How is massage therapy regarded by the medical community?
The results of a survey, conducted between November 2000 and February 2001 in Washington State, indicate strong recognition on the part of medical clinicians that massage therapy is effective. In Washington, where complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers have been recognized by health plans since 1996, the survey asked medical practitioners five years later what they thought of CAM practices. Of 12 CAM practices included in the survey, massage therapy was ranked highest (74%) in terms of being perceived as always or usually effective. The next closest CAM practice in the same category of effectiveness was acupuncture, ranked by 67.7% of clinician respondents.1 The American Medical Association published a report in September 2000 that said two-thirds of the nations medical schools teach about herbal therapy, acupuncture, massage or other alternative medicine.
In many countries, massage therapy is an integral and important part of the healthcare system, with massage therapists working alongside doctors. While many physicians support the discipline to get a massage on a regular basis. America is the only developed country where massage therapy is not yet an official part of the healthcare system. However, as U.S. health insurance providers increasingly look to prevention, they are beginning to extend coverage on some plans to include complementary medicine and the practice of massage therapy.
The results of a survey, conducted between November 2000 and February 2001 in Washington State, indicate strong recognition on the part of medical clinicians that massage therapy is effective. In Washington, where complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers have been recognized by health plans since 1996, the survey asked medical practitioners five years later what they thought of CAM practices. Of twelve CAM practices included in the survey, massage therapy was ranked highest (74%) in terms of being perceived as always or usually effective. The next closest CAM practice in the same category of effectiveness was acupuncture, ranked by 67.7% of clinician respondents. The American Medical Association published a report in September 2000 that said that two-thirds of the nation’s medical schools teach about herbal therapy, acupuncture, massage or other alternative medicine.
