Touchpoints: A Massage Therapy Blog

As of early 2017, we'll be shifting all future massage therapy-related posts from our Touchpoints blog over to our new blog:

The Future of Integrative Health: A Guide for Aspiring Health Professionals

Here's what you can expect each week:

• The latest insights from the field of integrative health
• Inspiration from researchers and pioneers in preventative medicine
• Tips on pursuing a career in integrative medicine
• Real stories from  students who know what it takes to be successful

We invite you to subscribe to email updates and journey with us as we uncover the future of integrative health!

When first considering a career in massage therapy, many may expect their first position to be at a private massage practice or a salon and spa. But did you know that in multi-disciplinary chiropractic clinics, many of the specialists besides chiropractors are massage therapists?

About 43 percent of those specialists are massage therapists, according to the latest survey conducted by Chiropractic Economics. The survey also reported that about half of the treatment modalities provided at clinics is massage therapy, as well.

In addition to chiropractic clinics, massage therapists can be found in both hospitals and other health care facilities. This is because of the many conditions massage therapists can effectively treat, including low back pain, cancer-related fatigue and pain, immune system functioning, high blood pressure and post-operative pain.

Health care settings, especially hospitals, can be much a different environment from massage private practices or salons and spas. Most health care facilities are more challenging and intensive, but rewarding too. While patients undergo other health care treatments, massage therapists may be able to provide a better experience by giving them relief from pain and/or anxiety.

For those interested in working as a massage therapist in these health care settings, it's important to build relationships with the patient's physician or other health care provider. Massage therapists should work with them collaboratively to ask about pre-existing conditions and to discuss the effectiveness of massage after treatment. 

Certified massage therapists at National University of Health Sciences gain a comprehensive understanding of the human anatomy with the unique opportunity to study in our graduate level medical cadaver lab. Our integrative medicine health care clinic also prepares students well for the growing trend toward integrative care at health care facilities.

To learn more about the massage therapy program offered at National University call 800-826-6285 or email admissions@nuhs.edu.

For many, the holiday season can be the most stressful time of the year.  If you're struggling to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list, you might want to consider the gift of massage.

Young or old, male or female, receiving a massage is something almost everyone can benefit from--both physically by decreasing blood pressure and heart rate and psychologically, according to research.

Aside from relaxation, massage therapy can have a great many health benefits, including improved sleep, reduced anxiety and decreased muscle stiffness and fatigue after exercise. Those who experience pain from carpal tunnel syndrome, low back strain, arthritis and other illnesses can find massage therapy particularly beneficial.

Massage therapy can also be a great gift for yourself to relieve some holiday stress. In fact, visiting a local massage therapist can be one way to finish off your holiday list and reduce your own stress, all in one trip.

At the Whole Health Center in Lombard, our student interns provide massage therapy under the supervision of university clinicians at discounted rates. You can set up an appointment for anyone after the first of the year at the Lombard clinic or purchase gift certificates for half-hour and one-hour massage sessions at our Whole Health Center located in Pinellas Park in Florida.

Different types of massage are offered including soft tissues and muscle work, sports massage, trigger point therapy, neuromuscular facilitation and joint mobilization and stretching.

To book a massage appointment at the Whole Health Center in Lombard call 630-629-9664. To purchase a gift certificate at the Whole Health Center in Pinellas Park call 727-873-7870.

During Veterans Day this month, the country honored and commemorated those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. But year-round at National University we are always looking for ways to help our veterans, particularly those with health issues.

One of our faculty members, Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, MPH, Ph.D., LMT, participated in a panel about massage in the military during the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Convention last month. The panel highlighted the benefits massage therapy can provide to veterans. 

A big health concern for many of our veterans is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Triggered by experiencing or seeing a terrifying event, the health condition can last months or years and result in a variety of symptoms including flashbacks, emotional numbing and anxiety.

According to Dr. Cambron, there are a few research studies indicating that massage therapy may be beneficial for the treatment of PTSD, particularly in veterans. Other studies demonstrating positive benefits have focused on massage therapy for anxiety and for pain, both of which are associated with PTSD, she said.

During the panel, Dr. Cambron and other experts also discussed that veterans may have different needs than other massage clients, especially those with PTSD. For example, they may have an aversion to touch on certain parts of their body or they may be uncomfortable lying in a dark room with their face down. Therefore, it's important for massage therapists to discuss certain needs with their clients who are veterans.

If you're looking for a career in which you can help our veterans, massage therapy may be the perfect choice. To learn more about the Massage Therapy Program offered at NUHS visit our website: www.nuhs.edu/admissions/massage-therapy.

To learn more about the free and discounted services provided to veterans at our Veterans Clinic in the Whole Health Center in Lombard call 630-629-9664 to schedule your appointment.

As part of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) 20^th annual National Massage Therapy Awareness week Oct. 23 - Oct. 29, massage therapists across the country are highlighting the benefits of massage therapy and encouraging others to incorporate massage into their personal wellness plans.

NUHS Massage Therapy faculty are currently celebrating at the AMTA 2016 National Convention in nearby Milwaukee. On Thursday, Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, LMT, MPH, Ph.D., chair of the College of Allied Health Sciences and Distance Education, will be presenting new research on massage therapy and pain. She will also be moderating a panel on massage therapy in the military.

On Friday, NUHS MT students will attend Student Day where they will be able to connect with potential employers along with successful practitioners who will share their insights on networking, marketing and running a business.

In my previous blog post, I highlighted that the profession is expected to grow significantly in less than 10 years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for massage therapists is projected to grow 23 percent by 2022, higher than the overall projected job growth of 10.8 percent.

With over 39.1 million people reported to have received a massage from July 2014 to July 2015, students are finding that the massage therapy profession can be a very successful one.

If you're interested in learning more about a career in massage therapy, explore the National University of Health Science's massage therapy program at an evening information night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on November 16 at the Lombard campus.

At the event you can learn about the curriculum, explore career opportunities and talk with financial aid representatives. You can even talk with a graduate of the massage therapy program and get their perspective that a lot of prospective students find helpful.

Click here to RSVP and learn more.