|
R
E S E A R C H
Massage Improves
Immune Function in HIV-Positive Adolescents
HIV-positive adolescents
who received twice-weekly massage experienced decreased depression
and an improvement in immune system function, according to a recent
study.
The study, "HIV adolescents show
improved immune function following massage therapy," was completed
in March 2000 by the Touch Research Institute in conjunction with
the University of Miami School of Medicine and was originally reported
in the International Journal of Neuroscience.
Twenty-four HIV-positive adolescents
aged 13 to 19 were recruited from a health-care service center and
randomly assigned to either a massage group or a relaxation group.
All participants were undergoing similar anti-HIV drug regimens.
For both groups, the first day of either massage or relaxation therapy
was within one week of a scheduled blood draw, and the last day
of therapy was within one week of the next scheduled blood draw.
Participants in the massage group received
a 20-minute seated massage twice a week for 12 weeks. The massage
therapist gave a standard seated massage, working on the back, arms,
hands and neck of each participant. The back massage consisted of
long, moderate-pressure strokes to the back parallel to the spine;
gentle rocking; squeezing of shoulders and arms; finger pressure
applied along the spine; and circular strokes to the hips. Massage
to the arms included kneading and pressing from shoulder to lower
arm. Work on the hands included massage of the entire hand, pulling
of fingers, pressure to the palm for 15-20 seconds, and gentle pulling
of the arms. The neck massage consisted of kneading, finger pressure
along the skull and neck, scalp massage, and pressing and squeezing
from the trapezius down to the arms.
The relaxation group participants were
led through 20 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation twice weekly
for the 12 weeks. A research assistant or a massage therapist would
instruct the participants to tense and relax the same muscles that
were massaged in the massage group: the back, arms, hands and neck.
Pre- and post-treatment research assessments
included: a demographic questionnaire; the Center for Epidemiological
Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) questionnaire to rate depression;
a blood draw to measure T-lymphocytes (HIV disease progression markers)
and natural killer cells (cells that provide protection against
opportunistic disease); and a state anxiety inventory to assess
feelings.
Results showed that natural killer
cell numbers increased only for the massage therapy group. The massage
therapy group also reported feeling less depressed than those in
the relaxation group, and experienced an improvement in immune function
at the end of the 12 weeks, as compared to the relaxation group.
Researchers suggested that a future
study could look at the effects of massage therapy on HIV-positive
adolescents who are not depressed.
- Source: Touch Research
Institute. Originally reported in International Journal of Neuroscience,
2000, Vol. 106, pp. 35-45.
More
Research
Return to the Top
|
