The efficacy of traditional Thai massage for the treatment of chronic pain: A systematic review.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 Feb;21(1):26-32. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.01.006. Epub 2015 Jan 31.

The efficacy of traditional Thai massage for the treatment of chronic pain: A systematic review.

Author information

  • 1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kean University, Thailand.
  • 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
  • 3Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
  • 4Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kean University, Thailand. Electronic address: aparad@kku.ac.th.

Abstract

RATIONAL AND BACKGROUND:

Traditional Thai massage (TTM) is an alternative medicine treatment used for pain relief. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the research about the effects of TTM on pain intensity and other important outcomes in individuals with chronic pain.

METHODS:

We performed a systematic review of the controlled trials of the effects of TTM, using the keywords “Traditional Thai massage” or “Thai massage” with the keyword “Chronic pain.”

RESULTS:

Six research articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies found a pre- to post-treatment pain reductions, varying from 25% to 80% and was also associated with improvements in disability, perceived muscle tension, flexibility and anxiety.

SUMMARY:

The TTM benefits of pain reduction appear to maintain for up to 15 weeks. Additional research is needed to identify the moderators, mediators and to determine the long-term benefits of TTM relative to control conditions.

Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:

Chronic pain; Thai massage; Traditional Thai massage

PMID:
25682523
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