The Massage Gardens at
Arbor Institute Center for Massage
Vicki Stewart Winston, LMT, AC
6500 Papermill Rd Suite 101 Knoxville, TN 37919
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Massage Therapy and its' benefits! 
Massage Can Aid in Pain Relief
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
According to the National Center for Health Statistics:
- More than one-quarter of Americans (26%) age 20 years and over - or, an estimated 76.5 million Americans - report that they have had a problem with pain of any sort that persisted for more than 24 hours in duration. [NOTE: this number does not account for acute pain].
- Adults age 45-64 years were the most likely to report pain lasting more than 24 hours (30%). Twenty-five percent (25%) of young adults age 20-44 reported pain, and adults age 65 and over were the least likely to report pain (21%).
- More women (27.1%) than men (24.4%) reported that they were in pain .
- Pain affects the life, quality of life, and work of the American public
- In many people, pain medications can have unpleasant side effects.
Considering the number of people reporting pain and its effects on quality of life, and with pain medications not necessarily being the best option, the American public has become interested in examining other methods of pain relief. In the CDC’s 2007 survey of CAM therapies the top four reasons adults used CAM therapies were:
- to treat pain including back pain or problems, neck pain or problems, joint pain or stiffness/other joint condition, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
- The most prevalent reason for children to use CAM therapies is also due to pain, back/neck pain to be specific.
Research indicates that:
- Massage can reduce pain and pain intensity in patients with metastatic bone pain on an immediate, intermediate and long term time frame.
- Massage can reduce the incidence and frequency associated with headache pain.
- Massage relieves postoperative pain.
- Massage reduced back and leg pain in pregnant women.
- Massage decreased pain, distress, tension, and anxiety in children and adolescents with chronic pain.
- Massage is recommended for children with cancer and “growing pains”.
- Massage relieves chronic pain, chronic pain of moderate to severe intensity and those with myalgia.
- Massage reduces pain and improved the quality of life for adult cancer patients.
- Massage improves subjective perception of and function for those with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
- Massage has a positive effect on lower back pain.
- Massage reduces pain for those with distal radial trauma and those receiving needle insertions.
- Massage is more effective in treating depression than perscription medications like prozac.