The Science of Massage Therapy

Many of us may benefit from a massage – it's an excellent method to boost your well-being and alleviate discomfort, among other benefits. If you have a medical issue, see your physician and speak with your massage therapist. Prenatal massage can assist pregnant women in decreasing discomfort and edema.

Uncertain about the sort of massage that is best for you? You do not need to select the ideal massage before scheduling an appointment. Indeed, massage therapists frequently combine approaches to treat your specific needs.

The various styles of massage are not mutually incompatible. A massage therapist employs a variety of techniques to assist you in relaxing, releasing tight muscles, and addressing other issues.

Low-Back Ache

Numerous assessments of studies have shown little evidence that massage is beneficial for low-back pain. The American College of Physicians' 2017 clinical guidelines recognized massage as a treatment option for acute/subacute low-back pain but did not include it among the treatment choices for chronic low-back pain.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

In a 2016 evaluation of non-drug therapies for low-back pain, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality examined 20 studies that compared massage to usual care or other interventions and concluded that there was evidence that massage was beneficial for chronic low-back pain, but the strength of the evidence was low.

Pain in the neck and shoulders

Massage treatment may be beneficial in the short term for neck or shoulder discomfort.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

Massage treatment may give short-term relief from neck discomfort, according to a 2016 assessment of four randomized controlled studies. A 2013 evaluation of 12 research including 757 individuals, indicated that massage treatment was more beneficial than inactive therapies for neck and shoulder discomfort but was not more effective than other active therapies.

Osteoarthritis

Although just a few researches have been conducted on massage treatment and osteoarthritis, the results of some of these studies indicate that massage may have short-term advantages in alleviating knee pain.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

A 2017 comprehensive evaluation of seven randomized controlled trials, including 352 patients with arthritis, discovered that massage treatment is superior to passive therapies in terms of pain reduction and functional results.

Headache

Only a few researches have examined massage for headaches, and the outcomes have been inconsistent.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

Two tiny trials show that massage treatment may be beneficial for migraines, but no firm conclusions can be formed. According to a 2011 comprehensive evaluation of these two trials, massage treatment may be just as helpful as propranolol and topiramate in the preventative management of migraine.

In a 2015 randomized controlled experiment, 56 patients with tension headaches were randomly allocated to receive either massage at myofascial trigger points or an inactive therapy twice weekly for six weeks or to be placed on a waiting list. Individuals who got either massage or an inactive therapy had a reduction in headache frequency.

Cancer Symptoms and Adverse Reactions to Treatment

Massage therapy can be used as part of supportive treatment for cancer patients who choose to try it; however, it can alleviate pain and anxiety is lacking. Massage is listed in the 2014 clinical practice recommendations for breast cancer patients as one of the numerous therapies that may be beneficial for stress reduction, anxiety, sadness, exhaustion, and overall quality of life.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

The Society for Integrative Oncology's 2009 statement suggests that patients experiencing anxiety or discomfort seek massage therapy provided by an oncology-trained massage therapist as part of a multimodality treatment approach.

The Society for Integrative Oncology published guidelines in 2017 on the evidence-based use of integrative treatments during and after breast cancer treatment, suggesting massage therapy to alleviate mood disturbances in breast cancer survivors following active treatment (grade B).

Fibromyalgia

Massage treatment may be beneficial for some fibromyalgia symptoms, according to research findings.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

According to a 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis of nine trials (404 total participants), massage treatment decreased pain, anxiety, and depression in persons with fibromyalgia when used for at least five weeks. However, it had no impact on sleep disruption.

A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of ten researches (478 total participants) evaluated the benefits of various types of massage treatment and discovered that the majority of styles had a favorable effect on fibromyalgia patients' quality of life. Swedish massage may be an exception; two trials involving 56 people found no benefits.

HIV/AIDS

There is some evidence that massage treatment may assist persons with HIV/AIDS in terms of anxiety, sadness, and quality of life, although the quantity of study and the number of people investigated are limited.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

Massage treatment may help enhance the quality of life for those living with HIV or AIDS, according to a 2010 assessment of four researches including a total of 178 participants.

Massage may be beneficial for depression in persons living with HIV, according to a 2013 randomized controlled trial of 54 people, and a 2017 research of 29 people living with HIV revealed that massage may be beneficial for anxiety.

Care of Infants

There is some evidence that massage may aid in the weight gain of preterm newborns. Massage has not been shown to provide clear advantages for healthy full-term newborns.

What Do the Findings of the Research Indicate?

In a 2017 evaluation of 34 randomized controlled trials of massage treatment for preterm newborns, 20 of the research (1,250 total infants) assessed the efficacy of massage on weight growth, with the majority of studies demonstrating an improvement.

Safety

Massage treatment appears to have a minimal risk of adverse consequences. However, major adverse effects such as blood clots, nerve damage, or bone fracture have been reported seldom. Several incidences have been recorded involving aggressive forms of massage, such as deep tissue massage.