Hot answers tagged massage
9
If by "toxins" they mean myoglobin, then there is a at least some scientific basis, if not much evidence of real danger. Muscle damage releases myoglobin into the bloodstream; this is called rhabdomyolysis. Myoglobin is toxic to your kidneys at high concentrations, and dehydration makes attaining those toxic concentrations more likely. The effects are ...
6
No, there is no scientific basis for this claim. Dr Andrew Weil has this to say:
Massage certainly can help address the build up of lactic acid in muscles, and promote the clearing of normal byproducts of muscle metabolism, but I know of no evidence suggesting that massage can remove toxins of any kind from the body.
This Massage Today article written ...
4
The Cochrane collaboration has performed a number of meta-analysis on the claimed benefits of massage therapy.
http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001929.html
In the case of lower back pain massage might be beneficial for patients with subacute (lasting four to 12 weeks) and chronic (lasting longer than 12 weeks) non-specific low-back pain, especially ...
3
Most benefits are either from the massage itself, or the placebo effect. Same as with chiropracty: it tends to do some good (anyone who has ever had a good massage can attest), however some practitioners claim that it can cure everything from bad breath to cancer, and that is completely unsupported.
2
Naturopathic philosophy favors a holistic approach, so naturopathic massage is kind of holistic massage. It's rather approach than method, so shouldn't be anything else than regular massage + scents, fancy oils and music.
The body has this capacity to heal itself if given the right conditions and naturopathy, along with acupuncture, homoeopathy, herbal ...
1
Skepdic quotes Stephen Barrett, M.D as saying
Ordinary massage and the legitimate practice of massage therapy should
not be categorized as quackery. Massage can help people relax, relieve
aching muscles, and temporarily lift a person's mood. However, many
therapists make claims that go far beyond what massage can accomplish.
And even worse, ...
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