Thousands who have served and there is a  learned the difference that certain military have when needing massage therapy.

Pilots who have more severe neck problems, and that has a lot to do with the gravity pull.  Many have lower back problems because they hold so much weight on their bodies coming from the military zone. Their bodies are fatigued from carrying so much.  For Those who are on the ground fighting, there are a lot of shoulder issues as well.  Also the military sleeping situations can cause further strain on the body.

Military personnel take on a high-stress level and their cortisol levels rise.  Massage can help lower cortisol levels, increase serotonin and dopamine which in turn helps with the depression and anxiety many of them deal with daily.

Massage is essential for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  Combined with psychotherapy, massage can be one of the best adjunctive therapies to help with this disorder.

Active military personnel seem to respond to sports massage, range-of-motion exercises, and deep-tissue massage.  All others seem to respond best with a combination of the above techniques with Swedish massage incorporated for relaxation and altering brain waves.

Massage is imperative for our military today!

"The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Agitated Behavior and Cortisol in Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease" was conducted by staff at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing and the University of Washington Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems School of Nursing.

Ten residents of a special-care unit, ages 71-84, with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, participated in the study, which hypothesized that Therapeutic Touch would reduce the frequency of subjects’ agitated behavior and their level of salivary and/or urine cortisol.

Observers used a modified Agitated Behavior Rating Scale (ABRS) to measure the frequency and intensity of agitated behavior such as rhythmic, purposeless movements of the hands, mumbling and continuous questions, and walking aimlessly.

Data collection occurred for 16 days, three of which included sessions of Therapeutic Touch, with an 18-day "wash-out" period, followed by three more days of observations in a "post-wash-out" period.

Massage was provided by the principal investigator to each participant for five-to-seven minutes, twice a day, on days 5-7 of the study, between 10-11:30 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m.

Massage, state the study’s authors, "is an intentionally directed process during which the practitioner uses the hands as a focus to facilitate the healing process."

Results of the study showed a significant decrease in overall agitated behavior, especially vocalization and pacing/walking, which together made up 60 percent of the agitated behavior in these participants. The biggest decrease happened during the three days of Therapeutic Touch.

There were no significant changes for salivary or urine cortisol during this study.

"The current study, supported by previous work, suggests that Therapeutic Touch, as an intervention that is easy to teach and readily learned, can decrease the frequency and intensity of vocalization and pacing," state the study’s authors.

 - Source: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing and the University of Washington Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems School of Nursing. Authors: Diana Lynn Woods, Ph.D., R.N., and Margaret Dimond, Ph.D., R.N. Originally published in Biological Research for Nursing, Vol. 4, No. 2, Oct. 2002, pp. 104-114.

More Research                                                  

Massage therapists who market to employers have new evidence to bolster the case for massage in the workplace: Work-related stress contributes to depression. And depression, which is the leading cause of disability worldwide, reduces the productivity of employees, increases the frequency of worker absences and can lead to premature retirement.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found job stress and a lack of social support in the workplace were associated with major episodes of depression in men. In women, depression was linked to lack of decision authority on the job and low levels of social support.

The study utilized data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and surveyed more than 24,000 people in a variety of occupations, according to a university press release. Results were published in the November issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Almost 5 percent of those surveyed—3.4 percent of men and 6 percent of women—met the criteria for having a major depressive episode during a 12-month period.

“Depression in the workplace is a major public health problem that requires intervention yet remains under-recognized and under-treated,” the study’s authors said. “Both primary preventive approaches and high-quality treatments by primary care, occupational health and mental-health professionals can be used to reduce the burden of depression in the workplace.”

Forty-one patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer participated in the study, "Outcomes of Therapeutic Massage for Hospitalized Cancer Patients," during a 16-month period. Ninety-five percent of the participants were men. Subjects had the following cancer diagnoses: lymph, lung, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, head and neck, leukemia, breast and skin.

Throughout the first eight months of the study, 20 patients on the oncology unit received massage therapy. One nurse provided the massage, which consisted of 15-30 minutes of light Swedish techniques, varying slightly according to each patient’s medical needs. Subjects received the massage, in their hospital bed, three times during a one-week hospital stay.

Throughout the last eight months of the study, 21 patients received 20 minutes of nurse interaction, a control condition to account for personal attention received by subjects in the massage group.

Subjects completed demographic questionnaires and the four outcome questionnaires after their first night in the hospital and on the seventh day of their stay.

The mean scores for pain and symptom distress decreased significantly for participants in the massage-therapy group. Their anxiety decreased, as well, although not significantly, and their subjective sleep quality remained the same.

For subjects in the nurse-interaction group, pain, symptom distress and subjective sleep quality all worsened, although their anxiety was slightly decreased.

"The consistent findings from this study and other published reports indicate that therapeutic massage may be an integral and important part of nursing care in hospital and hospice settings for cancer patients," state the study’s authors. "Content and practice of therapeutic massage should be strengthened in the nursing curricula and integrated throughout clinical practice."

- Source: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing and Denver Veterans Administration Medical Center. Authors: Marlaine C. Smith, R.N., Ph.D.; Janet Kemp, R.N., Ph.D.; Linnea Hemphill, R.N., L.M.T.; and Carol P. Vojir, Ph.D. Originally published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2002, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 257-262.

The Web site for the National Fibromyalgia Association, www.fmaware.org, states, "Fibromyalgia (FM) is an increasingly recognized chronic pain illness which is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle and hands, but any body part can be involved. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time. FM is characterized by the presence of multiple tender points and a constellation of symptoms."

How is the diagnosis made? The Web site continues: "Currently there are no laboratory tests available for diagnosing fibromyalgia. Doctors must rely on patient histories, self-reported symptoms, a physical examination and an accurate manual tender point examination. This exam is based on the standardized ACR criteria. Proper implementation of the exam determines the presence of multiple tender points at characteristic locations."

Lynne K. Matallana, president of the NFA has said, "The NFA suggests that individuals who suffer with the symptoms of fibromyalgia implement a self-management program which incorporates both Western and complementary approaches to health care. Some people with FM are very sensitive to medicines and prefer to use more natural health care options. Dealing with the constant pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia can be quite stressful, and finding ways to help relieve stress can also help to reduce the overall symptoms of this chronic illness. Since fibromyalgia involves an increase in neurological sensitivity, both physically and emotionally, practices that are calming can bring a sense of relief. To accomplish these goals, we suggest aromatherapy alone or in combination with massage and other relaxation techniques. The use of fragrant herbs or oils can help promote sleep, calm the mind, decrease muscle pain, increase circulation, relieve headaches and promote a general sense of well-being."

We have seen first hand how well massage therapy and aromatherapy has helped our clients with fibromyalgia.