I’m constantly surprised by how many people see massage only as a self-indulgent treat that they maybe allow themselves once or twice a year. They know they feel good when they do it, but they have no idea of the health benefits associated with getting good, therapeutic massage regularly.
This has been on my mind because I just hired a therapist who joined the profession because he had witnessed the profound healing benefits of massage while his father was battling cancer. Throughout the treatment, his father received regular massage and it made a tremendous impact on the quality of his life. Johnny believes massage contributed to his father beating the cancer, so much so that he quit his job and went to massage school so that he could bring this healing to others.
According to the American Cancer Society, studies show massage can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue in some cancer patients. Many health care professionals recognize massage as a useful, non-invasive addition to standard medical treatment. Johnny and his father will attest to that.
It’s great to see the medical community affirm what I’ve known for years. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with cancer patients and have seen first hand how massage therapy helps them get through what is one of the toughest periods they’ll ever face. I’ve also seen it help people with other types of chronic pain. For these people, massage is not self indulgence…it is a critical component in their quality of life.
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