With massage, patients must learn to discern
With massage, patients must learn to discern
Therapists are not all created equal
Many people view massage as a stress buster, a great way to soothe nervous tension and relax sore muscles. Yet, massage is much more. Research is beginning to uncover a multitude of medical benefits linked to massage.
Studies at the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute found that when premature infants were massaged, they gained weight 47% faster and were discharged from the hospital six days sooner than the infants who did not receive massage. Massage seems to help asthma patients breathe easier, improves the immune function in HIV-positive patients, and reduces anxiety in depressed adolescents.
Massage therapy has many benefits, agrees Nancy Drange, RN, BSN, CMT, CETN, a nurse at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, MN, and a certified massage therapist. It helps meet each human being’s need for caring and affirmative touch. It can calm a person, induce the relaxation response, increase blood and lymph circulation, and increase a patient’s bodily self-awareness,
"Massage is not just for people on a cruise anymore. It is appropriate for every stage of the life cycle from birth to death. There really isn’t any patient that can’t be helped in some way by massage if they are accepting of it," says Drange.
Many chronic health problems caused by muscular tension can be cured with massage treatments, agrees Anna Hollingsworth, RN, MPH, CHESS, LMT, NCTMB, a massage therapist at Kona Medical Massage in Kealakekua, HI. These chronic problems can include work-related injuries, automobile accident injuries such as whiplash, and overuse injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
When a muscle is tense, the blood vessels are squeezed, constricting the blood supply to an area. Nerves also are squeezed, and the tense muscle is not able to achieve its maximum length. When the tension is released, circulation improves, the nerves stop sending out pain signals, and the relaxed muscle can achieve its length and flex normally, explains Hollingsworth.
There are several massage techniques that can be used alone or in combination with others to achieve specific results. These techniques include Swedish massage, sports massage, reflexology, neuromuscular therapy, shiatsu and acupressure. (For a glossary of massage techniques, see related story, above.)
A quiet room with appropriate music therapy creates a calm atmosphere and nurturing environment for massage, says Drange. A typical full-body massage lasts 60 minutes and includes work on the head, neck, shoulders, arms, upper chest, abdomen, legs, and back. However, massage sessions can last anywhere from 20-90 minutes depending on how much work is done.
"Draping the client is an art, learned and practiced by the experienced massage therapist to maintain patient privacy and dignity. Personally, I like to use flannel sheets with a light blanket, uncovering only the part of the client’s body I am working on," says Drange. She also recommends that the room be warm, the lighting muted, and the music tailored to the client’s taste.
When massage is incorporated into a medical setting, the patient cannot always be transported to a special room. "If the patient is in a hospital bed and cannot get out, I usually have him or her lay on their side, and in that way I can work on the back, neck, and shoulders," says Kay Starnes, CMT, LMT, a massage therapist at St. Joseph’s Specialty Center for Wellness and Rehabilitation in Atlanta. (To learn more about how to incorporate massage into a medical setting, see article, p. 55.)
In addition to relaxation massage, people will most often seek massage as an alternative therapy for aches and chronic pain within the community setting. Therefore, patient education managers need to educate people on how to select a reputable massage therapist, Hollingsworth says.
Patient educators could even research the massage therapists in their area and assemble a list, she advises. Finding a good massage therapist can be difficult because not all states have practice laws. (For a list of states that have massage practice laws, see information box, p. 56.)
"I would make sure the massage therapist had a minimum of 500 hours of formal schooling — not apprenticeship, but formal schooling," emphasizes Hollingsworth. "Also, ask if they are nationally certified." Find out if the therapist has had training in neuromuscular therapy or if he or she does treatment work. (To learn more about the difference between treatment work and relaxation therapy, see article below.)
Also, find out if the massage therapist studied at an accredited school, what type(s) of massage the therapist learned, and what his or her specialty is, advises Norma Marrero, PT, director of physical therapy at Heartland Florida Sports Medicine in Homestead. Ask how many years they have been practicing as well. For a list of qualified massage therapists, contact the Evanston, IL-based American Massage Therapy Association, says Marrero. (See source box on p. 57 for contact information.)
Ask for referrals, advises Venice Sullivan, CNMT, director of the Hope Wellness Institute in Carmichael, CA. Talking with people who are customers can reveal a lot about a massage therapist and his or her work. Also, know your state laws and local government restrictions. Not all states require massage therapists to be licensed.
If the state you live in has no law for licensing a massage therapist and the hours of required training are low, try to find someone who has more training than the state requirement, advises Sullivan. In California, the requirement is 100 hours of training. "My training far exceeds 2000 hours now. My personal feeling is that the normal therapist that has come out of 100 hours of training is qualified to do a club rub, or strictly a relaxation massage," says Sullivan.
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