"The Value of Massage Therapy" By Andrew Wolfe,LMP

Health care is on the minds of most people, whether they have it, need it, or do
n't have the right policy due to financial infeasibility, to acquire or maintain
it. Unfortunately when it comes to health, if you don't invest in it now, you p
ay for it later, as the investment of our bodies seem to yield higher rates of h
ealth issue returns to our lives as we age. As it stands now, preventative healt
h is not recognized under most health insurance policys unless it comes in the f
orm of exams in the context of a physical and or lab testing, which is a great
start to establish a good base line of health.
But so much of our health is within the content of what we utilize it, in the co
ntinuum of the human condition of life, environment (acquired as outside environ
ment or internal from stress, poor body mechanics, and just wear and tear) as we
ll as genetics. We all, at some point in time in our lives, experience the decli
ne of the body system; be it, an injury, thereby requiring surgery and rehabilit
ation,or age, in the form of compensation, compression, genetics, habits and acc
umulation of repetitive motion, dysfunction, actions ,traumas and toxins.
When we treat the body what are we affecting? Is there a model, and is it holist
ic in itâ s approach? Does this model exist within the insurance model?
When we treat the body we in essence, should be treating the individual, not jus
t isolating the dysfunction, disease or trauma. After all, these ailments do not
, nor should they consist in the total ness of any one being ;it is just the exp
erience they are expressing in their life at the current time. Disease, is as th
e word is broken down, is really the lack of ease in the body. It is out of bala
nce.
When it comes to insurance coverage, it is a model to achieve functionality pri
or to any onset, outside of what was once normal.
I have not seen a model demonstrate the value of direct hands on attention to an
individual with the time of equal or great power, than massage therapy. And yet
it still comes up short, in regards to reimbursements and acknowledgment of in
the medical field. I would like to challenge any person to dispute this fact, an
d yet no health care professional would consider taking 1 hour to be with their
patient and really connect with them, where they see them not just a disease or
diagnosis but as an individual. I have heard that it is not cost effective to sp
ent that length of time on each patient. Therein lies part of the problem, yet e
very practitioner has the right to extend their services and acquire the ability
to make a living at their trade. Policies are in place to reach the maximum amo
unt of patients in the most cost effective means, especially when the population
and aging health concerns are on the rise. Who reaps these benefits and who pay
s for these policies? Think about this the next time you cost compare time, expe
rience, cost of doing business and your health.
Andrew Wolfe, LMP is a licensed massage practitioner based in Arlington Washing
ton and has 23 years of full time private practice and can be reached 360-653-4
657 or http://www.harmonymassagetherapy.com. Check out his face book page at ht
tp://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-WolfeLMP-Harmony-Licensed-Massage-Therapy/145
287564494