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The word massage is derived from the Greek word ‘massier’ which means to knead. Massage has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for many ailments. To date, most of the clinical trials of massage have focused on psychological outcomes of treatment. Good evidence from randomized trials indicates that massage reduces anxiety scores in the short term.
Practitioners claim that giving patients a concrete experience of relaxation through massage can facilitate their use of self help relaxation techniques. There are some small studies indicating immune stimulation by increasing white blood cell quantity and natural killer-cell activity. Abdominal massage should not be performed after a heavy meal, but at least two hours later. Many people find a massage beneficial enough to have one on a regular basis, scheduling them as frequently as needed or as often as finances will allow.
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