Facts / Studies:

Studies:

~German emperor Frederick II, took a number of newborns from their mothers and gave them to nurses who fed them but did not cuddle or talk to them. All of the babies died before they could talk. Fredrick concluded "They could not live without petting."

~In the early 1990's, Romania, thousands of infants were put in orphanages, they were left in their cribs for two years, all alone. They were found to be severely impaired.

~Duke Professor Saul Schanberg found that rat pups separated from their parents for 45 minutes underwent major internal changes including a large drop in growth hormones. Injections of growth hormones didn't help. But when someone stroked them with a wet paintbrush-- mimicking their mothers tongue--the hormone levels went back up.

Interesting Facts on Touch:

~Touch is the first sense to develop in humans, and may be the last to fade

~There are approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin-- 3000 in a finger tip

~A touch of any kind can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure

~Touch stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural pain killers) which is why a mother's hug for a child's skinned knee can literally make it better

~People with eating disorders who receive massage three time a day for ten day's, gain weight faster and got out of the hospital six days sooner than those who don't

~Elderly people who massage surrogate grandchildren report higher self-esteem and better moods

~Massage before an athletic event makes the athlete more flexible, less prone to injury and enhances speed and power

* One in five Americans have had a massage from a massage therapist in the past five years and 13% report receiving one in the past year. This is up 8% from 1997.

* In 1996, massage therapy and bodywork was officially offered for the first time as a core medical service in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.

* Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia now regulate the practice of therapeutic massage and bodywork.

* Consumers spend between $2 and $4 billion dollars annually on visits to massage and bodywork practitioners, totaling approximately 75 million visits each year.

* The three most often cited reasons for getting a therapeutic massage are relaxation (27%), relief of muscle soreness, stiffness or spasm (13%), and stress reduction (10%).

* Health insurers are increasingly expanding coverage to include alternative medicines.

* Fifty-four percent of primary care physicians and family practitioners say they would encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy as a complement to medical treatment.

* Massage therapy accounts for 18% of the 425 million visits made to alternative health care providers each year.

* In 1999, 52% of American adults thought of massage as "therapeutic," which is up 47% from 1997.

* An estimated 20 million Americans receive massage therapy and bodywork each year, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

* Approximately 50,000 massage and bodywork practitioners provide 45 million one-hour therapy sessions each year.

* Two thirds of Americans have tried at least one form of alternative therapy or treatment for medical conditions.

* Massage therapy is the third most commonly used form of alternative medicine in the U.S., having been tried by 35% of Americans.

* Women are more likely than men to have tried alternative treatment.

* Forty-two percent of Americans have used some type of alternative care in the past.

* Americans make more visits to see alternative therapists than to see primary-care physicians, spending $21.2 billion.

* The number of massage practitioners in the U.S. is between 120,000 and 160,000.

* Massage and bodywork therapy is sought out by a large number of people in age brackets: 18-24 (22%); 25-34 (31%); 35-44 (25%); 45-54 (22%); 55-64 (19%); and over 65 (9%).

* The most important driver to try an alternative treatment is a recommendation from a friend or family member, which leads 62% of their patients to these providers.