Massage Therapy Relieves Hypertension

By Holly Dunbar, CMT, RH (AGH)

New Moon Body Work and Botanicals

. http://www.newmoonbody.com

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Massage Therapy Relieves Hypertension

Stress has a pivotal role in the development of disease, accounting for the majority of debilitating and fatal diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

A recent study showed how massage therapy reduces hypertension, a common disorder highly influenced by stress, and a major factor in heart disease.

This particular study was conducted on hypertensive women ages 30-65, who received a weekly, Swedish massage for one hour. Swedish massage is a massage technique characterized by the use of effleurage (a kneading movement of the hands), and other general massage strokes to improve circulation and induce relaxation. The control group simply rested. Both groups had a marked reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and in the inflammatory marker VCAM-1. The massage group however, measured a significant reduction in heart rate after each session, and reduction in blood pressure that was more long term.

In my years of working with clients, I have seen this change firsthand. Clients who receive regular massage, at least once monthly, have been able to reduce or come off of their blood pressure medication. Other benefits clients regularly report include improved sleep, reduced stress, less digestive difficulties, pain reduction, and an increase range of motion in the joints.

Massage is known to decrease cortisol, a stress hormone, and increase oxytocin, a feel-good hormone, so the findings of this new study are not earth shattering. It is validating, however, for scientific research to support what massage clients have been saying all along that massage makes them feel good, and it's good for them too.