The efficacy of traditional Thai massage for the treatment of chronic pain: A systematic review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to systematically review the effects of Traditional Thai Massage (TTM) on pain intensity and other outcomes in individuals with chronic pain.
Results Summary
The review found that TTM led to pain reductions ranging from 25% to 80% and was associated with improvements in disability, muscle tension, flexibility, and anxiety, with benefits lasting up to 15 weeks.
Population
Individuals with chronic pain.
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Benefits observed for up to 15 weeks (exact intervention duration not specified).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | decrease | pain intensity | individuals with chronic pain | varying from 25% to 80% | found a pre- to post-treatment pain reductions | #1 |
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | increase | disability | individuals with chronic pain | - | associated with improvements | #2 |
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | increase | perceived muscle tension | individuals with chronic pain | - | associated with improvements | #3 |
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | increase | flexibility | individuals with chronic pain | - | associated with improvements | #4 |
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | increase | anxiety | individuals with chronic pain | - | associated with improvements | #5 |
Traditional Thai massage (TTM) | decrease | pain reduction | - | up to 15 weeks | benefits of pain reduction appear to maintain for | #6 |
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.