How do you go about selecting the right massage practitioner? Here are a few tips.

1. Quite broadly speaking, there are two types of masseurs. There are those who give massages in a nonprofessional, non-therapeutic manner, which are the ones you will usually find, such as on the beaches and in holiday resorts. These people generally haven’t had any training, but they can give you a feel-good massage if that’s just what you are looking for. Then, there are the masseurs who are thorough professionals and they can give you real therapeutic massages. If you are suffering from some chronic pain, these are the people who can help you come out of it. Now, if all you need from your massage is to feel the pleasure of it for some time, you could choose the former type of masseurs. But, if you are looking for some long-term relief, especially from a chronic problem, go for the latter which have the right kind of training.

2. The next thing you have to look at is their qualifications. There are courses for becoming massage therapist; they even have master’s level programs. You could check their qualifications—if they have any, they will advertise them and will also frame their certificates and put them up in their offices.

3. Look for massage therapists who are members of some kind of accrediting member institution. One of these is the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMP). This board also offers the needed licensing examinations for people who want to become professional massage practitioners. Another body that you should look at is the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). This is another organization that lists its members. Since it is very difficult to become a member of the AMTA—they allow only genuine people with the right qualifications and experience—you could safely choose anyone with a stamp of approval from the AMTA. You can find this information on their website.

4. When you have shortlisted some massage therapists that you would like to go ahead with and consider, first speak with them over the phone. It is best if you have a list of questions ready to ask them. Also, you should detail your problem. The massage therapists will speak to you and you can judge from the conversation how knowledgeable they are in the subject.

5. Fix an appointment with them. This gives you a chance to visit their workplace, which should ideally be a clinic. You must see their equipment, the kinds of oils they use and so on. Here you can speak at length about their practices.

6. Also, look at the recommendations you might get. Ask your friends and family. Ask people at work. Some people may have received massage therapies in the past. They would guide you to a good place where you can get real proficient massages, whatever your problem might be.

Basically, be discerning about the massage practitioner that you are looking for and you will get a memorable experience. Look into your own needs and make the selection.

Oliver Kwok is the author of Nurse Practitioner Programs and also writes about Surgical Technologist School

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