Alternative Health Blog

One in every four American adults had a massage at least once in the past year. Among those massage clients 50 and older—Boomers—the frequency average seven visits to the massage therapist per year, while 18- to 44-year-olds average five per 12 months.

Of those Americans who see a massage therapist, 87 percent agree massage can be effective for reducing pain and nearly as many see it as a contributor to health and wellenss. The whole “luxury item” or “pampering” notions? Uh, rubbed out. A recent independent survey commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association showed only one in 10 Americans sought out a massage therapist last year primarily because of the desire to be pampered.

Hearing that an alternative health therapy works for others—loved ones, friends, co-workers, the driver of your commuter bus—is powerful information for all of us interested in self-care. But massage therapy also has a strong foundation of research studies to help determine its value.

Since many insurance plans do not yet consider massage therapy as a standard medical treatment, here are some scientific facts about massage to back up your financial decision to use massage therapy for pain relief and other conditions (information developed from American Massage Therapy Association):

Back Pain: A 2003 study showed massage therapy produced better results and reduced the need for painkillers by 36 percent when compared to other therapies, including acupuncture and spinal modification. Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, June 3, 2003

Migraine headaches: In a recent study, massage therapy resulted in fewer migraines and better sleep quality during the weeks that patients received massage, and the three weeks following, compared volunteers who did not receive massage therapy. A 1998 study established that therapeutic massage increases the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood, sleep, appetite and headaches. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, August 2006; International Journal of Neuroscience, 1998.

Wrist pain/carpal tunnel syndrome: A 2004 study found carpal tunnel patients undergoing massage reported significantly less pain and enhanced grip strength when compared to ac control group not receiving such treatments. Massage therapy can potentially eliminate the need for wrist braces or highly invasive surgery. Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 8, 9-14.

Ease cancer side effects: In a 2004 study, patients at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York were asked to assess the intensity of cancer symptoms (pain, anxiety, fatigue, depression, nausea) before and after massage therapy. Patients reported reduced levels of all symptom cateogories, even two days following the massage work. Another 2004 study found that regular massage therapy increased the number of “natural killer” cells to fight malignant tumors. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, September 2004; Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Journal of Psychosomatic
Research, Volume 57, Issue 1, Pages 45-52, July 2004.

Reduce high blood pressure: Here’s a study that might boost spot-massage visits you might find possible at big-city airports. Preliminary research shows hypertensive patients receiving 10-minute back massages three times per week tested for lower blood readings, compared to patients who simply relaxed for 10-minute breaks but without a massage.
 Biological Research For Nursing, Vol. 7, No. 2, 98-105 (2005).

Bob Condor blogs every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday for Alternative Health Journal.