Proven pain relief
Recently a study of 401 back pain patients demonstrated that massage works as well as the standard treatment for back pain - acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and physical therapy.
The research was headed by epidemiologist Daniel Cherikin, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle.
​The patients in the study:
Had back pain for 3 months or longer.
Did not have an identified cause for back pain.
The patients were randomly assigned to one of 3 treatments over a period of 10 weeks:
Standard treatment : acetaminophen or an NSAID, plus physical therapy once a week for 1 hour.
Relaxing (also called Swedish style) massage once a week for 1 hour.
Structural massage (also called deep tissue massage) focusing on specific areas of pain and targeting ligaments and joints once a week for 1 hour.

Results showed that after one year, all three groups reported similar decreases in pain and improved ability to perform daily activities.

Interestingly, at 10 weeks and again at 6 months, the patients receiving massage therapy reported less pain and greater ability to perform daily activities than the patients on standard therapy. 

In other words, massage worked sooner than standard therapy to relieve back pain and to get people back to their normal daily activities.
Original article  http_://www.spine-health.com/blog/massage-therapy-drug-free-alternative-back-pain-relief

​Is getting a massage really worth the cash?
​It may well be— studies suggest massage therapy can be beneficial not only in reducing physical pain, but also for improving mood and fighting stress

​Massage therapy is any treatment where a therapist manipulates the body’s muscles and soft tissues to relieve pain or decrease stress. But all massage is not created equal! Strategies range from deep tissue (often called Swedish) massage to reflexology, where the therapist applies pressure to a specific point on the body in order to relieve pain.
And the list of ailments massage can be used to treat is just as long as the list of massage types. One recent study found that massage therapy can reduce pain, promote muscle relaxation, and improve both mood and sleep quality . Another study found that after subjects were massaged, the levels of cortisol (a hormone contributing to stress) in their saliva decreased . One study also found massage therapy’s pleasurable qualities can lead to recipients reporting a better body image, especially for women .
Swedish, hot stone, aromatherapy, deep tissue, shiatsu— the list of massage types is more than 100 strong! And while most good rub downs feel delightful, is getting a massage really worth the cash? It may well be— studies suggest massage therapy can be beneficial not only in reducing physical pain, but also for improving mood and fighting stress  .

For full original article http://greatist.com/happiness/can-massages-actually-reduce-stress

AT TheTherapyWeb.com we provide quality evidence based Professional Development CPE - CEU workshops for Massage Therapist in a very convenient and cost effective format. Our Professional Development CPE - CEU workshops have been designed to give the therapist a scientific understanding to back up their work while studying from their home or clinic.

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​AT TheTherapyWeb.com we provide quality evidence based Professional Development CPE - CEU workshops for Massage Therapist in a very convenient and cost effective format. Our Professional Development CPE - CEU workshops have been designed to give the therapist a scientific understanding to back up their work while studying from their home or clinic