Rubbing the Blues Away

Massage therapy has been around for a very long time. It is also something that is found in many different cultures. Writings mentioning massage therapy have been found dating back to ancient times from eastern countries like China, Japan and India; Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and various Arabic nations; and from European countries like Greece and Rome.

It is said that Hippocrates, who is generally considered to be the father of western medicine, referred to medicine as the “art of rubbing.”

Whereas chiropractors focus mainly on the realignment of the spine, massage therapy focuses on the soft tissue and muscles. Contrary to popular conception, however, massage therapy is not only used for treating injuries and stiffness.

Studies seem to indicate that massage therapy can help reduce the symptoms of depression.

Depression and Massage

There are various kinds of depression that manifest in different intensities. These range from depression that can be relatively short lived, as in the case of coming to grips with a traumatic experience, or depression can be virtually a lifelong battle as in the case of severe chronic and bipolar depression.

Massage therapy is aimed at alleviating the symptoms of depression and improving quality of life. This means that it should not be seen as a cure for depression. It can be very dangerous to stop all other treatments without the support of a qualified healthcare care professional.

Adding massage therapy as a treatment might, however, help other psychiatric treatments to be more effective.

Backing up the Claims

Various studies over the years have shown that massage therapy can help people who struggle with depression.

One of the best-known studies was carried out in 1996 on a group of depressed pregnant women. After a five-week massage treatment period, the women were re-evaluated. Most importantly it was found that positive behavioral changes as well as reduced stress hormone levels were observed. A comparable study in 2008 had similar findings.

A group of Chinese researchers found that by comparing seventeen studies, which involved a statistically significant group of 786 patients, they found that massage therapy generally tends to alleviate the symptoms of those who suffer from depression.

Research done by Andrew Vickers claims that massage therapy has at least three beneficial effects for the sufferers of depression. Massage therapy can, according to Vickers, help to reduce stress, help to reduce anxiety and induce the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a role in helping to promote trust and attachment between people. More can be read about the research of Vickers, who was a researcher affiliated with the Research Council for Complementary Medicine, here. He primarily researched the use of massage therapy for treating depression.

A University of Miami study has shown that massage therapy can significantly lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that can elevate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as generally suppress the immune system.

Conclusion

Massage therapy, while not a cure, is a valid treatment for the alleviating the symptoms of depression.