Massage therapy is very effective for pain relief, stress relief, and relaxation in hospice patients, according to a pilot study published in the January 2022 issue of the Journal of Palliative Care.
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The Iowa Board of Massage Therapy adopted new massage therapy rules that impact the following sections: definitions, licensure by examination, qualifications for foreign applicants, and license display requirements. The new rules will be effective August 17, 2022.
House Bill 22-1300 allows counties, cities, and towns in Colorado to adopt local ordinances. The intent is to prevent human trafficking-related offenses to occur in illicit businesses that represent themselves as massage establishments. The bill takes effect August 10, 2022.
The Indiana State Board of Massage Therapy's rules will be effective July 13, 2022. This means all Indiana massage therapists must be licensed by January 11, 2023. Those currently certified will automatically become licensed. Those not certified will have six months to apply for licensure.
Senate Bill 37 alters the educational requirements for licensure or registration as a massage therapist, creating just one license: an LMT license that has an educational hour requirement of 750 hours.
House Bill No. 240 creates a provisional license for any graduate of a massage therapy school, allowing them to work while they wait for their licensure application to be approved. Senate Bill No. 286 allows educational hours above 500 to be taught either in person or via distance learning.
Senate Bill 227 amends the massage therapy scope of practice, definitions, fees, license qualifications, and misconduct. The bill also adds the following new sections: public roster, licensure by endorsement, and establishment licensure.
The bill will make it easier for massage therapists with 625 hours of education to move to and from other jurisdictions once at least seven or more states approve the proposed bill language. Participate in a Zoom meeting on July 6, 2022, or August 11, 2022, to learn more about the interstate compact.
House File 2168 adds massage therapists to the list of persons required to report child and dependent adult abuse and will now be required to complete training on this subject as a condition of licensure effective July 1, 2022.
In a systematic review performed by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and published in Annals of Internal Medicine, evidence supporting the effectiveness of cannabis-related products for treating pain was found to be surprisingly thin, despite the rising popularity of these products.
Researchers found some evidence to support cannabis-related products in treating neuropathic pain, or pain caused by damage to peripheral nerves. These products also led to notable side effects, including sedation and dizziness, however.