Medical Massage Therapy

Medical massage therapy is a form of therapeutic massage that addresses specific conditions. It is usually done in a clinical environment. Most times it's prescribed by a doctor. The therapist sets out to improve a condition that was diagnosed by a doctor using a variety of massage techniques.

The term is quite new. It has only come about since the late 1990s to try to make massage more recognized by other medical professions. Many medical professionals at the time didn't think that massage therapy had any true value. There has been quite a bit of research since by organizations like The Touch Institute of Miami that show the value of massage on specific conditions.

I think the term is completely unnecessary because it can be used to describe many different types of massage. Most massage therapists are trying to treat conditions. Many massage therapists use a combination of techniques.

This form of massage can be used to treat a number of conditions including, but not limited to:

• TMJ
• frozen shoulder
• headaches
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• sciatic nerve pain
• chronic pain
• fibromyalgia
• tendonitis

These therapists should be highly trained. You can find them working in clinics and other treatment facilities. You should check to make sure your therapist is certified in medical massage. There is national certification, but there are no laws requiring you to have a certain amount of training to call yourself a medical massage therapist.

No matter what type of massage you receive you should check the credentials of your therapist.