Medical massage therapy is more than pampering - Journal and Courier

[massage]

Sarah Trueb, CMT, demonstrates shoulder work on Kody Hall at the Orthopedic Massage Rehabilitation Center in Lafayette.(Photo: Krislyn Placide/Journal & Courier)


When Sarah Trueb experienced seizures as a young girl, her doctor diagnosed her with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The medicine she took didn’t help because, as she would later find out, her symptoms were the results of epilepsy.

One treatment, however, made her feel better:

“I felt like a new person every time I got a massage,” Trueb said. “I really fell in love with them when I was about 7 years old.”

Massage was so helpful for Trueb that she decided to pursue it as a career to help others with similar problems. She studied at Blue Heron Academy in South Bend and became a certified medical massage therapist. She now is the owner of the Orthopedic Massage Rehabilitation Center at 30 Professional Court in Lafayette.

As a non-invasive treatment method, massage can help with fibromyalgia, migraines, injuries, digestive disorders, joint pain, nerve pain, anxiety and more, according to the Mayo Clinic. Trueb names blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and HIV among some health issues patients come to her with.

Indiana, however, does not require health insurance providers to cover massage therapy. This could be due to the perception of holistic health treatments as alternative medicine, as luxuries rather than as necessities — something Trueb said she wants to change.

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Massage as medicine

A 2014 consumer survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association found that 91 percent of individuals viewed massage therapy as beneficial for health and wellness.

An estimated 25.3 million adults experience daily pain, according to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.

Although pain is usually treated with prescription drugs, people are turning to medical massage to do the job.

A study published in 2010 in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Body Work found that medical massage resulted in a significant reduction of pain. Patients also reported an improvement in their emotional well-being, relaxation and ability to sleep.

"For pain management, when you’re using massage, the cost (to insurers) is the same — if not less — than doing pain medication and then you’re not hurting your liver at all," said Shelly Fishback, chairwoman of the Health Care Support program at Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette. "Your body’s not trying to process those meds and you’re still getting the same amount of relief."

Situations in which one would want to exercise caution before seeing a massage therapist include being on medications such as blood thinners, insulin and some psychiatric medications. It helps to stay hydrated, have a light snack or fruit juice before an appointment, and keep the massage practitioner informed about the patient's medical history.

A purposeful practice

For the past 15 years, a combination of medicine and weekly massages have kept Trueb's epilepsy symptoms at bay. She said she is slowly weaning herself off medications and can help her patients do the same if their primary care physician is on board.

Trueb practices outcome-based massage, so after she sees her patients for four to 16 weekly sessions, they may feel well enough to move on. She follows up with patients to make sure they're still in good shape after they finish treatment. Sometimes that means re-evaluating her plan, and sometimes that includes referring the patient to a physical therapist or physician.

For now, 90 percent of massage therapy costs are paid out of the client's pocket, according to a 2007 Associated Body Work and Massage Professionals Therapy survey. But massage therapists and patients alike are asking insurance companies to take another look.

"Unfortunately, it's been a struggle." Trueb said. "We go through a hurdle to be recognized."

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