Once considered to be an "alternative" medicine practice, working much like a placebo drug, massage therapy is continuing to acquire legitimacy. It is now regarded as a solution to a vast array of medical problems and symptoms. This has resulted in an increased demand for trained therapists. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that jobs in this field will increase faster than average among all occupations through the year 2016. Some of these new jobs will be in medical clinics, health spas, and nursing homes. Other professionals will begin their own practices, and will be able to look forward to setting their own hours.
Massage has enjoyed a long history as a treatment for ills. For example, ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations used this technique to treat ailments, and it was popular among ancient Greeks and Romans, as well. This form of therapy did not become popular in the United States until the 19th century, however -- and even then, was regarded as charlatan medicine in some circles. After that point, new medical advancements and better understandings of the mind-body connection allowed this practice to gain in legitimacy, until it was recognized as a valid treatment for a number of conditions.
Because massage works to manipulate muscle groups and ease tensions, aches, and pains, it can work as a treatment for anxiety and general irritability. Anxiety is often accompanied by the release of cortisol in the body, causing sufferers to feel physically out-of-sorts. This can lead to irritability - and the process works the other way, with irritability begetting anxiety. By relieving feelings of tension and stress, massage therapy helps patients to feel better all over. As stress levels decline, so, too do cortisol levels, allowing patients who seek massage therapy to feel better all over.
This therapy can also work to treat mild to moderate depression. Depression has many causes; some are organic and some are environmental. Daily life stressors, as well as major life events, such as job change or a death in the family, can exacerbate depression and its symptoms. Massage therapy helps depression sufferers to relax, so they can better sort out their thoughts and feelings. While this treatment is by no means a cure for depression, it can help patients calm down and regain a sense of control over their feelings, moods, and even lives. The immediate results -- lower anxiety levels, and improved sleeping and eating patterns - help patients to feel hopeful again.