Massage Beats Meds for Low Back Pain

A study by Seattle researchers of 401 patients with chronic low back pain showed that those receiving a series of either Swedish massage (which aims to promote full-body relaxation) or structural massage (which manipulates specific pain-related back muscles and ligaments) were better able to work and be active for up to a year than those getting “usual medical care,” which included painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, etc.

Both types of massage proved highly beneficial.  This means those who don’t like deep pressure can ease their back pain even with a gentler relaxation massage.

At 10 weeks, more than one-third of those who received either type of massage said their back pain was much better or gone, compared to only one in 25 patients who received usual care, the study said. Those in the massage groups were also twice as likely in that period to have spent fewer days in bed, used less anti-inflammatory medication and engaged in more activity than the standard care group.

Book your pain-relief massage today with Take 5 Bodywork by clicking here.

Read the full article by USA Today, 7/6/2011.

The study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is published in the July 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Massage Improves Health & Quality of Life for Older Adults

Preserving the quality of life for older adults is a high priority.  Regular massage from Take 5 Bodywork can help achieve this goal! It's clinically proven!

Massage has been clinically proven to enhance the quality of life and promote significantly better health for older adults.

Two recent studies have examined massage therapy usage for older adults (age 60+).

"Relationship between massage therapy usage and health outcomes in older adults" (J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2011 Apr;15(2):177-85. Epub 2010 Feb 20.) examined the potential of massage therapy as an intervention for physical and emotional pain in older adults.  Older adults who reported massage therapy usage in the past year had significantly better health outcome scores in the following domains: 1) emotional well-being, 2) limitations due to physical issues, and 3) limitations due to emotional issues. 

Another study, "Massage therapy usage and reported health in older adults experiencing persistent pain" (J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Jul;17(7):609-16. Epub 2011 Jun 13.), examined the potential impact of massage therapy in older adults with persistent pain, by comparing self-reported health outcome scores among those who have and have not utilized massage therapy in the past year.  The current study demonstrated that for older adults experiencing persistent pain, massage is associated with self-report of less limitation due to physical or emotional issues, better emotional health, more energy/less fatigue, better social functioning, and better overall health.

The authors of these studies point out:

"Physical and emotional decline in older adults is a serious issue affecting not only quality of life but also susceptibility to injury. Non-pharmacological interventions addressing the needs of older adults are important for reducing medication burden and possible drug interactions.

"Persistent pain is a frequent complaint among older adults and can greatly decrease quality of life while also contributing to other negative outcomes such as poor health, increased pharmaceutical medication usage, increased rates of depression, and cognitive decline."

Schedule your massage appointment today by visiting www.take5bodywork.com and clicking on the BOOK NOW link, or call us at (805) 637-3586.