Massage Therapists: 9 Common Questions Answered
You have probably heard of how massage therapists are contributing to our society at large. Their positive feedback is substantial and has made many fall in love with the profession.
Nevertheless, several people have asked some probing questions about this profession. So, in this article, we provide answers to 7 common questions we come across about a massage therapist on the internet.
Let’s get started!
Also Read: Is Being A Massage Therapist Worth It? Incl. 4 Hard Realities You Should Know.
#1. What Is The Difference Between A Massage Therapist And A Chiropractor?
A massage therapist manipulates muscles and soft tissues, while a chiropractor corrects the spine, neck, and other musculoskeletal systems utilizing a hands-on approach to eliminate issues caused by MISALIGNED VERTEBRAE.
The theory behind these treatments is that the proper arrangement of the skeletal system and the body’s muscles will improve the body’s healing ability. Therefore, we recommend chiropractic treatment as an alternative to pain medication or surgery.
For example, patients can experience recurrent back tension or a fall that may cause traumatic spinal cord injury. In such cases, chiropractic can lower joint limitation and enhance mobility – improving range of motion and alleviating pain.
#2. What Is The Difference Between A Massage Therapist And A Masseuse
Many people believe that a massage therapist and a masseuse are just two distinct names referring to the person applying the massage. The masseur is gender-specific and is a woman who offers massage services to her clients.
While the massage therapist can be either a man or a woman who has studied and mastered massage techniques.
Also, a massage therapist is a registered professional who has nothing to do with giving any special favors like sexual services that masseuses offer in a massage salon.
However, the masseur may be a sincere person who alleviates pain or fatigue, but the word is associated with a prostitute under the guise of a person who provides sensual pleasures.
#3. What Is The Difference Between A Massage Therapist And An Acupuncturist
Acupuncturists and massage therapists vary in the way they apply their techniques. Acupuncture involves placing small needles in a given part of the body to help ease those specific areas of pain and tension.
It is a technique that acupuncture practitioners have perfected over the years. Moreover, it gives a form of relief different from massage. Usually, acupuncture can help relieve nerve pain.
For instance, if nerves are damaged in your body, it can result in sharp or stabbing pain. Acupuncture allows blood flow to these specific parts of your body to help heal the damaged nerves.
Furthermore, Acupuncture is an excellent form of treatment for the excruciating pains associated with nerve damage.
#4. What’s The Difference Between A Massage Therapist And A Physical
One significant difference between a massage therapist and a physical therapist is that the former can work with a patient for life. At the same time, the latter tries to make their patient get back on their feet to carry on with their daily functions.
Note: It’s not the duty of massage therapists to provide first aid after an injury, although they can assist as part of an overall treatment plan.
Another significant difference is in terms of their training. Massage therapists learn and study various treatment techniques designed for both the physical body and the mind. Hence massage therapy is a good treatment plan for psychological issues like some forms of depression.
Meanwhile, physical therapists are trained much more in-depth in anatomy than their massage therapist counterparts. As they are popularly called, physical therapy assistants learn to solve a specific problem in a particular area of the body, i.e., the lower spine.
Their goal is to restore function. For instance, they could help a patient start walking again or help an athlete get back on his feet quickly. Another difference is that physical therapy requires the prescription of a doctor, but massage therapy does not.
#5. Do Massage Therapists Take Insurance?
Since many people turn to massage therapy, it seems a good idea that health insurance policies should cover massage treatment and other related activities; sadly, not all policies do.
Take Medicare, for example; it doesn’t cover massage therapy, so you will probably pay 100% of the cost if you receive this treatment. Note that there may still be limitations, even if your health insurance company offers coverage.
What massage therapy means may vary depending on the insurance company. This definition of massage therapy and the reason you are interested in getting it is likely to determine if your insurance covers it or not.
If your policy does not cover massage treatment, then it’s a good idea to ask about other alternatives.
#6. What are the disadvantages of being a massage therapist?
Below are the disadvantages that come with being a massage therapist:
1). Accidental Injury: Although all therapeutic massage specialists do their best not to cause harm to their clients, the possibility of accidental injuries still exists. Deep tissue massage can cause nerve damage, bruising and sharp muscle pain that lasts for several days. Also, in very rare cases, massage can lead to nerve disorders such as neuropathies and shingles.
2). Inappropriate behaviors: There are times you would have to deal with clients who behave inappropriately during a massage session. This is a big challenge because some clients, particularly males, may have the wrong idea and demand sexual favor from you.
3). Odd hours: Most of the time, people prefer to receive a message outside of working hours. This means as a massage therapist; you may get to work at night and on weekends. This could be inconvenient for massage therapists who would love to spend much time with their families on weekends.
#7. Do You Have To Take Your Clothes Off For A Massage?
A well-trained massage practitioner will usually ask you to undress to your comfort level. So you can prefer to keep your underwear on during a massage session or get naked. However, if your problem area is your thighs, groin, buttocks, or lower back, tight-fitting or loose underwear, it can sometimes cause interference with the massage work.
Also Read: Massage Therapy for Tinnitus & 7 Relevant Things to Know
#8. What Are The Pros Of Being A Massage Therapist?
Below are the pros to becoming a Massage Therapist.
- You have the opportunity of becoming your boss.
- You have a flexible schedule. That’s you can work at hours that best suit you and your clients.
- You have a flexible work environment.
- You have the opportunity to help others and offer valuable services to your society.
Additionally, there is immense job growth in the profession. Besides, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the job growth for Medical Massage Therapy is expected to reach 22 percent from 2014 to 2024.
#9. How Do Massage Therapists Get Paid?
Massage therapists get paid in several ways. Many of them work in small massage parlors, spas, and fitness clubs and are paid per message, while others are paid by the hour or a fixed salary per annum.
So how much do massage therapists make? According to Indeed reports, the average national salary for a massage therapist in the US is $ 27.93 at around 30-35 hours per week. However, the average salary is frequently updated on the Indeed website.
In conclusion, we hope we have answered these nine common questions about being a massage therapist. If you’re interested to know more about massage therapy, check out this article: Massage Therapy: 14 Frequently Asked Questions Answered
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website results from in-depth research on various topics. The articles on this site are only for informational and educational purposes, and it’s not intended as medical or health advice. Hence, we suggest you always ensure to seek the opinion of your doctor or other qualified health personnel regarding any questions that relate to health objectives or medical conditions.
