FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TOUCH

~Touch is the first sense to develop in humans, and may be the last to fade

~There are approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin-- 3000 in a finger tip

~Touch of any kind can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure

~Touch stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural pain killers) which is why a mother's hug for a child's skinned knee can literally make it better

~People with eating disorders who receive massage three times a day for ten days, gain weight faster and got out of the hospital six days sooner than those who don't

~Elderly people who massage surrogate grandchildren report higher-esteem and better moods

~Massage before an athletic event, makes the athlete more flexible, enhanced speed and power, and less prone to injury

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MASSAGE THERAPY



* One in four Americans have had a massage from a massage therapist in the past five years and 18% report receiving one in the past year.

* Today, there are nearly 100,000 Nationally Certified practitioners that serve millions of consumers.

* Nationally Certified practitioners provide expertise in various areas of therapeutic massage and body work; Nationally Certified practitioners provide expertise in various areas of therapeutic massager and body work, including Swedish massage, shiatsu, polarity therapy, RolfingŪ, TragerŪ techniques, reflexology, neuromuscular therapy and many more.

* In 1996, massage therapy and bodywork was officially offered for the first time as a core medical service in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. At the Games, Nationally Certified practitioners were providing key medical services.

* NCBTMB currently has nearly 1000 Approved Providers of Continuing Education.

* Consumers spend between $2 and $4 billion dollars annually on visits to massage and bodywork practitioners, totaling approximately 85 million visits each year.

* The three most often cited reasons for getting a therapeutic massage are relaxation (36%), relief of muscle soreness, stiffness or spasm (31%), and stress reduction (18%).

* 59% of primary care physicians and family practitioners say they would encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy as a complement to medical treatment.

* Massage therapy accounts for 27% of the nearly 500 million visits made to alternative healthcare providers each year.

* An estimated 27 million Americans receive massage therapy and bodywork each year, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).  

* More than two thirds of Americans have tried at least one form of alternative therapy or treatment for medical conditions.

* 48% of Americans have used some type of alternative care in the past.

* Americans make more visits to see alternative therapists than to see primary-care physicians, spending approx. $23 billion.

* The number of massage practitioners in the U.S. is between 200,000 and 250,000.