"Americans need to be kneaded"

A record number of Americans are seeking relief from the tensions of terrorism in the hands of massage therapists, suggest reports from around the nation. (full story)

The Miracle of Massage Therapy

Therapeutic touch soothes anxiety, promotes growth in premature infants, and heals in so many different ways. If you've never had a massage, don't put it off -- not for a minute. In our stress-worn world, an allover body massage might be just what you need. (full story)

"Americans need to be kneaded"

By: Marilyn Elias, USA Today (10/23/01)

A record number of Americans are seeking relief from the tensions of terrorism in the hands of massage therapists, suggest reports from around the nation.

"Business is increasing everywhere;" says Steve Olson, president of the American Massage Therapy Association.

Residents of New York and Washington, D.C., may be most traumatized, but Olson is facing unprecedented demand for massage in his Fargo, N.D, practice. "I cannot recall ever having to turn down so many people as I have in the last month. I can't get everybody in, even some of my regular clients."

Invited by emergency service officials, massage therapists worked on firefighters, police officers, medical personnel and FBI agents in New York, at the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania crash scene. "But we didn't know what to expect after the immediate crisis," Olson says.

"Business as usual" is not the rule:

• Boston: More are seeking appointments, "and more people are crying during massage than I've seen in the past," says Denise Borrelli, who practices in suburban Medford. "When they relax, they just let everything go. Here they're not judged in any way."
  
• Chicago: Corporate clients are asking for more massage services to de-stress employees, says Marilyn Kier, a massage therapist based in Northfield, a northern suburb. People seen at their workplaces, typically for 15
  
• Portland, Ore.: New people are coming in, and steady customers are asking for more frequent sessions, says Adela Basayne. "We may seem far away from the action, but lots of people here have relatives in the East. We're such a mobile society"
  
• Los Angeles: Regular clients "are much tighter and more uncomfortable. We're seeing flare-ups of old problems, sports injuries or other weaknesses," says massage therapist Jane Kasdan of Marina del Rey. "Everyone is so affected by this, they can't help but feel it in their bodies."
  

The terrorism-linked boost in demand for massage follows a period of evidently growing popularity for such body work. A poll out today shows 17% of Americans had a massage in the past year, compared with 8% in a 1997 survey.

The American Massage Therapy Association commissioned the survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton, NJ. It was done in July with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Overall, about two-thirds do it to relieve stress or for medical reasons, one-third for sheer indulgence.

Dorothy Burroso, 53, of Medford, Mass., is among the majority. Her much-loved brother-in-law, Alberto Dominguez, died on one of the Boston planes that hit the World Trade Center. She'd been a sporadic massage client before.

"Now I'm going every week," she says. "It's the only place I can go where I can get away from everything. I seem to sleep a lot better afterwards. It totally relaxes me. Last night I was so stressed out, I fell asleep on the massage table."

Says Basayne, the Portland massage therapist: "It's not going to make Osama bin Laden go away, but the tension release is valuable, and it makes.you able to go on."

Ask about a therapist's credentials

Massage therapy costs, on average, $50 to $75 an hour, says Steve Olson, president of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Sessions in large cities or at upscale spas can be more expensive.

Thirty states and some local jurisdictions regulate massage therapists, setting standards for how they are credentialed. But in many locales, anyone can call themselves a "massage therapist," Olson cautions, and there are some without adequate training.

The ANITA offers a locater service for people seeking trained, credentialed therapists who agree to abide by the group's code of ethics and standards of care. The service is available at wwwamtamassage.org or by phoning 888-843-2682.

The Miracle of Massage Therapy

by Jeanie Davis / WebMD Medical News - Reviewed by Charlotte Grayson, MD

"I have my achy days," she tells WebMD. "I get these knots in my neck, in my back."
Massage helps relieve that tension, but it also does much more, says Becky Getz, RN, CMT, who is Connelly's massage therapist at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Va.

Cancer patients like Connelly are often dehydrated, and a chemotherapy treatment causes areas of the body to become stiff, Getz tells WebMD. "I think massage helps bring chemotherapy, fluids, into the body a little more gently."

In fact, Getz works with many cancer patients long after their treatment -- soothing the dryness, tightness, and pain that surgery leaves behind. "Sometimes the effects of cancer last for years," she tells WebMD.

That's not all. Studies have shown that massage helps with all sorts of conditions -- arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Alzheimer's patients and kids with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also benefit from massage.

Even more interesting: Kids with diabetes have more normal blood sugar levels after massage. Premature babies gain weight faster when they're massaged. Massage eases depression, keeps depressed mothers from giving birth too early, and prevents postpartum depression.

Massage does much more than relieve everyday stress, and studies are proving it.

Ready for a Massage?

Stress is indeed a big problem for everyone these days, and massage is a legitimate way to eliminate that stress. People who are "big exercisers" also need to give their bodies a break, Getz says.

"We all need to give ourselves a focused time to relax," Getz tells WebMD. "We're all operating on flight or fight."

If you're slightly reluctant about that first massage, just relax, she says. "A professional therapist will provide professional treatment, professional draping. All trained massage therapists are very conscious of people's fears about being touched and can help make you comfortable."

To find a good massage therapist: Massage therapy schools often offer discounted massages performed by students who are near the end of their training.