The Effects of Massage Therapy on People Living With HIV/AIDS

The following is quoted from the body.com.

The Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami has conducted numerous studies on the various benefits of massage therapy and its effects on a large spectrum of individuals. Amont the studies are three that are of specific interest to people living with HIV/AIDS.

The first study, in 1996 involved 29 HIV-positive men and showed that a majority of the individuals receiving massages had improvement in immune system function, both in the number of natural killer cells and in the activity of those cells. As a result of this evidence that massage therapy can build the immune system, two more studies ensued.

The second study was done on nine healthy female medical students in the middle of exam period. Not only did the students report reduced anxiety, but blood samples taken before and after the massage showed that five had a substantial increase in white blood cell numbers and in the activity of natural killer cells.

The third study involved 20 breast cancer patients, divided into two groups. One group watched relaxation tapes and the other received massage therapy 3 times a week for 5 weeks. The patients who received massage therapy showed an 80% improvement. These studies reaffirm that massage can facilitate the improvement of immune system function.

Researchers and scientists cannot entirely agree on how massage therapy improves immune system function, but there are many theories. Michael Ruff, and immunologist and professor at Georgetown University Medical School, believes that massage works by reducing stress and thereby alleviating the wear and tear inflicted by stress hormones, in particular, cortisol. One previous study showed that 80% of illness is stress-induced, so it stands to reason that if massage therapy can reduce stress, it can also improve the body's defense system against illness.

Massage works to boost immune system function by reducing anxiety and stress, increasing white blood cell counts, decreasing levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), and activating disease-fighting cells. Massage can also decrease pain by relieving muscle spasms, cramps, general body tension, edema (swelling) and inflammation. It works by increasing the blood flow, which assists in the removal of toxins and increases oxygen and nutrients to affected areas.