| A quick quiz: What do Irritable Bowel Syndrome | | | | Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) -- which causes |
| (IBS), chronic insomnia, mild seasonal depression, | | | | abdominal pain and irregular bowel patterns |
| and diabetes all have in common? | | | | involving constipation and diarrhea -- is an ailment |
| They are all ailments with symptoms that can be | | | | comprised of physical and psychosomatic |
| treated or lessened by the correct applications of | | | | components. While some symptoms can be |
| massage therapy! | | | | controlled by diet or by medication administered |
| Once considered to be an "alternative" medicine | | | | during an attack, this illness, too, can be |
| practice, working much like a placebo drug, | | | | exacerbated by stress, anxiety, and tension. |
| massage therapy is continuing to acquire | | | | Massage enables IBS patients to relax, leading |
| legitimacy. It is now regarded as a solution to a | | | | some to see a reduction in painful and |
| vast array of medical problems and symptoms. | | | | inconvenient symptoms. |
| This has resulted in an increased demand for | | | | Conditions common to adult Americans in the 21st |
| trained therapists. The United States Bureau of | | | | century include high blood pressure and |
| Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that jobs in this | | | | adult-onset, or Type 2 diabetes. While these sorts |
| field will increase faster than average among all | | | | of conditions are not immediately fatal, they can |
| occupations through the year 2016. Some of | | | | cause serious secondary complications as |
| these new jobs will be in medical clinics, health | | | | affected patients age. High blood pressure and |
| spas, and nursing homes. Other professionals will | | | | diabetic symptoms, both, are affected by stress |
| begin their own practices, and will be able to look | | | | levels, which massage therapy can effectively |
| forward to setting their own hours. | | | | reduce. In the diabetic patient with circulatory |
| Massage has enjoyed a long history as a | | | | problems, massage can also help to restore |
| treatment for ills. For example, ancient Egyptian | | | | proper blood flow -- however, care must be |
| and Chinese civilizations used this technique to | | | | taken not to harm the patient further by using |
| treat ailments, and it was popular among ancient | | | | impatient or incorrect massage strokes. The |
| Greeks and Romans, as well. This form of | | | | treatment of diabetic circulatory problems is but |
| therapy did not become popular in the United | | | | one example of why patients with chronic medical |
| States until the 19th century, however -- and | | | | conditions usually require the approval of a |
| even then, was regarded as charlatan medicine in | | | | physician before undergoing massage therapy |
| some circles. After that point, new medical | | | | treatments. |
| advancements and better understandings of the | | | | Athletes, pregnant women, and the elderly can all |
| mind-body connection allowed this practice to gain | | | | also benefit from this therapu. Pregnancy |
| in legitimacy, until it was recognized as a valid | | | | massage is a specialized category of massage, |
| treatment for a number of conditions. | | | | and can be beneficial in reducing some of the |
| Several uses of massage therapy | | | | uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy, such as |
| Because massage works to manipulate muscle | | | | mood swings, hip pains, and soft-tissue swelling. |
| groups and ease tensions, aches, and pains, it can | | | | Care must be taken not to injure the woman or |
| work as a treatment for anxiety and general | | | | upset her circulation, so this type of massage is |
| irritability. Anxiety is often accompanied by the | | | | best left to a trained professional. Elderly persons |
| release of cortisol in the body, causing sufferers | | | | often seek massage therapy for arthritis, or |
| to feel physically out-of-sorts. This can lead to | | | | aging-related aches and pains. These patients can |
| irritability - and the process works the other way, | | | | be frail, and are more likely than younger patients |
| with irritability begetting anxiety. By relieving | | | | to suffer from other medical conditions and |
| feelings of tension and stress, massage therapy | | | | complications, so therapy for this population should |
| helps patients to feel better all over. As stress | | | | only be performed by professionals skilled in elder |
| levels decline, so, too do cortisol levels, allowing | | | | treatments. |
| patients who seek massage therapy to feel | | | | Massage for athletes is similar in that it must be |
| better all over. | | | | performed to relieve the stress and pain of |
| This therapy can also work to treat mild to | | | | sprains, contusions, and other injuries -- without |
| moderate depression. Depression has many | | | | making present injuries worse. This therapy for |
| causes; some are organic and some are | | | | athletes can be performed in tandem with |
| environmental. Daily life stressors, as well as | | | | treatment by an athletic trainer, orthopedic |
| major life events, such as job change or a death | | | | specialist, sports medicine physician, or physical |
| in the family, can exacerbate depression and its | | | | therapist. It might be recommended as part of a |
| symptoms. Massage therapy helps depression | | | | long-term care strategy for athletes suffering |
| sufferers to relax, so they can better sort out | | | | from recurring injuries or even performance |
| their thoughts and feelings. While this treatment is | | | | anxiety. Sometimes, massage therapists |
| by no means a cure for depression, it can help | | | | interested in working with athletes train |
| patients calm down and regain a sense of control | | | | concurrently in sports medicine or sports |
| over their feelings, moods, and even lives. The | | | | rehabilitation therapy specialties. |
| immediate results -- lower anxiety levels, and | | | | Massage has come a long way since its ancient |
| improved sleeping and eating patterns - help | | | | roots and 19th century status in America. Now |
| patients to feel hopeful again. | | | | recognized as a legitimate solution to physical and |
| Digestive disorders are another reason why | | | | psychological ailments, it is a career field showing |
| patients might seek massage to feel better. | | | | tremendous promise. |