How can massage therapy help children and adolescents living with pain and discomfort
• While strong evidence is available to back up the benefits of massage therapy in adults living with painful conditions and that has led to clinical recommendations being put in place , when it comes to youth populations , there is still more work to be done . The studies that have been conducted so far lack statistical significance , but they nevertheless show a great deal of promise . For instance , a small study evaluated 44 children and adolescents aged between 9 and 19 years old suffering from severe chronic pain . Massage therapy reportedly reduced pain by 33 % and tension by 44 %.
• At the same time , we all know there is a strong link between stress and the immune system ’ s performance . When stress hormone are high they destroy healthy immune cells . Various massage techniques are specifically performed to target points throughout the body to promote relaxation and increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine . This can mean the world to many pediatric patients in need of relief and it better equips them to fight their condition .
• As far as the child ’ s response to massage goes , the majority are receptive to the technique and can quickly experience a sense of happiness and mood improvement , often feeling asleep during the session . There is regardless important to acknowledge that because of past medical experiences and being unfamiliar with this type of touch , they might not know what to expect so naturally they might be reluctant or frightened . This is not abnormal .