There are many
beneficial effects of massage, including pain relief, stress
reduction but also relief of many diseases.
Theories behind what massage might do include blocking pain
signals to the brain (gate control theory), activating the
parasympathetic nervous system, stimulating the release of
endorphins and serotonin, preventing fibrosis or scar tissue,
increasing the flow of lymph, and improving sleep.
Who can make a massage and in which cases?
Massage can be performed by a professional Massage Therapist,
or by other health care professionals, such as Chiropractors,
Osteopaths, Athletic trainers, and/or Physical Therapists.
Massage therapists work in hospitals as allied health
professionals, in nursing homes, sports and fitness
facilities, spas, beauty salons, cruise ships, private
offices, and travel to private residences or businesses.
Contraindications to massage include, deep vein thrombosis,
bleeding disorders or taking blood thinners such as Warfarin,
damaged blood vessels, weakened bones from cancer,
osteoporosis, or fractures, and fever.
The reasons people cite that they use massage are to relieve
pain from musculoskeletal injuries and other causes of pain.
Massage diminishes pain in fibromyalgia patients. It also
reduces chronic back pain more effectively than some other
complementary therapies and easing post-operative pain. Cancer
patients tends to self-report symptomatic relief of pain.
Massage can also relieve tension headaches. Acupressure or
pressure point massage may be more beneficial than classic
Swedish massage in relieving back pain. When combined with
education and exercises massage might help sub-acute, chronic,
non-specific low back pain.
Massage increases health in several diseases and conditions.
Massage increases pulmonary function in asthmatics, decreases
glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus and
increases natural killer cells in HIV and cancer patients.
Massage therapy also reduces blood pressure in stroke patients
and alcohol detoxification symptoms. It also relieves
temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Massage can help with
spastic diplegia resulting from Cerebral palsy.
Massage has been used in an effort to improve symptoms,
disease progression, and quality of life in HIV patients.
Massage also has mental beneficial effects. It reduces stress
and decreases feelings of anxiety and depression, and increase
general well being. In a randomised controlled trial with
dyslexic children to evaluate the efficiency of Sunflower
therapy which includes applied kinesiology, physical
manipulation, massage, homeopathy, herbal remedies and neuro-linguistic
programming. There were no significant improvements in
cognitive nor literacy test performance associated with the
treatment, but there were significant improvements in
self-esteem for the treatment group. This study did not
control for the placebo effect.
Other beneficial effects are reduction of fatigue, stress,
nausea, increased flexibility, decreased muscle tension,
strain, spasticity and/or contractures, and freeing
restrictions between layers of Myofascial. Following massage
therapy. Massage also stimulates the immune system by
increasing peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). However, this
immune system effect is only studied in aromatherapy massage,
which includes sweet almond oil, lavender oil, cypress oil,
and sweet marjoram oil. |
