Massage Therapy and Your Brain: A Natural Mood Booster
Can massage therapy actually change your brain chemistry? Massage therapy can positively influence the body’s neurochemistry, helping reduce stress and improve mood. Studies show it lowers cortisol, the primary stress hormone, while increasing serotonin and dopamine, which are linked to happiness and well-being. These shifts in hormones and neurotransmitters help explain why massage is an […]
Massage Therapy: Positive Shifts in Body Chemistry
Can massage therapy positively shift the body’s chemistry? Research across many conditions and stressors found consistent patterns including lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and higher serotonin and dopamine (mood-boosting neurotransmitters). Studies looked at issues like depression and pain syndromes, autoimmune conditions (including asthma and chronic fatigue), immune-related conditions (including HIV and breast cancer), and stress […]
Massage Therapy’s Impact on the The Nervous System
How does massage therapy affect the nervous system? Research shows massage therapy impacts the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic “rest and digest” response and calming the sympathetic “fight or flight” response, leading to a significant decreases in stress hormones and increases in relaxation. Through pressure receptors in the skin and muscles, signals are sent […]
Massage Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients
Women with breast cancer are at risk for elevated depression, anxiety, and decreased natural killer cell number. Stress has been linked to increased tumor development by decreasing natural killer cell activity. A study included 34 women diagnosed with Stage 1 or 2 breast cancer and examined massage therapy for improving mood and biological measures associated […]
Massage Therapy As An Alternative to Opioids
Does research support massage therapy as an alternative to opioids? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) millions of Americans are treated with prescription opioids for chronic pain, and close to 12 million Americans, aged 12 or older reported misuse of opioids. A growing body of research continues to support the efficacy […]
Massage Therapy and Cardiac/Cardiothoracic Surgery
Does massage therapy provide benefits for post-surgery cardiothoracic patients? The number of cardiac surgeries exceeds 900,000 procedures each year in the United States. The most common post-surgery complaints include discomfort due to impaired movement in the nearby shoulders, back and neck. A review of 12 studies looking at thoracic surgery, revealed patients receiving massage therapy […]
Benefits of Hand Massage Combined with Music Therapy
How does combining hand massage with music therapy benefit pediatric intensive care patients? A study assessed the effect of music therapy and hand massage on pain, fear, and stress among 12-18 year-old adolescents treated in the pediatric intensive care unit. The study concluded that hand massage and music therapy were more effective than standard care […]
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Cancer-Related Distress
What does research reveal about the benefits of massage therapy for cancer-related distress? Cancer-related distress affects almost every person diagnosed with cancer at some level, and anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental health challenges that accompany distress. Research supports that massage therapy helps in the reduction of anxiety and depression, with a course […]
Massage Therapy for Chronic Pain Beyond the Physical
What does research show about massage therapy for chronic pain beyond the physical? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 51.6 million U.S. adults live with chronic pain. Chronic pain is persistent discomfort lasting beyond 3 to 6 months, which includes: headaches, migraines, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and many other common conditions. […]
Massage Therapy for Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery
Does massage therapy provide benefits for patients recovering from hip replacement surgery? Approximately 544,000 hip replacements are performed annually in the U.S., and this number is expected to continue growing as the population ages. Some of the most common post-surgery complaints and complications include: Misalignment in muscles and joints can produce prolonged pain, and Scar tissue […]