Massage Therapy for bowel & bladder problems
For years now, I have wondered about the potential benefits of massage for bowel & bladder problems. I have heard a few different beliefs on this subject, but have never been sure what to believe. I had heard so many different theories (not just for constipation but for all problems of this nature). Its crazy the information you can find on the Internet now a days! I also knew that massage had a well-documented positive aspect on our stress levels and overall well-being (which would help with this problem). However, research related to bowel & bladder problems was limited. Medical Research is a tough cookie to crack, and we are not here to tell you “our way – is the way”, but it’s a start.
One of the research reports we came across, consisted of 60 people with constipation. ½ of them had received 15 minutes of abdominal and hand massage per day, five days a week, for eight weeks (this was in addition to prescribed laxatives). The rest received only prescribed laxatives – no massage.
The results of the study showed that the group that received abdominal massage used had reduced abdominal pain, increased bowel movements and improved quality of life compared with laxative use alone.
The group also reported that abdominal massage is a pleasant treatment that should be considered in constipation management. It makes sense that abdominal massage can have benefits for those suffering from constipation. However, could it be useful in the treatment of other bowel & bladder problems? That was what we were trying to find out.
Certainly, massage has proven itself to be useful in the management of pain or discomfort. It might be worthwhile including a regular massage into your health routine. Especially, as this study shows, massage is a pleasant experience. In a time when most medical treatments are considered unpleasant perhaps the fact we like massage is another of its great strengths. In conclusion, we can agree on the pleasantness of the treatment. We can also agree that massage has been shown to reduce stress and that a lot of internal bowel issues can be related from high stress levels in the body. So, overall – we think that massage does benefit bowel and bladder issues. Just a hypothesis, but a pleasant one!
