There are a lot of people in pain throughout the United States. It has been estimated that about 52.7% of people in the workforce say they experience headaches, back pain, arthritis and other kinds of musculoskeletal pain. At least 12.7% of these people report that they have lost time at work due to that pain. Many people seek out the help of a massage therapist to deal with their pain. Here are some tips for finding the right person to give you the best massage:

1. Decide what you want from your massage. Not everyone wants the same thing or has the same idea in mind when they talk about the “best massage.” If you have a concrete idea about what you are looking to accomplish when you go for massage therapy. Is there a specific part of your body? Are you suffering from low back pain? Do you have soreness and tension in your neck or shoulders? Some people seek out the help of a massage therapist for things such as a problem with their elbow. There are a lot of things a good therapeutic massage can help with. People who play sports may want something completely different than the people who are suffering from tension headaches and need help with their neck.
2. Research the different types of massage. There are a host of methods and modalities that can be used on different people. This is one thing that makes one message the “best massage” for one person, not the best option for another. Some of this is personal preference and some of this is dictated by the problem that you want the massage therapist to address. If you are having sciatica (pain that travels down the sciatic nerve from the thigh to the foot) you may need a different kind of massage than someone with an elbow issue. Look into the different kinds of massage and find which one is the right one for you. Next, you need to find experts in that kind of massage.
3. Try to determine what you like in massage. If you have had massages before, you may already have an idea about what the best massage is for you. Think about where you would like to go for your massage. What kind of setting would be the most comfortable. Are you interested in going to the therapist or do you want them to come to you? A number of massage therapists will make house calls but you need to be comfortable with that. It sounds like a great idea to a lot of people until they realize they have someone they may not know coming to their home. Other people really like the whole experience of going to a spa and feel that makes a massage the best massage. This can really be true if you are combining the massage with other services. Others need to go to a more medical type massage, such as what would be provided by a physical therapist.
4. Spend some time doing your research. Make sure you can answer at least a few questions. You should be able to find out what kind of massages they offer, what their training level is, what kind of certification they have and if they have a license. Most states do not require certification but it shows a commitment to the skills. Ask them about their experience, how much they have, what kind of experience it is. If they have been working in a spa, they may have a different experience, specialty and skill set than a massage therapist that has spent most of their career doing house calls.
5. Get references and read reviews. If you are talking to individual therapists or spas or other offices, ask about references. Look online for reviews. Sites like Facebook and Yelp have reviews of a host of different kinds of businesses. If you see a lot of negative reviews that are posted anonymously, you should take them with a grain of salt.

The best way to get the best massage is to do some research and then go out and actually try it. Theraputic massage can be very effective at treating a variety of different aches and pains.