Massage & Parkinson’s Disease
According to a new study in the Jo
urnal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, there’s new evidence that massage therapy may improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. For those of you lucky people whose families have not been touched by this disease and who are unfamiliar with it, Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. It’s the disease that Muhammed Ali suffers from and the disease that Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with in 1991 (he has since become the leading activist for research toward finding a cure).
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease most often develops after age 50 and it’s one of the most common nervous system disorders of the elderly. Sometimes Parkinson’s disease occurs in younger adults. It affects both men and women. In some cases, Parkinson’s disease runs in families. When a young person is affected, it’s usually because of a form of the disease that runs in families.
Nerve cells use a brain chemical called ‘dopamine’ to help control muscle movement.
Parkinson’s disease occurs when the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine are slowly destroyed. Without dopamine, the nerve cells in that part of the brain cannot properly send messages. This leads to the loss of muscle function, and the damage gets worse with time. Exactly why these brain cells waste away is unknown.
Parkinson’s is rare in children. It may occur because the nerves are not as sensitive to dopamine.
Massage & Parkinson’s
In a new study, ten patients with Parkinson’s disease were assigned to receive a 30-minute session of traditional Japanese message in combination with standard medications. Various outcome measures, including walking speed, range of shoulder motion, muscle pain and fatigue were evaluated before and after treatment.
The researchers found that walking speed, shoulder stiffness and the severity of other symptoms all improved after massage therapy. The authors concluded that massage therapy in combination with conventional medications may benefit Parkinson’s disease patients. However, larger-scale well-designed studies are necessary before firm conclusions can be made.
In addition to massage therapy, several other integrative therapies have been evaluated for their potential effects on Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Parkinson’s patients have shown modest improvement in symptoms following music therapy, including in some aspects of motor coordination, speech intelligibility and vocal intensity, bradykinesia (slow movement), emotional functions, activities of daily living and quality of life.
While more studies are needed, early scientific evidence suggests that people with Parkinson’s disease might have reduced symptoms after massage. This is great news for anyone suffering from the debilitating effects of this disease and the family members who want to help.
References
- Donoyama N, Ohkoshi N. Effects of traditional Japanese massage therapy on various symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a case-series study. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Mar;18(3):294-9.
- Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
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