The differences between wellness massage therapy and medical massage therapy related to clinical approach, business approach, and legal definitions.
Medical Massage
Requires prescription and referral from a physician.
Requires physician's medical diagnosis and treatment plan.
Requires specific number of treatments.
Insurance-based reimbursement.
Uses a specific technique to address a specific dysfunction or pathology.
Needs detailed documentation and requires that initial
evaluation and progress notes be taken in the "SOAP"
note format.
Requires a higher level of competency and understanding through education.
Wellness Massage
Does not require a prescription and referral from a physician.
Does not require physician's medical diagnosis and treatment plan.
Does not require specific number of treatments.
Cash-based reimbursement.
Does not use a specific technique to address specific dysfunction or pathology, but is rather routine.
Requires minimal documentation.
