I underwent sinus surgery a few years ago, and I remember being terrified beforehand—not so much of the surgery itself, but of the story I told myself that I wouldn’t wake up from the anesthetic. Being put under and cut into is a stressful thing, whether the patient has time to get used to the idea, as I did, or undergoes an emergency procedure. I received massage prior to my surgery, and it went a long way toward calming my nerves and helping me ground in my body. I was back on my massage therapist’s table a week or so after surgery as well. More than 51 million procedures are performed each year in the U.S., including surgeries and procedures such as colonoscopies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 1 million people undergo total hip or knee replacements in this country each year, and half a million people undergo hysterectomies, according to the CDC. Those are just a few of the types of surgeries and other procedures carried out in hospitals and inpatient clinics. I would wager that for the vast majority of patients, massage therapy would be a valuable addition to their care, pre- and post-surgery. For this issue, Whitney Lowe, L.M.T., explains the benefits of massage postsurgery, in “The Post-Surgical Client: Manage Pain & Enhance Recovery” (page 60). Stress, pain and restrictions may all be alleviated by massage following surgery, according to Lowe. “In certain surgeries, the patient is anesthetized and must stay in a static position for a long period of time,” Lowe notes. “Patients in this situation cannot make comments about any pain or discomfort they are feeling.” Lying on a surgical table for several hours can cause nerve compression pathologies to develop, he adds. “The nerve compression creates soft-tissue pain following the surgery that is not related to the surgical procedure itself.” You can see how massage therapy benefits this type of clientele; however, advanced education focused on working in a medical venue, along with the drive to market your services to patients and hospitals, and the confidence to network with physicians, are keys necessary to succeeding in this niche area. To learn more about the skills required to work in a hospital, read this issue’s The MASSAGE Magazine List, “The Top 9 Tips for Working in a Hospital” (page 36). And turn to page 38 for one nurse-massage therapist’s advice on massage for patients experiencing very serious challenges, in “Massage for the Frail and Dying: Communicate Care through Touch.” Many massage therapists possess the ability and desire to work in a medical venue. Perhaps for those of you who had not considered doing so, this issue might open the door to a new interest in medical massage. Please contact me anytime with feedback and ideas. I’m at edit@massagemag.com. Meet some of the contributors who helped Contributors| create this month’s MASSAGE Magazine M |To Our Readers Stacey Littlefield wrote “A Foundation of Health: Supplements for Self-Care” for this issue. Stacey is passionate about natural medicines, and is product formulator and research director at Redd Remedies, a company in Bradley, Illinois, that manufactures herbal formulas designed to improve health. Lindy Roussel wrote “Massage for the Frail and Dying: Communicate Care through Touch” for this issue. Lindy works as a nurse-massage therapist for hospice, has a private oncology massage practice, and is director of Sage Continuing Education for Massage Therapy & the Healing Arts LLC in Lancaster and Easton, Pennsylvania. Whitney Lowe wrote “The Post-Surgical Client: Manage Pain & Enhance Recovery” for this issue. He directs the Academy of Clinical Massage, and offers an online certification program in orthopedic massage. Whitney lives in Sisters, Oregon. Jimm Harrison wrote “Help in a Bottle: Anti-Inflammatory and Pain-Relieving Essential Oils” for this issue. Jimm, an essential oil, holistic wellness and scent branding consultant, educator and author, teaches at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington, across the U.S., and internationally. Nichole L. Kucharek answers the question, “What challenges might I face when working in a spa?” for this month’s Expert Advice column. Nichole offers workshops for spa personnel through Sage Continuing Education, and practices massage therapy at Elements to Wellness in Reading, Pennsylvania. PHOTO BY KELLY MENEHAN | www.massagemag.com | September 2015 | MASSAGE Magazine | 15 16 | MASSAGE Magazine | September 2015 | www.massagemag.com | M| In Our Mailbox DISCUSSION: Do you see pregnant clients? I love to give treatments to pregnant women. It is extremely useful for the typical low-back pains, edema in the legs and feet, resilience of the abdominal muscles, and general emotional well-being of the mother. I prefer the side-lying position for the mother’s comfort. Fear, misinformation and the prospect of litigation around [the issue of massage during the first trimester] is truly a shame. With proper training and experience, there really are very few conditions that cannot be supported with bodywork. Deane Juhan massagemag.com/linkedingroup Yes, I am