In the past, relaxation was cited as the leading motivator for getting a massage, but increasingly Americans are looking to massage therapy for medical reasons and pain relief.
Statistics from a 2006 report … showed that 1 in 4 adults in this country say they have experienced a daylong bout of pain in the past month, and one in 10 say the pain lasted a full year or more … Luckily, massage therapy has been shown to give considerable relief from many types of pain, and is well known for relieving stress and promoting relaxation.
—The Olympian, Olympia, Washington, Sept. 14, 2008
http://www.theolympian.com