Sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing. Now, researchers at Boston University in Massachusetts found that during sleep, the cerebrospinal fluid flows in and out of the brain like waves, which could help clear metabolic wastes. The study published in the Nov 2019 issue of Science journal, scanned the brain of 13 participants while
Massage and touch therapy, are more effective than pharmacologic treatments for reducing aggression and agitation in adults with dementia according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Dementia, which can be caused by Alzheimer’s disease, causes brain cells to degenerate. Agitation, anxiety and aggression in dementia sufferers present a challenge in caring. Pharmacologic
Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complain, especially in office workers. Massage and exercise are commonly prescribed as a treatment. The short and long-term effect of massage and stretching & strengthening treatments as compared to pain education has not been well studied. Now, a large study from Sweden, has provided an evidence on the effectiveness
Use it or lose it. Conditions that require limb immobilization or extended be rest can lead to rapid muscle wasting. Medical interventions to prevent muscle disuse atrophy had limited success. Massage is known to prevent muscle dystrophy. In an experiment using rats, the application of massage, in the form of cyclic compressive loading to hindlimb
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a common overuse injury common with runners and cyclists. It is reported as the second most common cause of knee pain in runners and accounts for up to 12% of running injuries. The cause of ITBS could be a combination of several intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Many internet gurus seem
Overuse injuries such as tendinopathy, iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome, plantar fasciitis make up between 30% to 90% of musculoskeletal disorders in sports. Overuse injuries are commonly suggested as a result of repetitive microdamage in the affected tissue that causes pain. Manual therapy for overuse injuries usually focuses on the area of symptom; however, such approach
Modern lifestyle has made human stay inactive, sitting most of time in a sedentary lifestyle. Office workers spend 6-10 hours per day sitting. In Europe, truck drivers can drive non-stop for 4.5 hours. It is known that that such long sitting period can cause musculoskeletal discomfort and back pain. Scientists from Chemnitz University of Technology in
We need to have an understanding of the physiological mechanisms of massage. It is also important to establish how massage affects not only injured muscle but healthy skeletal muscle at all ages. Recent research indicates that massage post-exercise can limit the inflammatory effects of exercise by attenuating the pro‐inflammatory cascade. Massage has an immunomodulatory effect
Pain and opioid use are highly prevalent for management of pain. Nonpharmacological options, including complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies have been suggested as management option. However, there is still no clear guideline on which works best, and for which conditions. In addition, there are more than 2,000 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and many systematic
A study from the University of Michigan examined effects of self-administered acupressure on fatigue, pain, sleep, and reported disability. A randomized pilot trial was conducted (N = 67); participants were randomized into six weeks of relaxing acupressure, stimulating acupressure, or usual care. Relaxing acupressure was supposed to reduce insomnia while stimulating acupressure was thought to reduce fatigue.
