Over the years, medical massage has become a popular treatment for certain conditions that have to do with pain relief in the muscles. Sometimes called clinical or treatment massage, this form of massage uses techniques and practices that are specific to the condition that is being treated.
Many practitioners of medical massage will learn of the treatment techniques while studying forms of traditional massage. Quite often, the trained massage therapist will customize a technique to deal with a specific issue. Those who practice medical massage are licensed by the state which recognizes their training in the specific techniques as required. Currently, there are only two states, Washington and Florida, that mandates that massage therapists are contracted providers recognized by health insurance companies.
History
The history of medical massage goes back over 5000 years to ancient China where various massage techniques were used to treat medical conditions and even illnesses. In modern times, the US medical community was alerted to the benefits of medical massage in the 19th century thanks to the work of Professor Silas Weir Mitchell.
The breakthrough came in 1885 with the printing of the textbook The Art of Massage, Its Physiological Effects and Therapeutic Actions by Dr. Harvey Kellogg. From that work, more material about medical massage, its techniques, and treatments were being printed around the world.
Today, medical massage is used primarily as a treatment for conditions that require physical stimulations of the muscles, cartilage, and tendons to promote circulation and healing. From breaking up scar tissue to healing specific conditions, medical massage is now regulated through the American Medical Massage Association which includes physicians, chiropractors, and massage therapists.
How is Medical Massage Different from Traditional Massage?
The basic difference is that traditional massage is designed to relax and invigorate the body while medical massage is focused on a single condition. A traditional massage involves all the major muscle groups to promote circulation while medical massage is focused on a single area to treat a condition that is present in the muscle groups or nearby tendons, cartilage, or organs.
A medical massage is not a one-off treatment, but rather a series of treatments that provide gradual improvement in terms of reducing pain, increasing mobility, and healing the muscle fibers so they function properly. Many therapists will have patients who schedule several treatments so that they can fully recover.
Medical massage does not use medications or prescriptions, which means that you can combine it with other types of treatment. Second, the massage itself is quite therapeutic and provides a strong sense of wellbeing in addition to treating a specific condition.
This style of massage is growing in popularity and for good reason. They provide excellent results for many conditions that help patients feel better. For areas of the body that have been injured or muscle groups that are not functioning properly, medical massage may offer an answer.