This doctor was kind enough to write this after his wife's, a mother of 3 young children, debilitating low back pain was resolved from one emergency house call appointment.

To Whom It May Concern:  

A brief message with respect to the benefits from medical massage therapy.

Medical massage therapy is a useful adjunct to any wellness program. The obvious benefits include the relaxation that one experiences during massage treatment as well as the soothing of aching muscles. More recently however I have had the opportunity to experience the benefits of medical massage therapy both from a standpoint of a husband and physician in a somewhat more therapeutic light.

My wife recently developed severe pain in her back merely in bending over to pick out an outfit to clothe our baby. We have three children, one of which is a two-month-old infant who my wife is the sole care provider for. This injury left her completely bed ridden unable to even turn over in bed without my assistance. For 36 hours I provided her complete care which even included carrying her to the bathroom. Because of my medical background I certainly thought the worst as it appeared as though some type of major back injury may have been the case. Because of this, my immediate thoughts were concerned with long-term disability and possible surgery to remedy this situation. Fortunately, a friend suggested John DeSalvo, a massage therapist, to evaluate my wife for possible suggestions.

To my amazement and surprise John was able to schedule a home visit that same day. The results of just one treatment were absolutely astounding. Later that day my wife was able to stand and ambulate without any assistance. Although she still had some pain from residual spasm, she was able to go up and down steps, move around the home and even care for the infant with minimal difficulty. Further treatments with John over the next several days together with the exercises John had asked my wife to do allowed her to make a complete recovery in a very short time.

Although I was personally aware of the relaxation benefits and from massage therapy, I was not previously aware of the potential dramatic results from medical massage therapy. I would like to go on record as stating that medical massage therapy is just that, medicine. There is truly a science behind the treatment process. In the hands of a knowledgeable individual dramatic results can be remarkably effective in relieving muscular spasms that cause incapacitating pain and disability.

I cannot express my gratitude enough for the care that was provided by John DeSalvo. He made a near immediate house call to assist my wife in what could have been a long drawn out and difficult not to mention potentially expensive situation. The fees for his visit to the home were more than reasonable and compared to the potential expenses with conventional medical treatment were almost negligible.

I highly recommend medical massage therapy by a licensed therapist to anybody in both acute and chronic situations as a mainstay to any regular therapy program for those who experience musculo-skeletal difficulties with any regularity.

Sincerely, 

Patrick N. Patchen, Jr., M.D., FACS 

PNP/vbp