Service time!

We've just come back from a 2 week holiday which was great but it was good to get back to class again. In Massage Therapy we discussed the profile of massage clients. In other words, who would benefit from a massage and who actually comes for a massage.

At the moment it seems as if massage is still something that people don't regard as a need. The perception is that it is a luxury item and it comes after everything else. John Hooper, our lecturer, made a fantastic analogy. He asks whether people take their cars for a service every year and how much they pay for that service. The car is a luxury item and it only lasts for a few years. Your body is not a luxury item and it is expected to last you for years. Why not regularly service your body so that you can be the best you can be?

Illness, injury, state of mind all contribute to postural problems and can lead to stress, distress and dis-ease. Why not help the body with its healing by having a regular massage treatment instead of allowing your dis-ease to snowball? For example, someone undergoing chemotherapy is trying to treat a particular cancer. The treatment itself is very traumatic physiologically and psychologically. So that person becomes tense and stressed. By stressing, the muscles contract and can go into spasm (knots). So now that person has more pain. A restorative, relaxing massage by a properly trained, registered massage therapist (see Allied Health Professions Council for registered therapists) can help alleviate pain, restore a sense of well-being and relaxation resulting in a more positive mindset which will aid the healing process.

Another classic example is someone who works in front of a computer everyday. You develop pain in your neck and shoulder because of repetitive strain. When you go home, you are in pain thus you are miserable with your family and your evening is ruined. You don't sleep properly so you are tired when you wake up. At work you are in pain and you are tired so you can't give your best.

I emphasised earlier that the therapist should be properly trained because there are many people who administer massage. The difference in going to a trained, registered therapist is the training, experience, and the fact that you can claim from quite a few medical aids for treatment. Massage therapists register with the Allied Health Professions Council and there are standards set in place for the duration and content of the training programmes. At the end of the day, it still comes down to the individual and the feel you get from that person, but there are many massage therapists and a certain code of ethics and professionalism required from that person.

Next time you feel like a treat, don't go to the bakery and buy a cake. Why treat yourself to something that's not actually good for you. Have a massage - if your car can have a service, why can't you?