This article offers an overview of therapeutic massage, its incidence and use within the United States. It discusses several types of modalities (not totally inclusive), benefits, indications and contraindications of treatment, the regulation of therapists, locating a practitioner, and describes a treatment session. Web sites are listed to aid the reader in obtaining more information about the modality. The use of massage therapy (MT) is expanding beyond the practitioner’s office into client’s home, hospital acute care facilities, outpatient facilities, long-term care facilities, sports teams’ facilities, corporate offices, and even into shopping malls. As this modality gains popularity with consumers and as favorable research outcomes are noted, the reader needs to become more knowledgeable about this complementary alternative medicine modality to understand how it could affect clients’ mind-body-spirit. The many positive benefits of MT make it truly an amazing modality.
