Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/434495
Blood Pressure Levels Normal Systolic: less than 120 mmHg Diastolic: less than 80 mmHg At risk (prehypertension) Systolic: 120–139 mmHg Diastolic: 80–89 mmHg High Systolic: 140 mmHg or higher Diastolic: 90 mmHg or higher SOMATIC RESE ARCH A similar review article, "Chinese Massage (Tui Na) for the Treatment of Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," 3 demonstrated the benefit of tui na compared to antihypertensive medications for hypertension. In this review, a meta-analysis of seven articles showed that tui na and antihypertensive medications were significantly more effective at lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension than medication alone. Again, adding a form of massage therapy as an adjunctive treatment was significantly beneficial for reducing blood pressure. Even though this review included fewer primary articles, the results were the same. Still, there were many undetermined factors in these review articles that may affect blood pressure outcomes. For example, the articles reviewed did not indicate a consistent amount of massage that was most beneficial for the client. The timing of the massage ranged from 10 minutes to one hour over a course of four weeks to one year. We cannot determine if more treatment leads to better outcomes, or if there is a threshold of timing past which there is no further treatment benefit. Also, there were no consistent descriptions of the clients that benefitted from massage. Improvement of blood pressure outcomes may be based on patient characteristics such as age, comorbidities, gender, stress levels, or other factors. More research is needed to help determine which patients are most likely to benefit from massage. CONCLUSION So, what do the results in these studies mean for you? 1. Massage therapy in conjunction with antihypertensive medication is more beneficial for reduction in blood pressure than medication alone. Therefore, encourage your client to continue taking antihypertensive medication in accordance with her physician's instructions and to rebook her next appointment for a massage. 2. Data does not exist about the amount of massage needed to show a reduction in blood pressure. Therefore, work with your client and her primary care provider to determine the right amount of massage for her. 3. Severe adverse events due to massage therapy were not shown in any of the clinical trials reviewed, and massage is expected to be safe for people with hypertension. However, be sure to screen all clients for other potential contraindications to massage. Notes 1. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "High Blood Pressure," accessed November 2014, www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure. 2. X. J. Xiong, S. J. Li, and Y. Q. Zhang, "Massage Therapy for Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review," Journal of Human Hypertension (July 3, 2014). 3. X. Yang, H. Zhao, and J. Wang, "Chinese Massage (Tuina) for the Treatment of Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Complementary Therapies in Medicine 22, no. 3 (June 2014): 541–8. Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD, is an educator at the National University of Health Sciences and president of the Massage Therapy Foundation. Contact her at jcambron@nuhs.edu. F r e e m u s i c d o w n l o a d s f o r C e r t i f i e d m e m b e r s : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 47