Massage Therapy Can Provide Much Benefit To The Immune System

Massage therapy is well-known for its ability to relieve emotional stress and release muscle tension, but did you know that it can also help to prevent you from becoming ill?

A new study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine has revealed for the first time that massages also provide a measurable, therapeutic benefit to the immune system.

In an article released on naturalnews.com entitled “A simple massage could keep you from getting sick”, author Jonathan Benson interviewed Dr. Mark Rapaport of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and he stated, “This research indicates that massage doesn't only feel good, it also may be good for you," adding, “People often seek out massage as part of a healthy lifestyle but there hasn't been much physiological proof of the body's heightened immune response following massage until now."

Massage Therapy Linked to Reduced Aggression, Research Reveals

Dr. Rapaport’s research displayed benefits of Swedish massage specifically linked to a decrease in arginine vasopressin, a hormone linked with aggressive behaviour.

"European-style massage is often used to treat back pain, sleep disorders, and other stress-related disorders," explained Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox and Makoto Suzuki in their book The Okinawa Program: How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health.