Massage Therapy Facts For Physicians

Americans are turning to massage therapy for relief from injuries and certain chronic and acute conditions, to help them deal with the stresses of daily life, and to maintain good health. In an August 2002 national survey of adult consumers by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), 20% of adults surveyed said that such health reasons as muscle soreness/stiffness/spasm, reduction of pain, greater joint flexibility or range of motion, or injury recovery and rehab would motivate them to get a massage. Thirty-five percent of adults surveyed reported they would seek therapeutic massage for relaxation or stress reduction*

Medical professionals are becoming more knowledgeable about the efficacy and benefits of massage and are commonly integrating the services of massage therapists into patient care. Health insurance companies, realizing the cost savings of massage, may cover sessions with a massage therapist when they are a prescribed aspect of treatment. According to a survey of physicians, nurses and physicians assistants in Washington State (November 2000 to February 2001) by Group Health Cooperative, 74 percent of these medical professionals perceived the results of patient use of massage as always or usually effective for the purpose it was prescribed. **

In the 2002 consumer survey by ORC, of the 14 percent of adults who spoke to their healthcare providers about massage therapy, 76 percent reported that the conversation was favorable about massage and 19 percent reported the conversation was neutral. Of that same group, 30 percent were recommended to massage therapy by their physician and 27 percent were recommended to massage by their chiropractor. *

* From August 2002 survey commissioned by AMTA
**Weeks, J. The Integrator for the Bus. Of Alt. Med., April 2001

What Conditions May be Helped by Therapeutic Massage?

An increasing number of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins (enhancing medical treatment). Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

People with the following conditions have reported that therapeutic massage has lessened or relieved many of their symptoms.

  • Arthritis 1

  • Asthma 2

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome 3

  • Chronic and acute pain 4

  • Circulatory problems 5

  • Gastrointestinal disorders (including spastic colon, colic and constipation) 6

  • Headache 7

  • Immune function disorders 8

  • Insomnia 9

  • Myofascial pain 10

  • Premature infants 11

  • Reduced range of motion 12

  • Sports injuries 13 (including pulled or strained muscles and ligaments)

  • Stress 14

  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction 15

Contraindications

  • Certain forms of cancer

  • Phlebitis

  • Some cardiac problems

  • Some skin conditions

  • Infectious diseases

Working with Massage Therapists Questions & Answers

Q.  What is the minimum schooling required for a massage therapist?

  1. In some states, this is determined by a regulatory body. AMTA requires minimum training of 500 hours of classroom instruction from a school accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) or that is a school member of AMTA. Within the 500 hour minimum, COMTA requires accredited schools to offer at least 300 hours in massage therapy theory and technique, and a minimum of 120 hours of anatomy, physiology and pathology.

Q. Why isn’t there a national standard or requirement for someone to be a massage therapist?

  1. As with most healthcare regulation, this is determined at the state level. Certification by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork is an indication that a massage therapist has the required hours of education, has passed a comprehensive written examination, and is qualified to practice.

Q. How many states regulate massage?

  1. As of May 20, 2003, 33 states and Washington, D.C. had passed laws to regulate massage therapy. The number of states regulating the profession doubled in the 1990s.

Q. What is the difference between AMTA and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork?

  1. The American Massage Therapy Association is the premier professional association representing the massage field. Founded in 1943, it has more than 46,000 members. AMTA has an established Code of Ethics and standards of practice. AMTA supports accreditation of massage schools, education requirements for massage therapists, continuing education, clinical research on the efficacy of massage, and fair regulation of massage therapy by the states. The American Massage Therapy Association also supports the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) administers the National Certification Examination, and certifies massage therapists who pass the exam and maintain their status through continuing education.

Q. Does the American Massage Therapy Association certify or credential massage therapists?

  1. AMTA does not certify or credential massage therapists.

Q. What are the basic types of massage and how are they different from each other?

  1. See AMTA’s Glossary of Massage Terms for an overview of the basic types of massage.

Q. How do I determine what type of massage therapy my patients should have and whether they need to see someone who specializes in a particular massage or touch technique?

  1. The best approach is to find a qualified, professional massage therapist who can determine and/or recommend massage appropriate for the situation. AMTA’s Find a Massage TherapistSM national locator service can help you locate an AMTA member in your area. (See information below)

Q. If I send a patient to a massage therapist, will payment be the patient’s responsibility or will insurance reimburse for it?

  1. This will vary with patients’ health plans. More health plans now regard massage therapists as recognized providers. An increasing number of health plans offer “add-on” discount plans for massage, but don’t cover it as a reimbursable therapy. Check with the patient’s insurance, as with all referrals, to determine how payment will be coordinated. The physician may need to write a prescription for massage therapy.

Q. What does a massage therapist do that a physical therapist doesn’t do?

  1. A massage therapist focuses on the normalization of soft tissues affected by stress, injury, and illness through the use of manual techniques that improve circulation, enhance muscular relaxation, relieve pain, reduce stress, enhance immune function, or promote health and well-being. Massage therapists specialize in the use and application of therapeutic massage techniques. Generally, a physical therapist concentrates on rehabilitation of physical damage caused by illness and injury through the use of various modalities, including electrical, mechanical and ultrasound devices; therapeutic and rehabilitative exercise; and manual techniques.

Referring a Patient to a Massage Therapist
How do You Determine a Therapist’s Credentials?

Ask These Questions:

  • Are you currently licensed as a massage therapist in this state/municipality? Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia currently regulate and/or license massage therapists.

  • Are you a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)?

  • Are you certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork?

  • Are you a graduate of a training program accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation, or that is a current AMTA School Member?

  • Do you have advanced training in any specific massage techniques?

How do You Find a Qualified Massage Therapist?

AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapistsm, a free service of the American Massage Therapy Association, helps consumers and medical professionals find qualified massage therapists.

Founded in 1943, AMTA has more than 46,000 members in 27countries. AMTA Professional Members have demonstrated a high level of skill and expertise through testing and/or education. AMTA Associate Members are working toward such qualifications. AMTA has a Code of Ethics and practice standards that promote the highest quality assurance in the profession.

New AMTA Professional Members must meet at least one of the following criteria: be a graduate of a training programs accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA); be a graduate of a current AMTA School Member; have a current AMTA-accepted city, state or provincial license; or be Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

Contact AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist national locator service:

Visit: AMTA's Web site at www.amtamassage.org
Call: Toll-free at 888-843-2682

  1. Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Seligman, S., Krasnegor, J., Sunshine, W., Rivas-Chacon, R., & Schanberg, S. Jrnl. Ped. Psychology, 1997.

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