Today's Touch

Medical Massage Option

Among research findings so far:

*Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged.

*Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients.

*Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage.

*Premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't.

*Autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy.

Whether seeking relief for a medical condition, searching for a method to help deal with the stresses of daily life or wanting to maintain good health, more and more Americans are turning to therapeutic massage.

Massage doesn't just feel good, research shows it reduces the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. Therapeutic massage enhances medical treatment and helps people feel less anxious and stressed, relaxed yet more alert.

A national survey conducted by the State University of New York at Syracuse found 54 percent of primary care physicians and family practitioners said they would encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy as a treatment, and a third of those said they are willing to refer patients to a massage therapist.

A study in 1994 at the Middlesex Hospital, London, of 100 patients recovering from cardiac surgery, revealed that a 20 minute foot massage lowered anxiety rates, decreased pain, and reduced tension. Massage is a great way to improve the physical and emotional well-being of cancer patients. Reducing pain, nausea and tension, less anxious, more relaxed, and were more mobile after receiving massages. I believe that massage should be part of every health care program, irrespective of the disease in order to help improve the quality of life.

Physical Benefits of Therapeutic Massage:

Physical Benefits of Massage:
A tremendous help in overcoming depression
Helps relieve stress and aids relaxation
Helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness
Helps to improve posture
Helps to reduce muscle spasms
Helps to reduce blood pressure
Enhances athletic performance
Helps to reduce pain and swelling
Promotes deeper and easier breathing
Helps strengthens the immune system
Enhances the health and nourishment of skin
Enhances capacity for calm thinking and creativity
Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion
Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments
Helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain

Emotional Benefits of Therapeutic Massage:
Fosters peace of mind
Reduces levels of anxiety
Helps relieve mental stress
Fosters a feeling of well-being
Satisfies needs for caring nurturing touch
Improves ability to monitor stress signals
Promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness
Increases awareness of mind-body connection
Helps to reduce formation of excessive scar tissue

There also is a growing trend of offering therapeutic massage in the workplace. Your employer may be among those who have learned that massage therapy isn't just a perk, but actually increases employee productivity and morale.

According to a 1996 survey of employees who regularly receive therapeutic massage on-site at Reebok International Ltd., 98 percent said it helped them reduce work-related stress; 92 percent said it increased alertness, motivation and productivity; 83 percent said it had in some cases sufficiently addressed a problem so medical attention was not necessary; and 66 percent said it had enabled them to stay at work when they would have otherwise gone home sick.

Health insurance companies and HMOs, realizing the cost savings of therapeutic massage, are increasingly covering or reimbursing massage when it is prescribed or provided by authorized professionals.

Therapeutic massage involves the manipulation of the soft tissue structures of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm, and stress; and, to promote health and wellness. AMTA defines massage therapy as a profession in which the practitioner applies manual techniques, and may apply adjunctive therapies, with the intention of positively affecting the health and well-being of the client.

Massage therapy improves functioning of the circulatory, lymphatic, muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems and may improve the rate at which the body recovers from injury and illness. Massage involves holding, causing movement of soft tissue, and/or applying pressure to the body. It comes in many forms, including:

Swedish a gentle, relaxing massage;
Pressure point therapy for certain conditions or injuries
Sports massage which focuses on muscle groups relevant to the particular sport.

People find that therapeutic massage can help with a wide range of medical conditions.

Although massage therapy does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

Therapeutic massage can be inappropriate in some cases, such as in people with:

• inflammation of the veins (phlebitis)
  
• infectious diseases
  
• certain forms of cancer
  
• some skin conditions
  
• some cardiac problems

If you have one of these or some other diagnosed medical condition, always check with your doctor before seeking a massage. Research on the effects of massage therapy has been ongoing for more than 120 years. A surge in research over the past 20 years has resulted in more than 100 published studies.