Massage therapists often gush about the therapeutic properties of massage therapy, saying it can lower levels of anxiety and stress, improve wellness, and even reduce pain. And for the most part, they’re right.
Indeed, many academic studies have demonstrated the therapeutic properties of massage therapy, but these studies are usually small in their number of participants, and often massage therapy is indicated as a complementary treatment, for example, as a non-invasive pain reliever for cancer patients. A study in the July 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine is therefore a breakthrough for massage therapists as it concludes that massage therapy isn’t just a good complementary therapy, rather, it is the best choice for treating lower back pain.
The study, titled A Comparison of the Effects of 2 Types of Massage and Usual Care on Chronic Low Back Pain, is so newsworthy because it concludes that general massage therapy is more effective than standard medical treatment when dealing with back pain. This means that a weekly massage can do more to ease chronic back pain than painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs (think Advil) and physical therapy.
According to The USA Today, the study monitored 410 women with chronic lower back pain. The women were randomly assigned to three groups, with one group receiving standard medical care as outlined above, one receiving an hour-long, weekly structural massage therapy session, and the final group receiving a standard, hour-long Swedish massage.
The results showed that women who received either form of massage therapy were two times as likely to have spent less time in bed due to pain, used less pain medication, and generally were more active than the women who did not receive massage therapy. Stunningly, more than one-third of the women who received massage therapy reported their back pain as much improved or completely gone, while only four percent of women who received standard medical care could say the same thing.
What does this mean for massage therapy and its practitioners? First and foremost, it is thorough proof that massage therapy can do what therapists have been saying it can do all along: Provide effective pain management and improve people’s quality of life. Second, this claim can be made by all massage therapists – from the highest trained to the recently graduated – as almost all therapists are well versed in Swedish massage. Finally, this should motivate therapists to continue to promote massage therapy as an effective, non-invasive therapy to people in areas where lower back pain is common, providing therapists with another reason to market, for example, chair massage therapy to office employees.
More than an indulgent splurge, a good massage can help treat everything from anxiety and arthritis to insomnia and injury rehabilitation.
Booking a massage may seem decadent, but there are real health benefits to be gained beneath the hands of an experienced professional.
1. Massage can reduce anxiety, depression and stress
Massage therapy is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety and stress. "It stimulates the body's natural endorphins, which help to relieve nervous tension," says Whynacht.
And if stress has given way to a more serious case of the blues, seeing a massage therapist -- in addition to consulting with your medical doctor --could make a positive difference.
"Massage can help the body raise neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which aid in reducing depression," Whynacht explains.
2. Massage can help you sleep better
Raising serotonin levels via massage therapy can also help people who suffer from sleep disorders, although the more immediate effects may be even simpler.
"Massage relaxes your body and your mind, which [is something] many people with insomnia need help with," says Whynacht. She goes on to explain that many clients report improved sleep after a massage, while many also find themselves involuntarily dozing off during their treatment.
3. Massage can weaken pain and frequency of headaches and migraines
"Many headaches, even migraines, are often the results of muscle tension," explains Whynacht.
However, while you might assume that the tension is in your head because that's where you feel pain, it can actually be caused by soreness somewhere else in your body. The terms you'll hear a therapist use are "referral pain," which is where you're feeling it, and "trigger point," which is the area that's causing the pain.
"Massage therapy can improve circulation to stiff, sore muscles, relaxing them and stopping the referral of muscle pain to the head," says Whynacht.
4. Massage can boost your immune system
In addition to getting plenty of fluid and rest when you're under the weather, clear a little time in your calendar for a massage.
"Massage therapy promotes the movement of lymphatic fluid in our bodies," says Whynacht. "This fluid removes toxins and waste, which is quite helpful when trying to fight an infection."
The benefits can last beyond a speedy recovery, too. "This is a natural way to help strengthen your immune system."
5. Massage can ease joint pain
Whynacht says that massage therapy can help ease most joint pains by increasing the range of motion and relieving compensating muscle pain.
"[It can] make a huge difference," she says. "Whether the joint pain is chronic or if you are recovering from an injury."
6. Massage can speed healing after surgery or injuries
"Massage therapy can stimulate weak muscles that have been affected by an injury," explains Whynacht. "It increases range of motion, improves blood circulation and reduces pain."
She also says that massage can decrease inflammation, promote lymphatic drainage and help reduce scar tissue formation -- all things that do your body good post trauma or injury. Whynacht goes on to note that massage therapy is especially helpful for carpal tunnel syndrome and both muscle and tendon sprains.
7. Massage helps with asthma and emphysema
Respiratory problems can decrease mobility in your rib cage, overtax your breathing muscles and strain neck muscles, all of which can be helped by massage.
Whynacht also cites diaphragmatic breathing, which is promoted by therapists, as beneficial. "[It] can improve lung function," she explains.
8. Massage provides arthritis relief
In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, in which joints become swollen, massage can help decrease inflammation. And with osteoarthritis, where the cartilage on the ends of bones wears away, massage therapy can help promote better overall posture. That, in turn, can prevent excessive or uneven pressure on your joints.
Whynacht adds, however, that massage therapy may not be a good idea for anyone suffering from severe osteoporosis. If that is the case, you should consult your doctor before receiving treatment.
9. Massage can relieve pregnancy aches and pains
Looking for a gift for a friend who is expecting? Give her the gift of a little relief.
"Massage therapy during pregnancy can help reduce low back pain and decrease fluid retention," says Whynacht. And if you're going to be heading into the delivery room yourself, bring a massage therapist along. According to Whynacht, massage during labour can help eliminate muscle spasms.
Massage therapists often gush about the therapeutic properties of massage therapy, saying it can lower levels of anxiety and stress, improve wellness, and even reduce pain. And for the most part, they’re right.
