Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1128556
72 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k j u l y / a u g u s t 2 0 1 9 that it is recommended in clinical guidelines for headache care. 35 Pain in the context of opioids. Because massage therapy is demonstrably effective for many kinds of pain, and because it is a comparatively low-risk treatment option, it is generating a lot of interest in the context of reducing the need for opioid drugs. Several policy-making organizations, including The Joint Commission, The US Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, have published strategies that could include massage therapy as a part of pain management to reduce reliance on opioid drugs. 36 Massage therapy research is an exciting field that helps the profession evolve and grow. There is so much more for us to learn and discover. Editor's note: This is a selection of excerpts from a much larger piece on the benefits of massage as demonstrated by research. If you work with a client population that is not included here or want to dive deeper into the research on the benefits of massage, be sure to read more in an upcoming issue of ABMP's digital-only, consumer education magazine Body Sense. It will also be available online at www.massagetherapy.com. Sources and citations for this research noted here will be available in the digital edition of this issue at www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com. Author's note: This content is offered as an evidence- informed summary of what we generally understand are some of the benefits of massage therapy. It is not an exhaustive literature review, which requires a different level of analysis of the cited studies. Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider. She wrote A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology (available at BooksofDiscovery.com), now in its sixth edition, which is used in massage schools worldwide. Werner is available at www. ruthwerner.com or wernerworkshops@ruthwerner.com. Massage Benefits for People with Acute and Chronic Pain A Safe and Effective Option Massage therapy for pain in general has a strong evidence base, led by a massive systematic review comprising nearly 70 studies that found it compares well with several other interventions for pain and restored function, and that it has the added benefit of having a low risk of adverse events. 24 Another systematic review found evidence in favor of massage, along with several other nonpharmacologic interventions, for chronic noncancer pain. 25 Back and neck pain. The American College of Physicians recommends massage as an early option for acute and subacute low-back pain. 26 This is supported by evidence in favor of massage alone, or massage plus exercise for back pain. 27 Craniosacral therapy has also been seen to be helpful for chronic, uncomplicated low-back pain. 28 And a systematic review of nonpharmacologic therapies for low-back pain recommends massage among other interventions. 29 Similarly, manual therapy has robust evidence for clients with neck pain in a variety of settings, so it is often included in clinical practice guidelines for managing neck pain. 30 Pain related to fibromyalgia. Research supports massage therapy for fibromyalgia, specifically for pain, anxiety, quality of life, and sleep. 31 The best results were seen with long-term treatments, so this suggests that people with fibromyalgia commit to several weeks of regular massage to derive the most benefit. 32 Headaches. Headaches, especially tension-type headaches and those related to neck pain and trigger points, appear to respond well to massage therapy. Researchers found that patients experienced lower levels of pain and reduced frequency. 33 All these findings support a systematic review that found massage can be as effective as pharmacological interventions for tension-type headaches. 34 Massage therapy is so consistently helpful