t had a fever and aren’t using fever-reducing medicine. After that, an easy half hour that asks nothing of you is a comfortable way back in.
When you’re ready: at NOLA Chill, 6045 Magazine Street, New Orleans, a 30-minute hydromassage or NormaTec session is $30 and a 30-minute NuCalm session, guided audio with an eye mask in a quiet room for the tired week after, is $40. We’re open 7 days: Monday to Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 4 and Sunday 10 to 3.
Which one fits how you feel
| If you want | Try |
|---|---|
| Warmth and pressure while you lie still, fully clothed | Hydromassage, $30 or 3 for $75 |
| To rest seated while sleeves inflate and release | NormaTec, $30 or 3 for $75 |
| Quiet, guided rest with no heat or pressure | NuCalm, $40 or 3 for $105 |
Any of these packages can be shared or split with friends or family, and every price is on our pricing page.
Hydromassage: warm pressure while you stay dressed
You lie on a dry bed surface, fully clothed, while warmed water beneath it delivers pressure you can adjust. It is machine pressure rather than hands-on massage, and it is warm, so if heat still feels like too much, start with NuCalm instead. Our hydromassage page has the details.
NormaTec: sit back while the sleeves work
You rest seated for 30 minutes while pneumatic sleeves inflate and release in sequence, and many people find it an easy way to sit still and do nothing for a while. If one leg has new or unusual swelling, redness or pain you can’t explain, get medical guidance before booking. Our NormaTec page has more.
NuCalm: quiet rest without heat
NuCalm is 30 minutes of guided audio with an eye mask while you rest, with no sauna, cold or compression involved. Quiet here means guided audio, not silence. It is a relaxation appointment, and we don’t promise it changes how you sleep. Our NuCalm page explains how a session works.
When the sauna makes sense again
Once you’re past the CDC’s 24-hour point and feel like yourself, a 30-minute infrared sauna session is $30. Our page on how soon you can use a sauna after being sick covers the timing after a cold, the flu, COVID and a stomach bug.
Still coughing?
The CDC says you may still be able to spread the virus after that 24-hour point, so for the next 5 days it suggests added precautions such as cleaner air, good hygiene, a well-fitting mask or keeping some distance from others. Under that guidance a cough that is easing isn’t by itself a reason to stay home, and if you would rather wait, text us and we’ll move your visit.
What the research says
We haven’t seen good studies on hydromassage, compression or guided audio for getting over a cold or the flu, so think of these as comfort choices rather than a way to get better sooner. Our evidence library covers what the studies on each service do and don’t show.
More for cold and flu season
- Sauna when sick or with a fever: the 24-hour rule
- How soon you can use a sauna after being sick
- Sauna for a stuffy nose or a cold
- Cryotherapy when you’re sick
- Sauna for fall allergies in New Orleans
- Flu season in New Orleans: this week’s numbers
- Sauna after COVID: how long to wait
- After a stomach bug: when to come back
- Sauna after a flu shot or COVID vaccine
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a massage when I’m sick?
Wait until you’re past the CDC’s 24-hour point and feeling better overall. Hydromassage is machine pressure through a warm water bed rather than hands-on massage, and the same timing applies.
What are easy things to do after the flu?
Once you’ve gone 24 hours without a fever and feel better overall, a warm hydromassage, a seated NormaTec session or guided rest with NuCalm asks very little of you.
Can I use compression boots when I’m sick?
Wait until you’re past the 24-hour point and feeling better. If one leg is newly swollen, red or painful, get medical guidance before booking. Our compression therapy guide has more.
Which is best if heat still feels like too much?
NuCalm, because it has no heat, cold or pressure, just guided audio and an eye mask for 30 minutes.
Is hydromassage hot?
It is warm, not heat-free. The warmed water sits beneath a dry surface, so you stay dry and fully clothed.
I booked a visit and now I’m sick. What should I do?
Text us at (504) 381-4207 and we’ll move it.
NOLA Chill is a wellness studio at 6045 Magazine Street in New Orleans, not a medical clinic. These are wellness services for comfort, and none of them is medical care.