St. Joseph’s/Candler offers massage therapy at Candler Hospital and the SJ/C Richmond Hill Campus at Heartwood

Sore neck or back? Work place injury? You may want to consider therapeutic massage as a complementary healthcare option.

Yes, that’s right. Massage therapy is for more than just relaxation and indulgence. Therapeutic massage can be a great complementary option to help with pain management of a sports or workplace injury. It also can help with fibromyalgia, arthritis, blood pressure and circulation and other ailments.

St. Joseph’s/Candler has three massage therapists on staff that treat outpatient needs, as well as inpatient care, especially Mother-Baby and oncology patients.

Leah Herrin is one of our licensed massage therapists. She sees patients at Candler Hospital three days a week and also at the SJ/C Richmond Hill Campus at Heartwood every other Thursday. She’s been a massage therapist for 10 years.

“Massage therapy is really good for maintenance and upkeep, not just physically but also mentally,” Herrin says. “If your body is out of whack, your mind is going to be out of whack and vice versa. Massage really is a mind-body treatment.”

Our other two massage therapists also with years of experience are Lydia Redmond and Ellen Budny.

What are the benefits of massage therapy?

Therapeutic massage is a great complementary therapy to help address people’s illnesses and ailments. Some of the benefits of massage therapy include:

• Improved in circulation
• Reduced tension
• Lower blood pressure
• Promote a greater range of motion
• Help with depression, insomnia, anxiety and stress management
• Increased joint flexibility
• Helps with repetitive motion injuries
• Helps with every day aches and pains
• Eases medication dependence

Who is massage therapy for?

Massage therapy may be recommended for anyone of any age. The massage tables are adjustable for pregnant women and the disabled. The St. Joseph’s/Candler therapists will also travel to patients’ rooms or do group employee chair massages on site.

Therapeutic massage can be beneficial for the person with the typical desk job that might leave them with achy backs or shoulder tension. It’s also beneficial for those who work 12-hour shifts and rarely get an opportunity to sit down. Standing all day can cause stress in your feet and legs that goes into your back and hips.

How to schedule an appointment at St. Joseph’s/Candler for therapeutic massage therapy

Massage therapy at Candler Hospital is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. until the last appointment. We offer massage therapy in Suite 110 in the Heart and Lung Building and at the Wellness Center.

Massage therapy is back at the SJ/C Richmond Hill Campus at Heartwood through our Bē Health & Well-Being® program. Herrin is there every other Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The massage therapy suite is located within the Bē Health space in suite 101.

Prices are:

• 30 minutes: $45 for Wellness Center members and Heartwood residents; $50 for non-members/residents
• 60 minutes: $70 for members/residents; $80 for non-members/residents
• 90 minutes: $95 for members/residents; $105 for non-members/residents

Packages are also available. You can also add Hot Stone Therapy to any massage service and experience warm, smoothing stones that are applied to the body using the traditional Swedish massage movements. Aromatherapy and essential oils also are available.

Your physician may recommend massage as a complementary treatment option; however, a doctor’s referral is not required.

To make an appointment, call the Wellness Center at 912-819-8800, or if you’d like an appointment at the Richmond Hill Campus, you also can call the Bē Health navigator at 912-675-0524. If you plan to claim therapeutic massage on your insurance, please call 912-819-8840 prior to scheduling an appointment for insurance verification.