Chicken soup and massage

We all know it feels good, but does massage really, measurably, do anything to impact health? Yes it does! Although there have been previous studies to explore the physiological effect of massage, the Cedars-Sinai study actually has the relevant data of a large study to back up the healthful attributes of massage.

Their department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences report that people who undergo Swedish massage in particular experience measurable changes in their physiology which can impact and improve health especially with the body’s immune system. The study is published in the October issue of Journal Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

“Massage is popular in America, with almost nine percent of adults receiving at lest one massage within the past year,” said Mark Rapaport, MD, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences. “People often seek out massage as part of a healthy lifestyle but there hasn’t been much physiological proof of the body’s heightened immune response following massage until now.”

In the study, they took a group of about 30 adults and gave them 45 minutes of Swedish massage and another similar group received light touch massage. Blood samples were taken from all the subjects at various points during and after the massage. People who got the Swedish massage experienced an increase in lymphocytes (white blood cells). They also had a decrease in the AVP hormone which plays a role in aggressive behavior and is linked to the stress hormone cortisol, which also had decreased levels.

“This research indicates that massage doesn’t only feel good, it also may be good for you,” said Rapaport, the principal investigator of the study. “More research is ahead of us but it appears that a single massage may deliver a measurable benefit.”

Source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, ScienceDaily