Massage and Pregnancy

Massage can be used purely for relaxation or to treat specific injury or disease. Massage Therapy promotes relaxation and eases emotional and physical stress, relieves headaches, and improves the function of the skin, the lungs and digestive organs. Remedial Massage is the application of different techniques in the treatment of muscular pain and dysfunction that affect human movement and is applied in the preventative, corrective and rehabilitative phases of treatment. Remedial Massage is concerned with the restoration and maintenance of the soft tissue structures of the body.

Pregnancy massage may reduce the risk of premature births

Pregnancy massage long has been known to help expectant mothers feel better, and a new study shows it may well provide an even more important benefit – reducing the risk of premature births.

According to the study's findings, body massage for pregnant women by their "significant others" led to reduced levels of stress hormones in the mother and thereby increased the likelihood of a successful full-term pregnancy. The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., the National Institute of Mental Health and the March of Dimes supported the study.

The research found that in addition to relaxing the mother, massage might bring into better balance stress hormones including cortisol and norepinephrine. Elevated stress hormones can lead to complications during pregnancy including low birth weight and even miscarriage.

The study, conducted by the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine and Duke University Medical School's Department of Pharmacology, focused on massage during the second trimester of pregnancy. While other studies have reported beneficial findings in pregnancy massage by trained therapists, the new study keyed on massage by the partner in the relationship, providing for a cost-effective, at-home way for couples to improve the outcome of pregnancy for mother and baby.

Massage by their partners helps women "feel more comfortable and less stressed during pregnancy and therefore they can expect a better outcome," said Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of Touch Research Institutes, co-author of the study and advisor to the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C.

"Our core mission at the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., is to improve the health and well-being of mothers and babies. When something as simple as massage during pregnancy can do that, it makes the research invaluable and directly beneficial," said Owen Rankin, president of the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C.

In addition to playing a positive role in reducing a pregnant woman's stress, massage also alleviates aches, pains and swelling for the mother, improves her sleep and eases depression, the study reported.

And, added Field, massage by partners produces yet another benefit: "It gives them a better bond. It's good for their relationship."

Studies show new massage and physical therapy technique increased pregnancy rates in infertile women.

A unique new massage and physical therapy technique greatly increased pregnancy rates in infertile women, according to two studies reported in the June 18, 2004 issue of Medscape General Medicine, Ob/Gyn & Women's Health .

The researchers reported that the Wurn Technique(R) (patent pending) is highly effective at increasing fertility in both natural conception and in vitro fertilization (IVF). The therapy uses neither drugs nor surgery.

The natural fertility study reported a 71% (10/14) pregnancy success rate within one year of receiving the new treatment. Nine of the ten women (90%) who conceived had a full-term delivery.

A second study found that therapy significantly increased clinical pregnancy rates when performed within 15 months before in vitro fertilization (IVF). Two-thirds (67%) of women who received the non-surgical therapy became pregnant with their next IVF transfer, versus the 41% national average. The study also showed a 57% pregnancy rate among women aged 41 or older. The average duration of infertility for patients in both studies was five years.

"The therapy appears to improve fertility in women with a wide array of unexplained or adhesion-related infertility," said co-author Richard King, MD, an independent gynecologist and research physician. "Many of the subjects had histories including prior infection, inflammation, surgery or trauma."

In the pre-IVF study, 19 of 25 women (76%) reported pregnancy and 15 (60%) gave birth or are still pregnant. The study compared the rate of pregnancy per embryo transfer of fresh, non-donor eggs with the national age-adjusted averages reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Clinical pregnancies were documented in 22 of 33 embryo transfers (67%), a highly statistically significant difference in favor of the women who received the therapy prior to transfer.

"None of the patients in either study reported any observable complications or adverse side effects," said Belinda Wurn, physical therapist, who developed the technique with her husband, massage therapist Larry Wurn. "In fact, nearly all patients reported decreased pain, and anecdotal evidence suggests increased sexual arousal, following therapy." "We feel this work will be a major adjunct to regular gynecologic care and will increase success rates for fertility physicians worldwide," Larry Wurn said.

Touch research institute

http://www.miami.edu/touch-research/index.html

Breast Cancer : Massage therapy reduced anxiety and depression and improved immune function including increased natural killer cell number.

Hernandez-Reif, M., Ironsor, G., Field, T., Hurley, J., Katz, G., Diego, M., Weiss, S., Fletcher, MA., Shanberg, S and Kuhn, C. (2003) Breast cancer patients have improve immune and neuroendocrine function following massage therapy.Journal of Psychosomatic Reseach, 1,1-8.

Bulimia : Bulimic adolescent girls received massage therapy 2 times a week for 5 weeks. Effects included an improved body image, decreased depression and anxiety symptoms, decreased cortisol levels and increased dopamine and serotonin levels.

Field, T., Shanberg, S., Kuhn, C., Fierro, K., Henteleff, T., Mueller, C., Yando, R. & Burman, I. (1998). Bulimic adolescents benefit from massage therapy. Adolescence, 33, 555-563.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome : Immediately following massage therapy depressed mood, anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels were reduced. Following 10 days of massage therapy, fatigue related symptoms, particularly anxiety and somatic symptoms, were reduced, as were depression, difficulty sleeping and pain. Stress hormone (cortisol) also decreased and dopamine increased.

Field, T, Sunshine, W., Hernandez-Reif, M., Quintino, O., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., & Burman, I. (1997). Chronic fatigue syndrome: Massage therapy effects on depression and somatic symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 3, 43-51.

Smoking : Cravings, anxious behaviors and the number of cigarettes smoked were reduced by self-massage (rubbing ear lobes or hands whenever subjects experienced a craving).

Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., and Hart, S. (1999). Smoking cravings are reduced by self-massage. Preventive Medicine, 28, 28-32.

Thirdly, and lastly, phone contact details for the association's national referral service and website.

Reprinted with permission from the AAMT

Medical Study News, Published: Tuesday, 29-Jun-2004