Miami Herald - October 15, 2006
Jodi Mailander Farrell, jmailander@MiamiHerald.com

"All of my work today comes as referrals from neurologists, chiropractors, general practitioners and other doctors," says Oakley, who worked as a massage therapist for the Miami Dolphins in the mid-1990s. "My patient load includes a man with a hip replacement, a woman with a knee replacement and several patients in chronic pain. I'd say one out of 20 treatments is just for relaxation."

High demand for Oakley's time reflects the renewed respect in the medical community for one of the oldest methods of healing. Cited by Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," in the Fourth century B.C. as an important method of treatment, massage largely fell out of favor in the 1950s, overshadowed by the growth of the pharmaceutical industry and marred by the sex-for-sale reputation of massage parlors. Today, healing hands are back in business, as studies credit massage with lowering disease-causing stress hormones, improving sleep patterns and elevating immune systems, among other health benefits.

About 47 million American adults received a massage from 2004 to 2005 -- 2 million more than in the previous year, reports the American Massage Therapy Association in Evanston, Ill.

Of the adults who received a massage in the past five years, 32 percent did so for medical purposes.

"People are now demanding it," says Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine.

"Young doctors are more positive about it now and more willing to try alternative therapies these days."

More than 100 studies at the Touch Research Institute have uncovered positive effects on practically every health aspect, from diminished pain in fibromyalgia sufferers and increased pulmonary function in asthmatics to lower glucose levels in diabetics and enhanced immune function with HIV patients.

The biggest endorsement of massage may come from Field herself. She gets at least one professional, full-body massage for 40 minutes at home on the deck of her condo once every week. She also practices yoga and does a 20-minute Tai Chi routine daily to help combat arthritis, which runs in her family.

Hospitals, too, have joined in, with the number of hospitals offering massage therapy up by more than one-third in the past two years, according to a national survey. About 71 percent of the hospitals used it for patient stress management and comfort, while 67 percent used it for pain management, according to the survey, conducted by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association on behalf of the American Massage Therapy Association.

There are more than 80 types of massage, but the most basic -- the Swedish massage -- is the grandparent of all Western massages. From deep tissue to Thai, all of the massage techniques available today involve therapists pressing, rubbing or manipulating muscles and other soft tissue with their hands and fingers, and sometimes with forearms, elbows or feet. The intent is to relax the soft tissues and increase blood and oxygen to the massaged areas, warm them and decrease pain.

No matter the method, "pressure is the key thing," says UM's Field. "If you don't have moderate pressure, it doesn't work. You want to make an indentation in the skin."

The amount of time spent in a massage is generally not important, Field says. Even a 10-minute shoulder massage at work carries benefits. "It's like a jump start," she says. "It's not so much the time you put into something like this, it's the stimulation you receive."

In general, massage is considered relatively safe. Still, pregnant women are cautioned to find a therapist trained to perform massages on pregnant women. And diabetics should check their blood sugar after a massage session because it may dip too low. Massage should be avoided by people with congestive heart failure, kidney failure, infection of superficial veins (phlebitis), bleeding disorders and contagious skin conditions.

If you have cancer, experts urge you to check with your doctor. Some massage, for example, can damage tissue that is fragile from chemo. People with rheumatoid arthritis, a thyroid disorder called goiter, eczema and other skin lesions should not receive massages during flare-ups. Experts also advise that people with osteoporosis, high fever, few platelets or white blood cells and mental impairment may be better off avoiding massage.

In Florida, massage therapists must complete a training program of 500 or more hours and take national board exams to receive their state license.

The American Massage Therapy Association estimates that by 2012, the number of massage therapists will have increased by 20 percent to 35 percent. Last year in Florida alone, there were 23,148 active therapists with licenses and an additional 3,379 aspiring massage therapists had submitted applications.

Still, long-timers like Oakley aren't concerned about competition.

"There are too many people out there with chronic pain," Oakley says. "There just aren't enough therapists out there to handle all of them."

061015
MH061003

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2006. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2006. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .