Acupuncture & Massage College introduced several fair attendees to AMC´s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs, the student intern Community Clinic and the health benefits of Oriental Medicine and acupuncture at this year´s Health and Wellness Fair held at the Falls on Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 9.

A big thanks to all students who participated at the fair, headed up by 3rd year students Patricia Boulogne and Travis Beto. Students who staffed the event included: Rosa Cerda, Carmen Gomez, Adrian Melero, Su Nguyen, Jocelyn Rodriquez, Carla Talerico, Krista Teibel, Cecilia Valdes, Shi Feng Yan, Angela Soto, Carlos Campos, Silvia Campello, and Genevieve Daniel.

Over 100 fair attendees filled out a health survey and nearly 50 scheduled a complimentary introductory treatment at AMC´s Community Clinic. The AMC exhibit, set up in the Court Yard at the Falls, gave dozens of Tui Na massages to fair attendees.

In addition to meeting many new people, several of AMC´s alumni stopped by to say hello. A nice surprise was discovering that the kiosk across from the AMC booth, Massage Envy, a massage company performing chair massages, was staffed by AMC Massage Therapy program alumni!

AMC´s Acupuncture And Oriental Medicine Day Event Well Attended By The Public!

AMC celebrated Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day on campus on Saturday, October 25. Students treated AOM Day attendees to complimentary acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Qigong, Meditation, and Yoga classes as well as other free activities including mini-massages and lectures. Students Alexis Edwards and Veronica Trollerud served as hostesses for the event and all of AMC´s Oriental Medicine program students participated!

Use of Massage Therapy in Hospitals Up 30 Percent

Hospitals are incorporating massage therapy programs at a growing rate, according to a recent national survey. The survey shows the number of hospitals offering massage therapy has increased by more than one third in two years. The bi-annual survey is conducted by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association on behalf of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and polls hospitals across the United States on information on programs they offer, including massage therapy.

Of the hospitals that have massage therapy programs, 71 percent indicate they offer massage therapy for patient stress management and comfort while more than two-thirds (67 percent) utilize massage therapy for pain management. Fifty-two percent say they provide massage for cancer patients and 67 percent offer massage to their staff for stress management.

According to the survey, hospitals also use massage therapy for:

• Improving mobility and movement (52 percent)
• Part of physical therapy regimen (50 percent)
• Hospice or end-of-life care (37 percent)
• Edema (33 percent)
• Post-operative care (25 percent)
• Pre-operative care (17 percent)

The effectiveness of massage therapy in alleviating the symptoms of a number of medical conditions has been demonstrated in on-going research and clinical studies.

Research has shown that massage therapy can be effective in boosting the body´s immune system functioning, reducing blood pressure in stroke patients, easing post-operative pain, and soothing chronic back pain better than other therapies. Recent studies have also associated massage therapy with substantive relief of symptoms in cancer patients, such as pain, fatigue, stress, anxiety, nausea, and depression.

Massage therapy is achieving widespread recognition as a valuable means to enhance a healthy lifestyle, with more Americans than ever integrating massage into their health and fitness routine. Consumer research strongly supports the acceptance of massage therapy from occasional use or complementary medical treatment to an integral, component of healthy living.

As awareness of massage therapy continues to grow and scientific research is showing its efficacy for myriad conditions, it is not surprising that massage therapy continues to remain a popular occupational choice. As demand for massage therapy services has grown over the past ten years, the industry has continued to add more therapists.

As more consumers turn to massage as an integral part of maintaining and improving their health, the number of people pursuing massage therapy as a profession has increased. To potential massage therapy practitioners, the industry landscape offers insight into the profession.

Massage therapy is now a $6- to 11-billion-a-year industry and employment opportunities for massage therapists are likely to increase at a faster-than-average rate when compared to the growth rates of other occupations. In fact, job opportunities are predicted to increase by 21 to 35 percent by 2012. The future looks promising for individuals who intend to practice massage therapy.

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College´s Oriental Medicine and Massage Therapy programs call Joe Calareso, Admissions Director, at (305) 595-9500.