Massage Therapy
From WikiDemocracy
The magic touch: how healthy are massages actually?
by Sarah Sloat 13/11/2025 The Guardian
In one study, researchers observed that 8.5% of Americans reported using massage for “overall health” in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. However, definitions of health tend to vary widely, explains the study’s first author, Jeff Levin, an epidemiologist and distinguished professor at Baylor University. For instance, does it refer to physical health, mental health or both? That makes it tough to study, but may explain why it has such broad appeal, Levin explains.
Benefits of massage therapy
by Ivy Conrad 22/3/22 MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM
Massage used to only be available at high-end spas or health clubs. Some people viewed it as a luxury for the wealthy or a code word for illegal activities. Now massage is widely available and viewed as an important tool in promoting mental and physical health.
Massage Therapy for Health: What the Science Says
Several reviews of research have found weak evidence that massage may be helpful for low-back pain. Clinical guidelines issued by the American College of Physicians in 2017 included massage as an option for treating acute/subacute low-back pain but did not include massage therapy among the options for treating chronic low-back pain.
How Therapeutic Is Massage?
Medicine has come a long way since the Father of Medicine wrote those words. Doctors no longer rely on the laying on of hands to heal their patients. Massage has come a long way, too. Masseurs are no longer viewed simply as high-priced locker room specialists (much less as shady ladies who need dough of a different sort), but as therapists.
