Benefits of Massage Therapy for Arthritis Patients

Abstract 

The media are filled with advertisements for spas and health clubs that include massage therapy among their programs. For people who want to relax and be pampered, that is fine. For arthritis sufferers, however, massage therapy performed by registered nurses offers significant relief from painful arthritis symptoms and helps lead to a better quality of life. 

Massage Therapy History and Techniques

Massage therapy is used as a method to relieve pain or other symptoms of diseases and conditions, ranging from lower back pain to dementia. One growing application is for reducing arthritis symptoms and the pain that accompany them.

Massage therapy is nothing new; it has been around for many centuries to relax people, reduce pain, and for numerous other reasons. It was not until the early 18^th century, however, that a Swedish man named Per Hendrik came up with a systematized style of massage. Hendrik's method of gentle touch was designed to place greater emphasis on the psychological and spiritual aspects of treatment. He also advocated a more vigorous massage to relax muscles and tension in a person (Zollman, 1254).

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