Massage Therapy – treatment option for back pain funded by the NHS?

I recently read an article on the BBC website which states that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (or NICE) in Britain suggests massage therapy as one treatment option for back pain sufferers. In addition, NICE also suggests that the NHS (National Health Service) fund certain alternative therapies to allow patient access.

In addition to massage therapy, acupuncture and exercise are also suggested as possible interventions for back pain. This is huge for practitioners of complementary and alternative therapies as well as back pain sufferers, that an organization as large as the NICE is, for the first time in its history, is openly advocating such types of interventions.

According to the article, one in 3 Brits suffer from back pain (no surprise there) – a condition where the cause can be very elusive, and which can quickly become debilitating if not treated successfully. For more information on the recommendations, check out the original article on BBC Health News.

This is the first of several posts dealing with back pain causes, symptoms and massage therapy as an intervention. In the meantime, check out the following informational video on managing back pain.