Is massage therapy safe?
May 14, 2009
In generally, massage therapy is very safe. However, massage should not be used on areas of the body that are damaged, for instance a healing scar or burn. There are known reasons not to massage people with canceror those who have had heart attacks.
However, the safety of essential oils is an important issue that is yet to be addressed properly. There is no evidence of any adverse reaction to essential oils other than occasional skin sensitivity, but they are absorbed into the body and have a physiological effect. To date, there is no evidence that these oils can trigger cancer or harm people in any way when they are used correctly. However, essential oils are now being used by people in their own homes and they should be monitored carefully by the professional using them for any possible long term adverse reactions. At present there is no formal reporting system for adverse reactions to essential oils.
Massage based therapies should not be used diagnostically, as they are not reliable techniques for diagnosing illness.
If you massage therapist, you will be in close physical contact with them. This carries some risk, so it is important that you make sure the practitioner is properly registered.