The art of placing hands on another person with the intent to heal or help with pain has been around for thousands of years. Early writings from China and Egypt mention rubbing or touching an area with pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, massage didn't really catch on in Europe until the renaissance period. The United States didn't start using it in medicine until the 1850s. Massage fell out of favor in the U.S. until the 1970s, when it re-surged and continues to grow each year.
Intended Effects
Massage therapy is defined as the use of hands, elbows, knees or even feet to rub on and manipulate muscles and soft tissue of the body. The act of rubbing on the tissues brings more blood to the area and promotes increased circulation. Working tight, tender and overworked muscles should help them to relax and decrease tenderness in the area. Other than working on tight and tender areas of the body, many people use massage therapy as a form of quiet time during which the body can lie down and relax. Research also indicates that massage therapy helps with range of motion. A case study published in the Journal of Bodywork Movement Therapy in July 2008 looked at the effects of massage on one person with sciatica symptoms. After a 10-week period of 45-minute massages once a week, the client reported decreased pain, increased function and improved range of motion in the lower back. Though this was only one case study, it opens the door for researching massage and range of motion more specifically.
Side Effects
The National Institutes of Health reports very few contraindications and side effects from massage. Deep or rough tissue massage can cause bruising, and therefore is not recommended for those taking blood thinners or with bleeding disorders. Massage should not be performed around areas of open wounds, infections, broken bones and cancer. The National Institutes of Health places a great importance on finding a licensed massage therapist and continuing to keep a regular medical doctor informed of complementary medicine to minimize risks and side effects of massage.
Research
Research has been done to look at the effects of massage therapy on carpal tunnel syndrome and reducing nerve pain while increasing function. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in April 2008 looked at the effects of twice-a-week massage for six weeks on those with carpal tunnel syndrome. Two different types of massage were compared--one that was general and focused on the back and neck, and the other more specific to the areas of the carpal tunnel, arms and neck. Function such as grip strength and pain were measured. At the end of the six-week period, both groups experienced decrease in symptoms that persisted even four weeks after the massage had ended. The group that received specific carpal tunnel massage had greater increases in grip strength than the other group. Although massage had positive outcomes for both groups, this study indicates specific massage for areas with nerve pain should be further investigated.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Massage Therapy
- "Journal of Bodywork Movement Therapy;" Massage Therapy Helps to Increase Range of Motion, Decrease Pain and Assist in Healing a Client with Low Back Pain and Sciatica Symptoms.; Bell J; July 12th 2008.
- "The Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine;" Comparison of a Targeted and General Massage Protocol on Strength, Function and Symptoms Associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Pilot Study.; Moraska A et. al.; April 9th 2008.
Member Comments