More Americans Turning to Massage for Pain Management
Massage Therapy Grows as Overall Wellness Tool, Especially Among Baby Boomers
Evanston, IL—October 2007: More people get massage therapy for medical purposes than for relaxation, according to a survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA®). The survey also showed that baby boomers have more massages than their younger counterparts and are more likely to use massage for medical reasons.
Thirty percent of all people who received a massage in the last five years got it for medical reasons, compared to 22 percent who sought relaxation and 13 percent for a simple indulgence. Almost one-third (32 percent) of Americans say they've used massage therapy at least one time for pain relief – just behind those who have turned to chiropractic (38 percent) and physical therapy (44 percent).
"It's no surprise that people are turning to massage therapy to improve their wellness," says Dr. Leena S. Guptha, president AMTA. "It's a proven way to manage pain, recover from injury, and improve one's quality of life, often reducing the need for medications or invasive treatments."
Survey respondents said they most frequently sought massage therapy for medical reasons including pain management, injury recovery, soreness, general wellness and control of headaches or migraines. These benefits of massage are also being revealed by a growing body of medical literature.
A scholarly review of scientific studies published in the July 2007 issue of Evidence Based Complementary Medicine has shown that professional massage therapy can be more effective than some other therapies in managing certain types of pain, particularly lower back pain, shoulder complaints and headaches.
With the prevalence of massage for health conditions, it is important that consumers find a professional massage therapist," says Dr. Guptha.
