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Granted, massage is relaxing and safe. But can it help with
migraines? A small study carried out by the Touch Research Institute
at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida suggests it can.
The Study
Participants were randomly assigned to two groups.
The twelve people in the first group received twice weekly massages for five weeks.
In this
thirty minute massage, the therapist kneaded muscles in the
back of the neck, the base of the skull, and the head.
Those in the second group (14 people) were not treated. Throughout, both groups took their
migraine prescriptions and kept logs of their pain.
Findings
Results? The massaged participants reported fewer sleep
disturbances and headaches. Almost 60% of them went the entire month
headache free, as opposed to 40% of the control group.
To learn more, check under headache at the institute's Web
site:
www.miami.edu/touch-research
Reported in the International Journal of Neuroscience (1998). |
