Massage Therapy: A Look Into the Life of a Masseuse

Massage therapy is slowly becoming important in the health field because it has been proven that it has many health benefits. Becoming a masseuse requires patience, strength, determination and above all, a medical thought process. The steps for beginning a career as a masseuse are quite simple:

• Enroll in a program that is licensed by the state, health association and/or city regulations
• Complete a minimum of 330 hours (depending on the state's licensing laws) 
• Pass classes like kinesiology, anatomy, and hands on practice techniques
• Obtain license

Some programs require a high school diploma to enroll but once again, it all depends on the state in which you live in.



Masseuses' average annual salary ranges from $32,000 to $43,000 but what should be taken into consideration is that most masseuses work part time. I think it is to avoid too much strain in the wrists and hands and avoid the risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome, most commonly seen in massage therapists.

So why is this career so important to us, an anatomy class in high school? Well, masseuses need to have prior knowledge about tissues and determine how to go about them. Tissues vary in how much pressure they can handle without spraining or hurting the patient or person getting a massage. That's what differentiates deep tissue massages, deep muscle tissue massages, and a regular massage. Cartilage can be very fragile while dense connective tissue can be handled more roughly. Without this kind of knowledge, the masseuse can be sued or fired from their job because they can hurt the public. 







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