Last week our newsletter told you about a couple of supplements we have been seeing great results with supporting the immune system and combating colds and flu. This week along the same trend of staying healthy through winter I had a research into massage helping our immune system and found a few scientific studies showing just this.
If you are on our Wellness Club and visiting the clinic for massage you can now also feel pleased with the knowledge that your regular massage not only feels fantastic and keeps you relaxed and flexible but it also helps your immune system!
Massages are certainly great for shifting around the lymph and easing congestion. If you have ever had a massage and got up off the couch and felt all your sinus congestion shift you will know what I mean!
Which reminds me that our osteopaths see plenty of sinus congestion and recurrent infections symptoms and successfully treat this. Using manual drainage techniques, the gentle cranial osteopathy and also our laser over the sinus area can bring great relief.
The Immune-Boosting Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy, long revered for its ability to alleviate stress and promote relaxation, also has profound implications for immune health. By potentially lowering cortisol levels and directly influencing immune system markers, massage offers a holistic approach to wellness that intersects the domains of physical comfort and immune resilience.
Cortisol being the longterm stress hormone. At times this hormone is needed to help us in dangerous situations and alter how our body works to keep us alive. However, it is very often continuously raised with todays busy and stressful lifestyles. Even the rushing to work or dropping the kids off whilst juggling work and sitting in traffic is enough to have most people feeling the stress of this hormone.
Lowering Cortisol: The Stress Connection
While essential in moderation, chronic elevated cortisol levels can suppress immune function, making the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. Massage therapy emerges as a potent antidote to stress, with studies suggesting its efficacy is due to reducing cortisol levels, thereby helping a more balanced immune response.
Scientific Evidence
A study published in the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" found that participants receiving massage therapy experienced significant decreases in cortisol levels compared to controls. This reduction in stress hormones suggests a potential pathway through which massage could enhance immune function.
It’s worth noting here that although I am writing about immune system improvements it is via a lowering of stress hormones. So that in itself is a massive benefit of massage; the fact it lowers stress. Which would have so many knock on positive health benefits.
Direct Impact on Immune Markers
Beyond its role in modulating stress responses, massage therapy has been directly linked to improvements in immune system markers. This includes increasing the activity of natural killer cells and lymphocytes, which play pivotal roles in the body's defense against pathogens and disease.
Scientific Evidence
Research in the "Archives of Disease in Childhood" demonstrated that infants receiving regular massages showed improved immune markers, including increased levels of natural killer cells, highlighting the immune-stimulating benefits of massage from an early age.
Integrating Massage into a Holistic Wellness Regime
Incorporating massage therapy into a comprehensive wellness plan can contribute significantly to immune health. By reducing stress and directly enhancing immune function, massage offers a dual-pronged approach to disease prevention and overall well-being.
Although our Wellness Club wasn’t designed to improve immune system health through regular treatments it was actually designed to offer a continuous way to reduce stress. Which we now know also helps the immune system. And so adding another fantastic benefit of regular treatments.
Read more about our Wellness Club subscription here:
https://www.theperrymount.com/wellnessclub/
**References:**
1. "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" - Study on cortisol reduction.
2. "Archives of Disease in Childhood" - Research on immune markers in infants.
1. **Ironson, G., et al.** (1996). Massage therapy is associated with enhancement of the immune system's cytotoxic capacity. *The International Journal of Neuroscience, 84*(1-4). This study highlights the association between massage therapy and the enhancement of the immune system's cytotoxic capacity, including effects on cortisol levels. [Read the study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8707483/)
2. **Field, T., et al.** (2005). Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. *The International Journal of Neuroscience, 115*(10). This article reviews the positive effects of massage therapy on biochemistry, including decreased levels of cortisol and increased levels of serotonin and dopamine. [Read the study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162447/)
3. **Field, T.** (2014). Massage therapy research review. *Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20*(4). This review covers various studies on massage therapy, noting its effects on immune function, such as increased natural killer cell activity, and its ability to decrease cortisol levels. [Read the study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25172313/)
