Things like a twisted ankle, a bee sting, or a skin infection will cause edema. In some cases, like an infection, this may be helpful. More fluid from your blood vessels puts more infection-fighting white blood cells in the swollen area. Edema can also come from other conditions or from when the balance of substances in your blood is off.
View our list of states to discover your stateâs massage therapist licensing requirements. States require anywhere from 500 to 1000 hours of training to sit for your licensing exam, but the national average is 560 hours of training. Some states also require you to become CPR certified.
Tips. 1  In some places, you can apprentice under a practicing massage therapist in lieu of going to massage school. 2  You can also usually find a type of massage that does not require that you be licensed by the state you are in. Look online for information about different types of massage, or check out massage books at your local library. 2  You can learn a lot about massage therapy just by reading about it. 3  Practice on friends. 4  Start getting a feel for what your bedside manner should be like, and how a typical session should go.