Massage Therapy's Expanding Role in Health Care
Friday, April 8, 2011
If you thought massage therapy is just for
self-pampering at resorts and spas, think again! Massage therapists
are now part of many integrative health care clinics, nursing and
rehabilitation centers, hospitals and other health care venues.
Why? Massage therapy has profound
health benefits that continue to be documented by solid clinical
research. Massage can lower blood pressure, increase circulation,
reduce stress, provide pain relief, and much more. That's why many
physicians are now referring patients to massage therapists as part
of their overall plan for care.
This spells good news for those
working in the field of massage therapy. In addition, the U.S.
Department of Labor predicts that jobs in the heath care sector
will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. This is because
the baby boomer generation is aging and will continue to need and
demand more care. As massage therapists become a more valued part
of the health care delivery system, their employment prospects are
certain to expand as well.
However, to take advantage of massage
therapy jobs in medical or therapeutic settings, a massage
therapist must be able to function as a professional in a medical
environment. That's why National University of Health Sciences
offers a Massage Therapy Certification Program anchored in basic
sciences and training in the skills a therapist needs to be part of
a medical team.
At National University, massage
students don't just study anatomy from books; they work in a real
cadaver lab and examine human musculature and body systems first
hand. In other programs, students might "get by" massaging friends
and family to earn the internship credits needed for certification.
But at NUHS, students spend six months in a real integrative
medical clinic, where they work on clients with a variety of health
conditions, create charts for each client and work in conjunction
with clinical physicians. When massage students graduate from NUHS,
they understand medical terminology and clinical protocol in a way
that allows them to be valued professionals on an integrative
health care team.
The great part about the Massage
Therapy Certification Program at National University is that it
only requires a high school diploma or GED to start and can be
completed in one year of convenient evening classes. This makes
massage therapy a very accessible career option for those seeking
an entry into the health care field.
For more
information on massage therapy certification and careers, call NUHS
at
1-800-826-6285.
