Not just a luxury any more!

Not long ago, "massage" was viewed as simply an indulgence or a "frill." Today, though, that view is changing. Natural, non-invasive approaches to health, wellness and pain relief are rapidly gaining the support of consumers and health professionals alike. Mainstream hospitals and health care facilities across the country now offer “complementary care services” such as Therapeutic Touch, reflexology and massage therapy to patients.

Studies conducted by The Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami School of Medicine and other notable institutions around the world provide scientific evidence of the healing power of human touch. These studies show how therapeutic massage and bodywork can help reduce pain, minimize stress and support health in body, mind and spirit. Here are a few examples:

Professional and amateur athletes have found that massage therapy enhances performance and speeds up recovery time.

Cancer patients have discovered that reflexology provides relief from pain and anxiety and have found that their bodies often come back into balance more rapidly if they have reflexology sessions in conjunction with chemotherapy.

Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and other neuromuscular disorders have experienced reduced anxiety, improved mood and enhanced control through massage and Trager® work.

Office workers find they are refreshed, energized and more alert after a 15-minute on-site massage session in the middle of the workday.

Test participants with lower back pain in a study at Drake University concluded that shiatsu treatments were effective in reducing both pain and anxiety.

Stress levels as measured by levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin are lowered after massage therapy.

Good news for weight loss: Research shows that massage can have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels, which in turn increases your capacity to control or lose weight.

Subjects undergoing alcohol detoxification who received massage therapy experienced milder symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

In other words, massage and bodywork are much more than luxuries. Whether you are an executive with a high stress job, a mother with a new baby, a "weekend warrior" on the tennis court, or someone simply searching for inner peace, Full Circle has services that are right for you.

For more information on the benefits of massage and bodywork, visit the web site of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals or The American Massage Therapy Association.