Massage goes mainstream!

Found a great article in the blog search on massage therapy as CAM!

CAM is a fairly new word, referring to "Complementary and Alternative Medicine. " This is a big topic for our health care system because they found they were loosing a lot of business to "alternative" therapies, and it has forced a new approach if they want to retain their standingns in the market. That sounds cynical, but the result has had a great influence on medical care!

Now this article, "Massage Therapy as CAM" comes from the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) of the National Institutes of Health. Now that's getting some high powered affirmations! It goes on to make the distinction:

Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) and D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. An example of massage therapy as conventional medicine is using it to reduce a type of swelling called lymphedema.

CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. While some scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for most there are key questions that are yet to be answered through well-designed scientific studies. An example of massage therapy as CAM is using it with the intent to enhance immune system functioning.