By Gary Eaton, LMT

In the past, most people looked at massage as a luxury. It was for pampering themselves. Today, that is no longer the case.

Sure, many people still see it that way. Some still think of massage in the realm of “massage parlors” and “spa treatments.” Thankfully, more and more people are becoming educated on the health and medical benefits from a professional massage.

The days of disrespect are disappearing and massage is increasingly being looked at as an alternative health treatment option for many. So the question is, why do most people seek treatment from a massage therapist?

Stress is usually at the top of the list when asking people why they get a massage. And with the economy in the tank, the stress levels of most Americans is only getting higher. Massage is one of the most cost effective treatments for stress, and has proven itself again and again to be a solution for stress reduction.

But stress is just on reason people seek out professional therapists. Massage therapy has been proven to relieve many symptoms related to a variety of other conditions and can help in healing a wide range of serious health issues.

Back pain is another major reason people seek help from a massage therapist. There are an estimated 100 million Americans suffering from low back pain, and almost $25 billion is spent yearly in seeking relief. In 2003 a study showed that massage therapy helped reduce painkiller use by 36%. This was better results then using any other therapy studied.

Massage therapy has also been shown to have positive effects on migraine sufferers. With 45 million Americans suffering from chronic headaches, there are millions of dollars spent seeking treatment for this debilitating condition. Massage has been shown to help migraine sufferers by reducing headache frequency and improving sleep quality.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome continues to be a chronic problem for many Americans. Studies show that massage therapy has positive effects for carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers, helping to significantly reduce wrist pain, decrease symptoms such as numbness and tingling in the fingers, and resulted in grip strength improvement compared to patients who didn’t receive massage.

Anxiety continues to be a concern for many, and the depression rates are on the rise. Over a dozen studies have shown that massage helps reduce anxiety and depression. The reason is massage therapy’s effect on the biochemistry of the body. Studies have shown that massage reduces cortisol, a stress hormone, in recipients by as much as 53%, while at the same time increasing positive hormones serotonin and dopamine, as well as depression-reducing neurotransmitters.

Massage has also shown positive results for patients suffering from hypertension. With high blood pressure on the rise, massage has shown to have the ability to reduce blood pressure in patients compared to those just relaxing.

As you can see, there are many common ailments that massage therapy has shown to have positive effects. More and more people are suffering from these and other conditions that massage can help alleviate. That is a lot of potential massage clients!

When considering massage as a career or while in massage school, remember these issues and realize that you will have the ability to help many, many people reduce their pain and suffering and to have a higher quality of life. That is one of the great joys in being a massage therapist.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

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