IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A MASSAGE YOU KNOW IT CAN BE VERY RELAXING. BUT NOW A MASSAGE IS ACTUALLY BEING USED AS MEDICINE.

Curtis Griffith: "It relieves the tightness."

CURTIS SAYS NEARLY THIRTEEN YEARS OF MASSAGE HAVE HELPED KEEP HIM ON HIS FEET.

Curtis Griffith "...probably would've been in a wheelchair a long time ago."

HIS WIFE, BRENDA GRIFFITH, IS PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN MASSAGE THERAPY ASSOCIATION. SHE SAYS MORE AMERICANS ARE REALIZING MASSAGES AREN'T JUST FOR PAMPERING ANYMORE...

Brenda Griffith, President, American Massage Therapy Association

"Almost half of the people who have massage therapy are using it for the control and help of pain."

IN FACT, THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION RECENTLY SURVEYED MORE THAN 1000 OF ITS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND FOUND THAT 82% ARE NOW USING MASSAGE FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT.

Richard Finn, Pittsburgh School of Pain Management:

"Pain is caused by the shortened muscle fibers and the irritated area at the muscles."

RICHARD FINN IS A SPECIALIST WITH THE PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF PAIN MANAGEMENT. HE SAYS MASSAGE THERAPISTS EASE PAIN BY WORKING ON THE SOFT TISSUE OF THE ENTIRE BODY... AND NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE SITE THAT'S HURTING...BUT WHEN A SORE SPOT IS LOCATED....

Richard Finn, Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist:

"What we tend to do is to put the muscle in a slight stretch, lengthen the fibers, come across those fibers looking for a tender area, holding pressure on that tender area."

MASSAGE HAS LONG BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR BACK PAIN... NOW, RESEARCH SHOWS IT HELPS CANCER PATIENTS, BURN VICTIMS, AND ARTHRITIS SUFFERERS. TWO RECENT STUDIES ALSO FOUND THAT MASSAGE CAN EASE THE SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER'S AND STOP MUSCLE SPASMS AFTER HEART BYPASS SURGERY.

Brenda Griffith, President, American Massage Therapist Association:

"Clients with MS, Fibromyalgia, some runners."

Curtis Griffith "It made a big difference in my life."

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS -- GO TO THE HEALTH SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE AT WJACTV.COM. I'M SARA BURGET, CHANNEL 6 NEWS.

STUDIES ALSO SHOW MASSAGE CAN EASE THE SYMPTOMS IN SICKLE-CELL ANEMIA AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE PATIENTS. TAG FOR KNOW MORE CLIENTS ONLY TO FIND OUT HOW DOCTORS MEASURE THE PAIN THEY'RE HEALING, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE, www.wjactv.com AND CLICK ON THE KNOW MORE ICON.>