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By AMTA
As more consumers turn to massage therapy for medical
conditions and to relieve stress, the American Massage Therapy
Association (AMTA) wants to share some tips with the public to
help them find a massage therapist who is trained and
qualified.
Consumers should ask the following questions of a massage
therapist before getting a massage:
- Are you licensed to practice massage?
- Are you a member of the American Massage Therapy
Association?
- Where did you receive your massage therapy training?
- Are you Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and
Bodywork?
Trained massage therapists are happy to share their
credentials
with clients. AMTA professional members have demonstrated a
level of skill and knowledge through education and/or testing
and are required to meet continuing education standards to
retain membership. Consumers can rest assured that their
massage therapist has met minimum education and training
standards if he or she is a member of AMTA. Although, we
suggest a massage therapist that is a member of AMTA, there
are
many excellent massage therapists that are not members. Just
be
sure to view their credentials.
People today look to massage therapy for more than pampering.
In fact, preliminary results from AMTA’s annual consumer
survey
suggest consumers seek massage for medical conditions more
than
just because it feels good. And, other healthcare providers
often refer their patients to massage therapists.
Recent research shows that massage provides relief for chronic
low back pain, eases pain and muscle spasms following bypass
surgery, and is effective in treating lymphedema, a condition
common among mastectomy survivors.
Finding a qualified massage therapist is easy by using AMTA’s
free Find A Massage Therapist® national locator service.
Simply
click on Find a Massage Therapist, or call toll-free at
888-THE-AMTA (888-843-2682). A series of prompts will steer
you
through the process and will provide a list of member massage
therapists you can contact in your area.
About The Author: The American Massage Therapy Association
www.amtamassage.org is a resource center for massage
therapists www.amtamassage.org/massage_ther.html and
massage therapy www.amtamassage.org/consumers.html.
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