Massage Facts

It's a fact. Every year, more and more people rely on therapeutic massage and bodywork for relaxation, pain relief, health concerns, rehabilitation and general wellness. To help you better understand this rapidly growing field, we'd like to share some information with you.

• Touch is the first sense to develop in humans and the last to fade.
• Roman gladiators were massaged before entering the arena and 18th century Swedish cavalry man were rubbed down between skirmishes.
• There are more than five million touch receptors in our skin which is why a simple touch on the shoulder can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
• In one study, massaged preemies were discharged from the hospital six days sooner than non massaged babies. ( massage stimulates the vagus nerve - 12th cranial nerve, that influences various bodily functions such as release of food absorbtion hormones like insulin and glucose. The massages babies aren't eating more but their food absorption is more efficient.
• Massage may be the oldest form of medical care - Egyptian tomb paintings show people being massage.
• Today, 39 million American adults - more than one out of every six - get at least one massage each year.
• Massage therapy has been proven effective in:
  • Relieving back pain
  • Boosting immune system
  • Reducing anxiety
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Treating migraines
  • Decreasing carpal tunnel symptoms
  • Easing post-operative pain
  • Alleviating side effects of cancer**
• Because massage and bodywork directly or indirectly affects every system of the body, it promotes health, prevents illness and injury, and speeds recovery.
• Companies that offer massage therapy as an employee benefit include: Allstate, Best Buy, Cisco Systems, FedEx, Gannett (USA Today), General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Home Depot, JC Penney, Kimberly-Clark, Texas Instruments and Yahoo!**
• In 1996, massage therapy and bodywork was officially offered for the first time as a core medical service in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, and nationally certified practitioners provided key medical services.
• Today, there are 87,000 nationally certified practitioners serving consumers.