Being a nurse is one of the most stressful professions in the health care industry. After a long day of being on their feet, most nurses experience occupational stress and physical pain. Massage therapy can help alleviate those painful symptoms and reduce work-related stress. Here’s how:
Massage Therapy for Work Related Stress
Massage therapy can benefit nurses by reducing stress-related symptoms such as sleep loss and anxiety. A study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice completed a pilot study involving 38 nurses. A weekly 15-minute chair massage was given to the participants. Their stress level was measured five weeks into the massage intervention, and again at 10 weeks. By the end of the 10 weeks, the study reported a significant improvement in stress-related symptoms amongst the nurses.
Another study conducted a clinical trial on 66 male and female nurses working in intensive care units (ICU) in Iran. Over the course of 4 weeks, 25-minute Swedish massage sessions were performed on participants on a semi-weekly basis. The result of this study revealed that nurses who received massage therapy twice a week were less stressed than those who didn’t. Thus, it is recommended for nurses to receive weekly massage therapy to elevate stress and improve their physical and mental health.
Massage Therapy for Physical Pain
Many hard-working nurses work long shifts standing on their feet and handling patients. This can often cause injury, which leads to severe physical pain. According to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, healthcare professionals, especially nurses, have 4 times as many back injuries than any other type of workers.
If your back pain is bothering you, adding massage therapy treatments into your wellness routine can assist you in your healing process. An experienced Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) can identify your problem areas and apply appropriate techniques to help relieve pain caused by injury and muscle spasms. Massage therapy such as deep tissue massage can significantly reduce painful symptoms by targeting muscle adhesions (bands of painful and tight muscle tissues) and also encourage blood flow.
Nurses are Covered by Insurance
In British Columbia, most nurses are covered by a generous insurance plan that allows them to receive massage therapy at an affordable price point. The insurance company typically covers 80% of each session for your first $1000; after that, any cost related to massage therapy is fully covered.
The next time you are feeling stressed, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional RMT for some much needed relaxation.