Massage Therapy and Multiple Sclerosis

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IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM ANXIETY TO USE COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS AND IMPROVE THEIR WELL-BEING.

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM ANXIETY TO USE COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS AND IMPROVE THEIR WELL-BEING.

The RMT Education Project is an initiative to promote the benefits of massage therapy to an international audience, here I have to put together a list of research papers relevant to multiple sclerosis.

Massage Can be a Source of Safety, Comfort and Relief

For patients with Multiple Sclerosis massage therapy is an intervention that improves health related quality of life on many fronts and is generally well-tolerated.

First massage helps patients manage musculoskeletal pain, there are also documented effects of abdominal massage on constipation (McClurg et al. 2011).

More to Explore

Backus, D., Manella, C., Bender, A., Sweatman, M. (2016). Impact of Massage Therapy on Fatigue, Pain, and Spasticity in People with Multiple Sclerosis: a Pilot Study. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. (OPEN ACCESS)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27974947

Bisht, B., Darling, W.G., Grossmann, R.E., ... Wahls, T.L. (2014). A multimodal intervention for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: feasibility and effect on fatigue. J Altern Complement Med. (OPEN ACCESS)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24476345

Field, T. (2016). Massage therapy research review. Complement Ther Clin Pract. (OPEN ACCESS)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27502797 

Finch, P., Bessonnette, S. (2014). A pragmatic investigation into the effects of massage therapy on the self efficacy of multiple sclerosis clients. J Bodyw Mov Ther.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24411144

McClurg, D., Lowe-Strong, A. (2011). Does abdominal massage relieve constipation? Nurs Times.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21520798

McClurg, D., Hagen, S., Hawkins, S., Lowe-Strong, A. (2011). Abdominal massage for the alleviation of constipation symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled feasibility study. Mult Scler.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20940182

McClurg, D., Goodman, K., Hagen, S., ... Manoukian, S. (2017). Abdominal massage for neurogenic bowel dysfunction in people with multiple sclerosis (AMBER - Abdominal Massage for Bowel Dysfunction Effectiveness Research): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. (OPEN ACCESS)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28356133

Schroeder, B., Doig, J., Premkumar, K. (2014). The effects of massage therapy on multiple sclerosis patients' quality of life and leg function. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. (OPEN ACCESS)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24949078