June 2003 [Volume 2, Issue 6]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
- Spa Treatments Gain Acceptance in Medical Mainstream
- The Far-Reaching Benefits of Massage
- This Month's Massage Q & A
Spa Treatments Gain Acceptance in Medical Mainstream
A
recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported that spa treatments
are beginning to find their way into mainstream medical practices. This
is encouraging to practitioners in the spa industry who have long touted
the benefits of holistic treatments.
"This ... validates what the spa industry has been saying and doing for many years," said Susie Ellis of Spa Finder Magazine.
Integrative medical programs have surfaced in university hospitals in the Bay Area; Philadelphia; Baltimore; and Aurora, Colorado, some of which are conducting studies to track the effectiveness of the treatments. Among the treatments offered at these centers are massage therapy; acupuncture; aromatherapy; guided meditation; and herbal medicine.
The programs also encourage patients to assume healthy lifestyles that include getting plenty of sleep; eating right; not smoking; limiting alcohol intake; and exercising on a regular basis. One program questionnaire asks patients if they wear bike helmets and if their homes are equipped with smoke detectors, suggesting that healthy living extends beyond the more obvious concerns related to the body. The costs of the services range anywhere from $100 to $320, but more and more insurance companies are picking up some of or all of the tab as patient demand for treatment increases.
It's clear, according to Ellis, "[that] what we are doing in the spa and massage industry is really becoming recognized."
The Far-Reaching Benefits of Massage
Massage has long been promoted as an effective treatment for back pain, but did you know that massage is beneficial for other conditions? Recent studies have shown that massage continues to complement traditional medicine in a number of ways:
- Massage relaxes muscle tissue and aids with lymph flow and drainage. In a study of postsurgical breast cancer patients, researchers concluded that massage helps to reduce pain and swelling following lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction surgery. Women also noted the emotional benefits of massage since it helped them reconnect to their bodies after surgery.
- Massage therapy helped to alleviate the pain and muscle spasms of bypass-surgery patients who received treatment while recovering in the hospital, a recent study showed. Massage treatments were so successful, 60 percent of recipients said they'd be willing to pay for continuing therapy out-of-pocket.
- Research shows that massage can help boost the immune system by increasing the system's ability to produce natural fighting agents, or "killer cells," and decreasing T-cells, which improves overall function of the immune system.
For additional information on these studies, visit www.lww.com/static/insider/march-03.html#short.
This Month's Massage Q & A
Question: I would like to know how to go about finding a good Thai massage therapist and what questions should I ask when discussing the bodywork. Since this is a pretty intimate type of bodywork I want to feel comfortable with the practitioner. Thanks a lot!
Answer: The recipient of Thai massage remains clothed in loose fitting clothing. There is no use of oils or skin lubricants during treatment. The treatment takes place on a pad or cotton futon on the floor. Thai massage is practiced very slowly, so a typical treatment can last about two hours. Although Thai massage works on the physical body, the primary focus is on the "energy" body and on the mind. The purpose of Thai massage is to bring balance and restore harmony to the body, mind and spirit, which will result in healing. Visit www.thaimassage.com for more information.
Question: Is it possible to use massage to reduce the size of a scar? If so, how?
Answer: I have not seen a significant reduction in scar size with massage; however, massage does enable scar tissue to become more uniform with surrounding tissue, allowing the scar to become less visible. Massage to the scar and surrounding soft tissues may improve the healing process in addition to releasing tension in the myofascial tissues, which is always desired. Obtain a medical doctor's approval before any work is done near the site of a recent incision.
Note: Information provided in the Massage Q & A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" forum, where massage therapist James (Doc) Clay fields questions on the massage profession. The forum is located online at www.massagetoday.com/ask/.
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