SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2017 · 9 SEARCHING FORRELIEF Violet said that whenever her patients ask how often they should come, her answer is, “When you’re able.” “In an ideal world, at least once a week, but I knowmost people can’t afford that because massage is mostly not covered,” she said. As much as Violet believes in the power of massage, she’s careful to not claim that it’s a cure-all, fix-all. With the concern over opioid use and addiction, however, more and more people are seeking out alternative pain management techniques. She has found plenty who are surprised by howmuch better massage makes them feel, even in the short-term. There are studies to back it up. In 2010, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that a single massage session caused biological changes in study subjects. In the study, 29 healthy adults had a 45-minute session of deep-tissue Swedish massage while 24 healthy adults had a session of light massage. Using intravenous catheters to sample their blood immediately before and after massage, researchers noted decreased levels of cortisol and another hormone that leads to increases in cortisol and an increase in the number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell fundamental to the immune system, in the post-massage samples. Finding a massage therapist isn’t difficult. Some even offer discounted sessions for new patients or through websites such as Groupon. Just make sure your therapist is licensed either by the AMTA or the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals Association. Ask if a therapist is medically qualified, Violet recommended, or ask a physician for a recommendation, especially if seeking out massage to treat pain. “I think everyone can benefit from massage,” Violet said. “For people with chronic pain, once it’s chronic, there is an emotional component to it so you have to treat the mind and the body. Some people hold on so tight because they’re in pain and they’re afraid. I’ve been there. Once you can trust someone to help you, it’s often a profound experience and I wish that for everyone.” More medical practitioners are extolling the virtues of massage therapy, but for now, it can be costly because many insurance providers don’t cover the treatment. adno=6528241
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