Charlotte massage therapy can benefit a person in more ways than just relaxation. It can provide pain relief for chronic sufferers, provide an alternative to traditional medicines and help with allergies and other illnesses. Recently, it has been suggested that massage therapy is also an effective measure for quitting or cutting back on smoking cigarettes.

Although everyone has a different reason for taking up smoking, research has shown that a vast majority of smokers also struggle with anxiety disorders. This correlation causes one to deduce that anxiety can potentially be a causal factor for smoking tobacco.

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention found that anxiety diagnoses were very common among participants who were identified as smokers, with more than one-third meeting the criteria for at least one anxiety diagnosis in their lifetime. Of the 1,504 study participants, 455 had experienced a panic attack in the past, 199 were diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder and 99 were diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder.

Since the habit of smoking has proven to be closely linked to anxiety, a correlation has been drawn to the smoking cessation benefits of massage, long recognized as a relaxation treatment. The Mayo Clinic defends the credibility of massage therapy for smoking cessation by listing the treatment method as one of the most effective ways that smokers can curb cravings and resist the temptation to smoke. Although massage therapy can be effective in helping patients quit smoking, it doesn't work for everyone. Patients who tend to smoke routinely or socially may not benefit from reducing anxiety, since anxiety is not the most common trigger for their behavior.

In cases where a smoker has been smoking regularly for several years, massage therapy might prove most effective in conjunction with other treatment methods, such as nicotine patches and lozenges.

If you think massage therapy might help in your quest to quit smoking, Angie's List can help. More than 150 Charlotte massage therapists have been rated and reviewed by Angie's List members. Not yet a member? Join today to see which therapists members in your area recommend.