Over the years, HIV has become a treatable disease, with long prognosis and good quality of life; however, a cure has not been found yet. As in many chronic conditions, science looks to reduce symptoms, avoid disease progression (AIDS) and improve the general wellbeing of patients. Recent research showed many benefits of Massage Therapy for HIV and AIDS patients. In this blog, we will talk about what these conditions are and how massage can help you. Let´s have a closer look…

What is HIV?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks cells called CD4 which are a type of T-cells, white blood cells ( immune system), that defend us from viruses, germs, infections and illnesses. When not treated, this virus turns into AIDS and makes patients vulnerable to diseases. 

What is AIDS?

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the most advanced stage of HIV. On the other hand, HIV patients who intake treatment as prescribed are at very low risk of developing AIDS.

HIV (if not treated properly) causes AIDS by attacking CD4 cells and turning them into HIV factories; in other words, CD4 cells turn into HIV cells and multiply and spread all over your body (circulatory and lymphatic systems) weakening your immune system (less- t cells:CD4 cells) and making you vulnerable to get infections that can be dangerous for your health or mortal.

Benefits of Massage Therapy for HIV and AIDS

Recent research showed evidence to support the use of massage therapy to improve quality of life and immune function in patients living with HIV/AIDS. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the safety and effectiveness of massage therapy on quality of life, pain and immune system parameters in people living with HIV/AIDS. The trials were small, nevertheless, the results were convincing. Here some conclusions:

• Massage therapy stimulates lymphatic and blood flow (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) helps transport immune cells and detoxify the body, potentially supporting immune responses. Disclaimer: for patients who intake treatment as prescribed.
• All patients of any age and at any stage of the disease can benefit from massage therapy.
• There are positive changes in immune function, in particular CD4+ cell count and natural killer cell counts (rise), due to massage therapy.
• Pain reduction.
• Stress and anxiety reduction.
• Lowers risk of depression.
• Improves energy levels.
• Improvement in general quality of life.
• Massage therapy can be combined with other stress-management modalities and may have the same positive effect on immunological function.
• Adverse or harmful effects were not well reported.

A final word…

There are many proven benefits of MLD and massage therapy for HIV and AIDS patients, however, further and extensive studies are needed to show more benefits. If you are a HIV or AIDS patient, remember, you are not alone! we are here for you.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. We are always glad to help. If you like this blog, please share!

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20091636/

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/massage-therapy-for-health-science

https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD007502_massage-therapy-people-hivaids

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23098696/

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/what-are-hiv-and-aids

The post Massage Therapy for HIV and AIDS: What Science says appeared first on Perea Clinic.

How do science and massage match up?

You lie on the table and await the experienced hands of the therapist. Your tired and aching muscles eagerly await the therapeutic touch of the experienced fingers. As the session starts your pressing agenda takes a back seat and you feel the stress and tension lift from your body.

It can be a relaxing and intoxicating experience. But what lies behind this age-old treatment?

And what can science tell us about the tangible benefits of modern massage?

Science and massage

The challenge of scientifically reviewing massage

In science, there is a specific way of checking if research is valid. The process is known as a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. When an experiment us “double-blind”, it simply means neither the patient or the person giving the test know what medicine or treatment it is. A placebo is just a ‘dummy pill’ or a type of treatment, which won’t give any actual benefit to the patient. 

This clearly presents two major stumbling blocks when researching the effectiveness of ‘manual therapies’. Firstly, the massage therapist is a skilled practitioner and is clearly aware of what intervention they are administering. Secondly, it is difficult to devise a ‘placebo’ intervention that is both credible and will not have any beneficial side effects.

However,  although randomised trials can’t be strictly ‘double-blind’ or ‘placebo controlled’, that doesn’t mean that they can’t give us a strong indication of the effectiveness of massage.

Science and massage – What do the experts say?

The best studies are those that use large test groups and those that take a balanced look at existing papers. Among the randomised clinical studies, some of the key areas that have been looked at are chronic back pain and symptom management for patients with illnesses such as cancer and dementia.

An area which science is confident about the effectiveness of massage is in helping to relieve chronic lower back pain. Science is also confidently telling us that massage can be instrumental in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

A final word

So, there are a large number of areas in which science hasn’t yet given its full endorsement of massage. However, in a sense, science is catching up. Massage truly is an ancient practice, and funding and exploration into the science behind massage is still in its infancy.

The benefits of massage are plentiful, it may just take time for the scientific community to whole-heartedly agree.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

The post What science says about massage appeared first on Perea Clinic.