Massage Therapy Research Foundation
Comments (0) Massage Therapy May Boost the Immune System in Valrico, Riverview, Bloomingdale and Brandon 33511
Various scientific researches have shown that massage therapy can indeed boost and strengthen the immune system. Since you have easy access to professional massage clinics, you now have no reason to not to improve your immune system through massage therapy if you are from Valrico, Riverview, Bloomingdale and Brandon 33511.
A strong immune system is necessary for good health. Being the most basic foundation on which the body can build its disease-fighting capabilities, a weakened immune system can be deadly. In fact, among HIV patients, the immune system has to be continuously shored up for the continued survival of the patient. It is heartening to know that as research has proven the benefits of massage therapy for the immune system, the most beneficial results were observed among patients who were HIV positive.
In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, studies have found that HIV patients who underwent massage therapy had increased levels of natural killer (NK) cells that fight viral cells and cancer cells. Measuring cellular levels of natural killer cells and other helper cells of the immune system has been made the gauge of the effectiveness of immune system boosting treatments such as massage therapy.
In 1996, Ironson et al did a study which involved the participation of 29 HIV positive adult male patients. They were divided randomly into two groups. The massage group was given a month of 45 minute massage therapy sessions Mondays through Fridays. The control group was not given any massage therapy. After the treatment period, patients in the massage group had increased levels of natural killer cells and CD8+ immune system helper cells. They were more capable of fighting off infections and diseases.
Diego et al followed up on the study of Ironson et al, this time involving the participation of 24 HIV positive adolescent patients. They were also randomly divided into two groups for the three month duration of the study. The massage group received massage sessions of 20 minutes two times a week. The relaxation group received relaxation therapy sessions of 20 minutes also two times a week. After the three months were up, only the patients in the massage group showed an increase in natural killer cells, CD4+ immune system helper cells and better CD4+-to-CD8+ ratio. The ratio should be one CD8+ cell for every one or two CD4+ cells.
How frequent the massage is given also affects the impact of massage therapy on the immune system, though. This was proven by the study done by Birk et al in 2000. In that study, they gave their participants massage sessions only once a week. By the end of the study, there was no change in the measurements of the levels of immune system cells.
Frequent and regular massage sessions showed positive results even for HIV positive children. This was shown in the study done by Shor-Posner et al in the Dominican Republic, involving the participation of 24 children between the ages of two to eight years old, all HIV positive. The children were also randomly divided into two groups for the three month study. The massage group received twice weekly massage sessions of 20 minutes. The control group received no massage but twice weekly 20 minute friendly visits from a nurse or therapist instead. Blood samples for cellular measurement were sent to a laboratory in Miami. At the end of the study, patients from the massage group showed increased levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cells. Patients in the control group, on the other hand, showed decreased levels of the same cells.
Massage therapy helps not only HIV positive patients. Take care of your immune system and your health by getting Swedish massage therapy, deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy or pregnancy massage therapy from a professional massage clinic in Valrico, Riverview, Bloomingdale and Brandon 33511.
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Massage Envy Brandon
2092 Badlands Drive Brandon, FL 33511
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Email: rachel.dunning@massageenvy.com
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