BALTIMORE -- Millions of Americans regularly get massages while seeking relaxation and relief from muscle pain.

But massages aren't for everyone. In some cases, they can cause more harm than good.

"Just stretch toward your toes and relax," said Jim Scroggs, a massage therapist at the Medi-Spa at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Scroggs said he always asks first-time clients about any medical issues they have.

"Let's say you have a slipped disc and you're seeing a doctor or chiropractor about that and you don't tell me," he said. "I'm not going to work on the discs, obviously, but I'm working the muscles that move the spine."

Scroggs said he relaxes those muscles, and that could allow the bones and their relationship to change. That can cause lasting pain.

Adverse effects of massage can also be caused by using an inappropriate type of massage or by an unqualified therapist. Potential dangers include skin bruising, swelling, fractures, nerve damage, various organ damage and displacement of internal medical devices.

"I had a lot of physical problems," Merrill Bender said. "Fibromyalgia, some herniated discs in my neck and my back."

That's why for the past eight years, Bender has been getting a massage every month. But in the beginning, she found anything but relief.

"It was just too much pressure," she said. "I didn't say anything, and I got bruises and stuff. It was just too much for me, personally."

Bender also encourages people to try different message therapists and techniques until they find that perfect touch.