There is little doubt that massage therapy was one of the first health procedures. The first thing we do when we feel pain anywhere in our bodies is to grab it and rub it; our primal ancestors surely did the same, long before they figured out which herbs to ingest or which gods to pray to. Massage therapy has had a long and distinguished history, having been known to the ancient Chinese and Japanese, the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, and virtually every civilization before or since. Today in Germany, there is at least one massage therapy practice in every little village, and in the cities there are hundreds. It is prescribed by doctors, it is paid for by insurance.

Massage therapy was lost in our culture largely as a result of the technological revolution. In this century, discovery of drugs and other advanced medical procedures caused us to believe that medical science would solve any problems we might have. Only recently have we begun to realize that that is not the case: that medical approaches such as drugs and surgery often have significant unwanted side effects; that they are very costly (financially, physically and emotionally); that they often treat symptoms rather than causes; and that they are often better viewed as last resorts rather than pursued first. We are beginning to think preventively, to value the health of the whole person rather than fragmenting ourselves, and to see the worth of natural approaches with little risk. Massage therapy is one of the most powerful of these approaches.

Massage therapy is based on the fact that the soft tissues -- muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia -- respond to touch.   Most pain is myofascial (soft-tissue) in origin. Trigger points -- sensitive points in muscles which radiate or refer pain to various parts of the body -- can mimic many conditions.  Muscles not only move our joints, they stabilize them, and they provide armor for the internal organs. These functions cause more pain than most people realize. For example, headaches can originate in the muscles of the neck and head. 

We can help you decide if massage therapy would be beneficial for you during your consultation and examination.