Massage may enhance the immune system. A study suggests an increase in cytotoxic capacity associated with massage.
Another study showed massage therapy produced relaxation in 18 elderly subjects, demonstrated in measures such as decreased blood pressure and heart rate and increased skin temperature.
A study comparing 52 hospitalized depressed and adjustment disorder children and adolescents with a control group that viewed relaxation videotapes, found massage therapy subjects were less depressed and anxious.
You may be looking for home study massage therapy continuing education courses to fulfill a personal desire to increase your professional knowledge and skills. Or it might be to meet recertification requirements for working as a certified massage therapist. Either way, you'll find a number of educational resources at your disposal.The National Massage Therapy Certification BoardThe National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work (NCBTMB) offers the only nationally recognized credential in the field of massage therapy. NCBTMB also provides extensive resources for finding continuing education in massage therapy, including home study classes which meet state and national recertification requirements.The NCBTMB website, at http://www.ncbtmb.org/schools.php, offers a searchable database of schools and classes. The educational resources listed in the database meet national certification requirement, including home study courses specifically designed for recertification purposes.The American Massage Therapy AssociationAnother excellent resource for home study massage therapy continuing education courses is the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). The AMTA's website offers many helpful information and referral sources, as well as a range of online courses for massage therapy. Survey the course offerings from the AMTA at http://www.amtamassage.org/education/index.html.The Association of Bodywork and Massage ProfessionalsThe Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP) organization hosts webinars, online courses and other home study massage therapy continuing education activities for members on its website. To learn more about ABMP and the continuing education options available from the organization, visit http://www.abmp.com/home/.The Massage Therapy FoundationThe Massage Therapy Foundation periodically offers courses in collaboration with other organizations in the massage therapy field. Any course or webinar offered by the Foundation meets the recertification requirements for the NCBTMB, and often satisfies state board recertification requirements as well. To learn more about the Foundation and the courses it offers, visit http://www.massagetherapyfoundation.org/index.html.The Center for Massage Therapy Continuing EducationThere are more than sixty NCBTMB approved home study massage therapy continuing education courses offered by the Center for Massage Therapy Continuing Education (CMTCE). Course can be completed online or via distance learning printed materials mailed to your home. For additional information about the courses offered by CMTCE, visit http://www.massagetherapyceu.com/.
A study found that massage therapy can have a powerful effect upon psycho-emotional distress in persons suffering from chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
Finding a school can be a very daunting task if you do not know how to go about your search. If you have made the decision to go into massage therapy, then you will need to select the school that will prepare you for the job that you specifically want. The world of massage therapy is pretty vast, so you will need to narrow your search to the style of massage that you wish to practice and make certain that the school you choose will meet any licensing requirements for your state. Before you decide on a massage therapy school, decide what style of massage therapy you would like to specialize in and search for schools that offer training in that style. There are numerous styles of massage therapy that range from sports massage to Swedish massage and even shiatsu. Make certain to research the specific style that you wish to practice and narrow your search for schools accordingly. You may want to consider a more broad range of study, or choose a very detailed style of massage therapy. If you would like a broader range of study, do not choose a school that is limited to a few methods of practice. On the other hand, if you want to specialize in one manner of practice, the schools that specialize in one or two styles of massage therapy will be perfect for you. Make certain to also research the certification requirements for your specific state. Some states do not require certification while other states have very strict rules. If you are planning to move in the future, you will want to make sure that the program you enroll yourself in will be transferable to any state you may move to. You might want to focus on finding a massage therapy school that offers a curriculum that meets the standards of many states for this reason. Finally, make sure that you find a school that you feel comfortable with. Examine testimonials from alumni, and make an appointment to tour the school. Having narrowed down your search already, it should not be too difficult to find the massage therapy school for you.
Joseph Ashton has written: 'Review for therapeutic massage and bodywork certification' -- subject(s): Certification, Examination questions, Examinations, questions, Examinations, questions, etc, Massage, Massage therapy, Masseurs, Study guides
A study of chronic fatigue syndrome subjects found that a group receiving massage therapy had lower depression, emotional distress, and somatic symptom scores, more hours of sleep, and lower epinephrine and cortisol levels than a control group.
With all of the stress in the world, massage therapy training would be a good choice for a career. There is nothing quite like the proper massage that can relieve the stress of the most anxiety-filled person. Massage therapy training is available and there is more to it than most people may think. To be trained in massage therapy is to be trained in how to touch. By manipulating the soft-tissue muscles of the body the right way, pain can be alleviated, tired and tight muscles can become relaxed, stress is reduced, injuries can be rehabilitated and someone's overall health can improve. To decide to enroll in massage therapy training, it is necessary to know what type of massage can be learned. There are over 80 different kinds of massage and these are called modalities. Deep-tissue massage, reflexology, sports massage, Swedish massage and acupressure are just a few of the modalities that are in existence. Massage therapy training requirements and standards can change from state to state, and even by city to city. It is common to need to have at least 500 hours or more of training and study to receive a license to practice massage therapy. To enroll in an accredited program for massage therapy, only a high school diploma is required. There are schools that are strictly dedicated to learning massage therapy and techniques. There are also programs that can be found in either public or private institutes. Some of the courses that are needed in a program will include anatomy, kinesiology, ethics, physiology and business management. A good program to find would be one that can help find employment when the program has been successfully completed. It is possible to learn massage therapy either part-time or full-time which makes it convenient if the student is already employed elsewhere. State regulations vary in the way that they require massage therapists to keep up their education. There is always a need for more education on massage therapy since techniques could be improved and changed over the years.
A study of 40 low-birth-weight babies found that the 20 massaged babies had a 47% greater weight gain per day and stayed in the hospital an average of six days less than 20 infants who did not receive massage.
Massage therapy is one of the highest paying/low work hour careers that can be obtained. Massage therapists can decide their own schedules and fees when starting their own business or they can earn a substantial amount of money working in someone else's business. It is one of the most flexible jobs in the world. Massage therapy training online can help get the career started and study times are at the discretion of the student. Massage therapists duties include assessing the need of the clients, planning the best therapy techniques for the client, discussing the treatment benefits and risks with patients prior to treatment, administering the massage treatment to the client and offering advice for home care to the client. Duties far outreach the basic administration of massage therapy, including, at times, consultation with doctors for patients who need specialized care in massage therapy. Massage therapists make anywhere from $15 to $50 per hour and usually only work part-time. The job is very physically demanding and that should be understood before deciding on a career in the field. Choosing the right massage therapy training online will get the ball rolling on a great career that can provide a great deal of income as well as more free time. The massage therapy field heavily relies on having clients. If there are no clients, there is no pay. Some businesses will pay an hourly wage regardless of how many clients are seen. The majority do not though and therefore pay can vary from day to day. After the student has taken the required coursework with massage therapy training online, he or she will perform on the job training to put into practice the elements he or she learned about online. Massage therapists are not required to take coursework, but it is recommended as it helps in understanding the human body and why performing certain techniques will get likely results. Massage therapy training online helps get the career started in the right direction and shows dedication to the field of massage.
One profession that has always been able to in one way or another survive any kind of economic volatility is the massage therapy industry. No matter what kind of recession or depression and economy may be in, there is always someone with extra money who needs a massage. For those who are looking for employment or those who are looking to supplement their income with a continuing education vocation, one of the best things that they can invest in is a home study massage therapy continuing education class. What a home study massage therapy continuing education class means to an adult who is looking to supplement their income or create new income is simple. It means flexibility and it also means the octane of skills that will allow an adult to increase his or her income opportunities without giving up the opportunities that he or she currently has. Homestudy vocational schools allow the students of massage therapy the flexibility to study the art of massage when ever he or she has a free minute, not when the classroom or the teacher is free. Another thing about continuing education programs that are administered by vocational schools is that they are much less expensive than the more traditional four-year university or college programs that many people say you have to have in order to increase your income productivity levels. The fact is that the vocational schools that teach massage therapy, especially those that teach homestudy and other continuing education programs, do not have the money to advertise on television and radio as much as the four-year universities and colleges do. The hard facts remain that vocational schools are simply much, much better at placing people in long-term employment than are the traditional four-year colleges. Also, they do it for much less money, making a home study massage therapy continuing education program one of the highest return on investment activities that a person who is looking for work can make for him or herself. If you can make it through the homestudy massage therapy continuing education certification class, then you can expect employment opportunities for the rest of your life.