Growing public awareness of massage's benefits for alleviating a number of health problems — from stress to arthritis pain — and greater availability of services have made massage therapy accessible and affordable to a much broader spectrum of consumers than ever before.

if you're among the Americans whom the National Center for Health Statistics says spent $22 billion on visits to complementary and alternative medicine providers in 2007 (the latest year for which data are available), you'll want to get the most benefit and the best value out of your massage therapy visit.

The experts at Cortiva Institute offer some advice for how to partner with your therapist to find the massage that's right for you:

1. Find the right therapist.

Therapists who network can be very helpful because even if they can't provide the type of massage you need, they may know someone else who can.

Look for a therapist with good listening skills. has he really heard your reasons for seeking massage? is she able to repeat what you've told her and make appropriate recommendations?

"a good massage therapist, who attended a reputable massage therapy school, should be able to reflect back what they understood from the client and make suggestions about several services that may be beneficial for you that day," says Bobbe Berman, director of education at Cortiva Institute – Chicago.

2. explain your needs.

Your next step in choosing the right massage for your needs is to clearly explain to the therapist just what those needs are.

if your priority is pain relief, tell the therapist and explain where it hurts the most. Be sure to discuss any medical or health problems that you want to address.

and let the therapist know your level of experience with massage — if this is your first massage, if you've had others in the past, what types you had and whether you got the expected results/benefits from massage.

3. get an explanation.

ask the therapist to educate you by explaining the types of massages and their different benefits.

"Addressing the individual needs of the client is the focus of massage treatments," says Dianne Polseno, president of Cortiva Institute – Boston. "regardless of any agenda the therapist might have for the session, or what areas they want to focus on, they should have a client-centered approach. An important aspect of a massage therapist's job is to educate clients, which includes explaining modalities and helping the client decide which might be most helpful for their needs."

4. ask the right questions.

when you've zeroed in on a possible therapy, ask the therapist questions such as:

– what areas of the body does this treatment focus on?

– what types of products are used?

– what types of massage strokes are incorporated into this service?

"The answers to these questions will give you a good idea of what the service entails and will give you a point of reference," says Jeff Mann, president of Cortiva Institute – Pennsylvania.

New Research: Siblings boost kids’ mood

something about having a sister – even a little sister – makes 10- to 14-year-olds a bit less likely to feel down in the dumps.

In research involving nearly 400 families, having a sister protected adolescents from feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious and fearful. it didn’t matter whether the sister was younger or older, or how far apart the siblings were agewise.

The study found that having a loving sibling of either gender promoted good deeds, such as helping a neighbor or watching out for other kids at school.

— Brigham Young University

Did You know?

In 2009, people who were obese incurred $1,429 per person extra in medical costs compared to people of normal weight. — CDC

Health Tip: Caregivers must care for themselves

are you caring for a loved one with a serious illness?

Some symptoms of caregiver stress include denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability, lack of concentration and health problems.

if you’re caring for someone else and neglect your own physical, mental and emotional well-being, you could be putting your own health at risk.

Talk to your doctor about how to manage this stress.

— Alzheimer’s Association

Number to know: 70

by age 75, about 70 percent of people have cataracts, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. People who have diabetes, smoke, or have a family history of cataract are more at risk.

Children’s Health: How to increase vegetable intake

Popeye cartoons, tasting parties and junior cooking classes can help increase vegetable intake in kindergarten children, according to new research published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics.

Researchers found the type and amount of vegetables children ate improved after they took part in a program using multimedia and role models to promote healthy food.

The children planted vegetable seeds, took part in fruit and vegetable tasting parties, cooked vegetable soup and watched Popeye cartoons. Letters were sent to parents with tips on encouraging their kids to eat fruit and vegetables, and teachers sat with children at lunch to role model healthy eating.

— Nutrition & Dietetics

Senior Health: Gum disease linked to Alzheimer's

Researchers have found evidence that periodontal disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's disease.

The research team examined 20 years of data that support the hypothesis of a possible causal link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Furthermore, the link was seen in healthy individuals as well as in those who already are cognitively impaired.

— new York University

GateHouse News Service