Massage for Pain Relief

A survey of U.S. consumers about massage-therapy use shows that many Americans have and will turn to massage for pain relief.

Among the survey results included that women selected massage therapy as their first choice when asked “what gave you the greatest relief from pain?” (24% vs. 22% who chose medications as their number-one pain-relief choice). Men however, placed medications first (24%) and massage second (19%). Massage therapy was three times more popular as a form of pain relief among 18- to 24-year-olds than medication (34% for massage vs. 10% for medication). Ninety-eight percent of 25- to 34-year-old respondents believe massage can be an effective way to relieve pain, and 37 percent have already had a massage to relieve pain, while 48 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds have used massage to relieve pain.

The survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation International August 10-13, 2006, for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). The survey has a confidence level of plus or minus three percent.

Bev Spidle, RMT