| I tend to view massage therapy independently | | | | Romans and even |
| of broadercategories of therapy, healing or | | | | |
| other restorative practicesor systems. I am | | | | Native Americans highly valued not just the |
| inclined to do this because I am | | | | therapeutic, butalso the actual healing value |
| cautiousabout allowing massage to be | | | | of massage. Hippocrates himselfis quoted as |
| classified as a traditionaltherapy versus an | | | | stating that "anyone wishing to study |
| alternative therapy. | | | | medicinemust master the art of massage." |
| | | | |
| There are many practitioners who cringe when | | | | But with the advent of the industrial age and |
| they see massagetherapy lumped in with | | | | the developmentof modern scientific inquiry, |
| "alternative" practices such as acupuncture, | | | | massage was relegated to the listof |
| chiropractic or naturopathic health. To some | | | | unenlightened, unsophisticated medical |
| these smack of quackery, fakery or, in some | | | | practices. In myopinion, however, to dismiss |
| cases, lunacy. I believe that this aversion | | | | the medicinal and restorativebenefits of |
| to association with alternative medical | | | | massage was to dismiss the wisdom of the |
| practices is extreme but I concede that a | | | | Ancients. |
| massage therapy purist could develop such a | | | | |
| phobia. | | | | The lack of modern scientific diagnostic |
| | | | techniques and theinability to examine the |
| On the other hand, more open-minded massage | | | | physical being at the cellular level, |
| therapists abhorassociating massage | | | | forcedthe earliest physicians to take a macro |
| exclusively with clinical practices such | | | | view of the person sincea micro view was |
| asphysical therapy or other forms of | | | | unavailable. That macro view and the |
| rehabilitation. There is someresentment | | | | knowledgegarnered through the ages is still |
| towards the incorporation of massage therapy | | | | the essence of the practice ofthe ancient art |
| intotraditional medicine only because they | | | | of massage. |
| feel that massage may beviewed as simply a | | | | |
| procedure. This view strikes me as a | | | | That is not to say that the more clinical |
| bitvindictive but given the historical view | | | | modern approach tomassage is without merit. |
| of the mainstream medicalindustry towards the | | | | On the contrary, contemporaryresearch has |
| alternative medical community, somebitterness | | | | validated many of the formerly |
| can be expected. | | | | unsubstantiatedclaims of alternative |
| | | | practitioners. Scientific studies |
| I would hate to see massage go the way of | | | | haveconfirmed the effectiveness of massage in |
| today's politicswhich attempt to label every | | | | alleviating somedepressive symptoms, altering |
| political view as either liberal | | | | the immune system,controlling pain and |
| orconservative. Massage therapy is neither | | | | reducing stress. As stress is identifiedas |
| traditional noralternative. Frankly, | | | | the precipitator of so many medical problems, |
| traditional medicine is, in actuality,an | | | | physiciansare less reluctant to recommend |
| "alternative" to massage when viewed in an | | | | massage as part of anoverall regime to |
| historicalcontext. | | | | address certain conditions. |
| | | | |
| The first documented description of massage | | | | So I echo the plea of Rodney King when he |
| as a technique ortherapy dates back to 3,000 | | | | asked, "Can't weall just get along?" Massage |
| B.C. in China. The Chinesebelieved that all | | | | does not need the blessing of themedical |
| illness was due to an imbalance of "Qi" | | | | establishment to claim its place among the |
| within thebody. The inequitable distribution | | | | healing arts,thank you. Nor is it the |
| of this "life force" or "life energy" was | | | | exclusive therapeutic domain of |
| blamed for all ailments and this philosophy | | | | thealternative community. I am comfortable |
| was absorbed and incorporated by Japanese | | | | with claims thatmassage can benefit the whole |
| Buddhist monks into Japanese massage | | | | person and I welcome therecognition of the |
| techniques. This eventually evolved into the | | | | scientific examiners who methodically |
| unique Japanese massage therapy called | | | | studythe benefits of touch for healing. But I |
| Shiatsu or "finger pressure." | | | | intend to plant myselffirmly in the middle |
| | | | and surrender to no particular ideology |
| At the same time, similar approaches were | | | | ofmassage therapy. I endorse massage for what |
| evolving in India,eventually becoming the | | | | it does. |
| practice of Ayurvedic medicine, orthe "arts | | | | |
| of life," which also utilized massage as | | | | Article written by Terry McDermott. |
| aninstrumental healing methodology. Greeks, | | | | |