Myotherapist Job Description, Career as a Myotherapist, Salary, Employment

Education and Training Associate’s degree and certification

Average Salary $61,000 per year

Job Outlook Very good

Basic Job Description

Myotherapists work with patients to relieve pain, tension and muscle spasms by applying pressure to trigger points throughout the body. Trigger points are specific places in the muscles that respond by stretching, loosening and inflicting temporary shock or pain in order to release pain in other parts of the body. This is the only method of pain relief for physical injury or disease that does not involve the use of medicine or chemicals. Myotherapists use their hands and strength to relieve tension and pain caused by a variety of injuries or illnesses through the revitalization of muscles. Myotherapy will promote quicker healing and reduce the disposition in muscles and nerves that are leading to severe pain. Myotherapy is similar to the work of a chiropractor or massage therapist, as it loosens muscles just like a massage and relieves pain just like a chiropractor, but does more permanent relief than a massage and is less involved with joints and bones than a chiropractor.

Education and Training Requirements

Myotherapists go through a two-year Associate’s program in natural healing, massage therapy or a related field before going on to become certified. Once the Associate’s is obtained, a myotherapist will become certified through the state by working as an intern or apprentice for a specific number of hours, and then taking a state board certification exam. In order to keep a myotherapy certification up to date, therapists will have to renew their certification and retake the exam approximately every 2 years.

Most training is hands-on, and a myotherapist will be required to work in a clinic or hospital under the supervision of a board certified myotherapist. Some states require a certain number of hours required in the workroom before a student is allowed to take the certification exam.

Getting the Job

Once a myotherapist becomes board certified, they will most likely be working as an intern or apprentice for a company. Many internships lead to full-time positions or at least help a myotherapist gain experience before heading to the job market.

The ideal myotherapist will have a wide range of knowledge of each muscle and its functions, as well as which pressure points lead to release of tension for that muscle. They will be able to analyze the type of pain being described by patients, as well as feel muscles to determine what could be causing the pain. Myotherapists are patient, good listeners who know how to make patients feel comfortable so they can accurately determine the procedures that need to be performed.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook and Career Development

Most myotherapists will start off as an intern or apprentice and move on to a full-time position with the company. Once they gain some experience working as a certified myotherapist, many will move on to become self-employed therapists. A self-employed myotherapist will work for physical therapy clinics or hospitals as a therapist who analyzes certain patients who may benefit from myotherapy practices. The therapist will then schedule appointments with patients at either a private practice office or in the hospital or clinic to which they were admitted.

Jobs in myotherapy are expected to increase greatly over the next several years. Many doctors and patients are looking for ways to heal or relieve muscle pain and tension without the use of prescription drugs or chemical procedures. Natural healing and therapeutic practices are in high demand, so more hospitals and physical therapy clinics will be looking for myotherapists to add to their staff.

Some myotherapists expand their career to learn massage therapy, acupuncture or other forms of natural healing. These therapists may open up a clinic of their own to provide a variety of services for patient’s looking for natural alternatives to pain relief.

Working Conditions and Environment

Most myotherapists work in massage clinics, physical therapy clinics or hospitals and offer their services to patients suffering from muscle pain and tension related to illness or injury. Others are on-call for when a doctor recommends a patient to consult with a myotherapist.

Therapists will have to be able to handle working in a fast-paced hospital environment that can sometimes become stressful or tense. Many patients will be suffering severe, chronic pain, so a myotherapist must be able to calm patients and quickly analyze their medical situation to give them some sort of relief.

Salary and Benefits

The average salary for a myotherapist is about $61,000 per year. This varies according to where a therapist offers their services. A therapist working in a large hospital will often make more than a therapist working in a small private clinic. Myotherapists who are self-employed and run their own clinic can make around $80,000 per year.

Working for a hospital or clinic often guarantees an excellent benefits package along with a decent salary. Hospital employees often receive full medical insurance, as well as vacation and sick leave. Myotherapists who run their own clinic or work for themselves will usually have to pay for their own insurance as well as work vacation and sick days around work schedules and patient appointments. Myotherapists who own a clinic will be less needed on a daily basis at the office if they employ a team of therapists to rotate working instead of doing all the work on their own.

Where to Go for More Information

International Myotherapy Association
info@myotherapy.org
http://www.myotherapy.org