| The ancient civilizations of the Chinese, Egyptians, | | | | muscles. Massage therapy is a prime component |
| Hindus and Persians used massage therapy as a | | | | of most relaxation therapies and stress |
| principal treatment for many an ailment. Now, the | | | | management. As stress is perceived to be the |
| fact that Americans spend 6 billion dollars annually | | | | root cause of many problems like cardiac |
| on massage therapy gives an idea of its | | | | diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorder and |
| popularity in treating a wide range of disorders. | | | | hypertension, stress management via massage |
| It is important to clearly differentiate massage | | | | therapy is an excellent supporting treatment for |
| therapy from sensual massage, as the word | | | | these disorders. There are quite a variety of |
| 'massage' calls to mind massage parlors, which | | | | massages - some for general purpose and some |
| were used to peddle sex. Today, health | | | | others targeting a specific problem. Some of the |
| professionals who are well trained, certified and | | | | popular ones are Swedish massage, sports |
| insured give the therapy in a clinical and | | | | massage, shiatsu, acupressure, aromatherapy, |
| comfortable atmosphere. | | | | neuromuscular therapy and prenatal pregnancy |
| Massage is part art and part science. Hands | | | | massage. |
| manipulate the skin, muscles, soft tissues, joints, | | | | Today's therapists are trained in professional |
| tendons and ligaments. The therapist strokes, | | | | schools, both in theory and practice. They need to |
| kneads, squeezes, presses or taps to achieve the | | | | pass a board examination and many states have |
| aim of treatment. The patient is made | | | | certification standards. Therapists are registered |
| comfortable, and some lubricants like oil, cream, | | | | with their professional associations. These |
| jelly or lotion are applied. The therapist keeps the | | | | associations like the National Certified Board for |
| patient covered and exposes only the area that | | | | Therapeutic Massage and Body Work (NCTMB), |
| he is working on. A typical massage session lasts | | | | Associated Massage and Body Work Professional |
| about an hour. | | | | (AMBP) and American massage therapy |
| The massage relaxes the muscles and soft | | | | Association (AMTA) set a high standard of |
| tissues, improves circulation, stimulates the | | | | professional ethics and competency. |
| lymphatic system and calms the nerves. There | | | | This is a treatment well suited to hectic modern |
| are a wide range of mental and physical disorders | | | | lifestyles even without any illness, and has no |
| for which massage therapy is very beneficial. It | | | | comparative competition in relaxing the body and |
| eases tension, knots, cramps and spasms in the | | | | mind, and relieving stress. |