International Massage Week

International Massage Week, July 17-23, 2005, is designed to raise public awareness of the benefits of therapeutic massage and encourage people to take the extra time to care for their health through massage.

Popular among all age groups, massage is effective for relaxation and stress reduction, as well as medical reasons, including muscle soreness/stiffness/spasms, injury, headaches, pain reduction, blood and lymph circulation and improved immune system function. Massage has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate and increase endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. More than one in four Americans report having had a massage from a massage therapist in the past five years, spending a total of between $4 and $6 billion on 114 million visits each year. And in recent years, massage therapy has reached some of the nations' top hospitals, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Stanford Hospital in California .

The explosion in the popularity of massage can be attributed in part to the growing population of aging baby boomers and an increased awareness of the effects of stress and the physiological benefits of massage. Doctors are now prescribing massage to their patients, and sports teams are hiring massage therapists as well. A growing number of businesses and organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice, are also offering massage in the workplace to decrease job stress and increase productivity.

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine trains some of San Diego 's most qualified massage professionals. Pacific College offers body therapy classes in Acupuressure, Foot Reflexology, Jin Shin, Shiatsu, Tui Na, Thai and Swedish massage that lead to certification as a Massage Technician/Therapist, Oriental Body Therapist, or Holistic Health Practitioner. The college also regularly participates in community events where its students can be found volunteering free massage to the public, as well as offers a discounted massage clinic open to the public. One-hour student massages are provided on Saturdays from 1 - 5 pm and cost $35.

For more information on International Massage Week, or Pacific College 's massage programs and clinic, please call (800) 729-0941.

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