The soothing effect of massage rubs people of many ages the right way.
It helped Ann Jones relieve her lower-back pain during pregnancy. Now, Jones uses it at bedtime to soothe and relax her 4-month-old baby, Meg.
Suketu Bhavsar thinks it helped him stay active for years–even with a serious hip condition. Roslyn Rodeheaver uses it to increase circulation in 79-year-old Willie Mae Taylor’s hand, which was weakened by a stroke.
It isn’t the latest miracle drug or high-tech gadgetry.
It’s massage.
Yes, massage feels good, lowers stress, fosters relaxation and reduces muscle tension.
But researchers also have found that massage even benefits people with serious medical problems, not as a replacement but as a complementary treatment.
“Massage is becoming more mainstream, but for some people, it’s still `out there,’ ” said Sherry Warden, a registered nurse and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing who teaches a course on alternative therapies. “But we all need to be touched.”
Back when Warden first had nursing training in the mid-1960s, she learned to give back rubs to patients, a form of hands-on care that’s now much rarer in hospitals.
“There’s such a stigma and taboo about touch,” said Rodeheaver, a Lancaster, Ky., massage therapist who recently finished 600 hours of massage training. “But touch is one of the oldest forms of medicine.”
In fact, massage was among the treatments used by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician known as the father of medicine.
“We strongly encourage people to touch, massage and soothe people,” said Christine Morton, a social worker at Lexington’s Mayfair Manor nursing home. It seems to calm behavior and reduce agitation for residents suffering from dementia.
The University of Miami School of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute has published dozens of studies about the benefits of massage for people with all kinds of medical conditions, including bulimia, HIV, fibromyalgia and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Massage also has been found to reduce migraine pain, lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, increase immune system response and lower stress hormones.
A 1986 study even found that premature infants who were massaged 15 minutes three times daily gained weight 47 percent faster–and were released from the hospital six days earlier–than infants who weren’t massaged.
The image of massage has changed substantially over the last decade.
“People used to giggle when they talked about massage,” said Cindy Hutchison, a massage therapist and co-owner of Lexington Professional Massage Center. It opened in 1989–when “massage” was more likely to conjure up images of illicit massage parlors. “Now, people perceive massage as a very valid health treatment and very much respect it.”
More people are discovering the benefits of massage. According to one 1997 poll, about 17 percent of U.S. adults have had a professional massage in the last five years, and 8 percent had one in the previous year.
The American Massage Therapy Association estimates that Americans visit massage therapists about 75 million times per year. Association surveys also have found that massage is equally popular among men as among women.
The Lexington Professional Massage Center, with a staff of 13, performs about 300 massages a week. Lexington has dozens of massage therapists working for massage and wellness centers, day spas, beauty parlors or from their own homes. Some even bring their tables or massage chairs to homes and workplaces.
There are more than 45 kinds of massage, from traditional Swedish to deep-tissue massage. Most people experiment to see which style and practitioner they prefer.
“Massage therapists are like artists, blending science and art together,” Hutchison said.
About 25 states require massage therapists to be licensed.
Any reputable massage therapist should provide references and information about training and experience.
In most cases, insurance doesn’t cover the cost, unless the massage is part of a doctor-prescribed physical therapy regimen.
“In general, we believe massage is good in all its forms,” said Sally Chapman, a registered nurse of more than 20 years and a licensed massage therapist with the Lexington Healing Arts Center. “But there are things to be especially careful about. It is possible to do damage.”
There should not be severe pain during treatment; before the massage, clients should mention any medical problems or areas of pain.
“The general rule is that if you’re still sore more than 30 hours after the massage, it was too heavy,” Chapman said.
