Traditionally, massage and other manual therapists are taught mostly the biological aspects of treating joint pain, such as anatomy, biomechanics, and physiology. However, some physiotherapists and pain researchers have been advocating for a broader approach to patient care. They wrote in an editorial published in British Journal of Sports Medicine

Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans are the primary insurance providers for approximately 68 million Americans. Original Medicare plans (Parts A and B) do not generally cover massage therapy as they consider it to be an “alternative and complementary medicine” practice and thus not medically necessary. That said, if massage therapy

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and is often accompanied by fatigue, sleep issues, tenderness, stiffness, and mood changes. It can significantly impact quality of life, limiting the ability to work, engage in daily activities, and maintain social relationships. Fibromyalgia affects about 0.2% to 6.6% of the

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects your joints and skin. The hallmark symptoms are joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and joint injury. This type of arthritis typically occurs in people with psoriasis, and the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis among them is about 30%. Other risk factors include

Ankylosing spondylitis, or AS, is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine. It causes pain, stiffness and eventually fusion of your vertebrae. One of the hallmark signs of this disease is called “bamboo spine” because the vertebrae look like bamboo shoots when they fuse together. Ankylosing spondylitis can