The benefits of touching occur every day from the good morning hug to your spouse, the mussing of the hair of your child, or to the solid handshake with or pat on the back to a colleague. It’s all part of our way of making people feel comfortable, liked, or loved.
As important as touching is in our lives, it has become more than just a means of good will. It has become an incredible health therapy known as massage. Multiple studies have shown that massage can treat everything from muscle aches and pains to pediatric asthma, and bulimia nervosa to depression. How can that be when it’s just an act of ‘touch?’
Depression and Massage:
Depression comes in varying degrees. There is situational depression, which is often experienced during a time of tragedy. Next is family of origin depression, which often stems from family issues that have never been resolved. Finally, we have moderate, severe and chronic depression, more commonly known as clinical depression. These people suffer from biochemically induced issues within the nervous system and typically are treated with psychotherapy and antidepressant drugs. Oftentimes, those in the latter category are hospitalized because of the severity of their biochemical make-up and lack of ability to regulate it.
According to medical professionals, the physiological and energetic challenges abound in those with depression. For example, the abdominal muscles shorten and the diaphragm tightens which pulls the chest downward limiting the lungs’ ability to expand and contract effectively for breathing. In addition, the shoulders and arms tend to rotate inward due to tension, causing the neck to drop and strain. As a result, depression can cause physical harm by a lack of oxygen and extensive muscle damage.
Massage therapy releases this body collapse that is associated with depression. Massage can release the tense muscles around the abdomen and diaphragm to open up the chest area for improved breathing. Second, the release of tightness around the neck and chest area also opens the passage for increase oxygen to enter the body. Finally, the smoothing of the tightened neck muscles provides pain relief that can also improve posture.
Studies have shown that targeted massage can provide increased energy in depressed people simply by eliminating the tension in those key areas.
Depression and Pediatric Asthma
A study performed last year in Egypt found that massage therapy improved key pulmonary function in children with asthma. As mentioned earlier, massage tends to relax the abdominal and diaphragm muscle, which in turn, increases oxygen flow to the lungs. It stands to reason that asthma sufferers would experience great benefits through massage.
Asthma is a reversible obstructive airway disease that is often controlled or managed through medicinal inhalants. However, massage was found to be a lower cost way to improve breathing as it not only relaxes muscle tension, but lowers anxiety, which can often trigger asthma attacks. More studies are underway to solidify the present results.
Massage and Bulimia
More than a decade ago, massage therapy was studied as it was becoming more common in the alternative world of medicine. In that time frame, one particular study uncovered a connection between massage and bulimia nervosa treatment.
According to the research, bulimia nervosa involves recurrent episodes of binge eating, feels of lack of control over eating behaviors, regularly engaging in purging (i.e. vomiting, use of laxatives, strict dieting), and persistent over-concern with body shape/weight. The study performed on bulimia patients found that they had reported significantly lower anxiety levels and less depressed moods after just one massage. Over time, the consistency of less depression was prevalent. Furthermore, tests of physical chemical changes in the body were noted with higher dopamine levels and lower cortisol levels. (Cortisol has a direct connection with stress levels; and dopamine is a chemical release by nerve cells that is connected mood.)
Overall, it appeared that massage therapy reduced anxiety, lowered depression, and improve self-image in bulimia sufferers.
Massage and School Performance
A study in Sweden found that school children who provide neck and back massages to each other as part of the school curriculum actually performed better in school. The practice of Swedish sports massage in the schools started in 1996 to reduce stress and improve concentration. School teachers reported that when children are stressed from issues at home or school, they tend to suffer from stomach problems, depression, and irritability. These issues prohibit the children from concentrating on their school work.
The researchers found that massage for 15 minutes before an important lesson calmed the children so they became more receptive to the learning environment. Parents reported that the massage shows children how to touch in a nonthreatening, respectful, and positive way. One particular parent reported, “Our child touches us more and says she loves us.”
The benefits of massage seem endless and studies continue to determine its applicability for treating cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and more. If you have never been exposed to massage therapy, you might want to give it a try…at the very least, you should come out more relaxed and ready to take on your day!
References
Fattah, M. A. & Hamdy, B. (2011). Pulmonary functions of children with asthma improve following massage therapy. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17(11), 1065-1068.
Field, T., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., & Field, T., Fierro, K., Henteleff, T., Mueller, C., Yando, R., Shaw, S., & Burman, I. (1998). Bulimic adolescents benefit from massage therapy. Adolescence, 33(131), 555-563.
McCann, D. (2009). Treating depression with massage. Massage Today, 9(2). Retrieved from http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=13933.
Solveig, B. (2004). Massage in schools reduces stress and anxiety. Young Children, 59(5), 67-68.
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