Effects Of Massage Theropy On The Central

Nervous System Essay, Research Paper

QUESTION:

“What general effects does massage have on the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. Also discuss the general relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland and various target organs.”

INTRODUCTION:

This essay explores the effects of a variety of massage approaches on the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. Swedish massage, energy balancing methods, aromatherapy, lymphatic drainage, Bindegewebsmassage, serial connective tissue massage and general deep tissue massage methods are all considered in answering the question. The aim is (where possible) to identify scientifically validated claims of massage as well as to explore the probable or perceived benefits massage may have.

In the words of Tritton, (1993) “claims about massage are sometimes outcomes of rigorous research, but more often-than-not, they are wishful thinking or hypotheses based on the anatomical structures and physiology of the body. … unfortunately, there is very little to be found in the literature on the physiological effects of massage and very few scientific studies have been undertaken in this area.” Furthermore, the small amount of empirical research that does exist, more often than not, does not define the kind of touch or massage methodology employed, and massage is often rolled in with a range of other therapeutic methods (Westland 1993).

Nevertheless, interest in massage as a valid means of therapy is on the increase and in particular in the West, where stress is one of the most commonly experienced states, massage has a clear role to play in reducing stress and helping people learn to recognise early stressful symptoms as compared with a more relaxed and less stressed state. With pharmacology, medical technology and the ever-increasing depersonalisation of patients in conventional Western medicine, massage, and related healing approaches involving touching (body work) are rapidly on the increase.

INTERACTION OF BODY SYSTEMS:

The human body is a finely tuned interaction of organs and systems. “the close inter-relationship between the somatic, autonomic and endocrine systems makes it impossible for pathologic changes to take place in any one structure without causing adaptive changes in other structures.” Edner, quoted in Chaitow (1983). As early as 1928, Heartman described changes in the connective tissue within the dermatomes of the heart. His findings demonstrated that these changes were associated with heart symptoms which subsequently cleared up upon treatment of this connective tissue (Chaitow 1983). If this research is valid, then it stands to reason that massage (soft tissue manipulation) through improving circulation, nervous stimulation etc can have a marked effect on the body. Therefore assertions that massage can induce relaxation and stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system seem quite plausible.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS):

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a system of nerves and ganglia concerned with the distribution and reception of predominantly involuntary impulses to the heart (changing its rate and force of beating), smooth muscle (vasoconstriction or dilation of arterioles) and glands (increasing or decreasing their secretion).

The Autonomic Nervous System is made up of two sub-divisions – the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. While the sympathetic nervous system serves all parts of the body, the parasympathetic Nervous System is confined to the head and trunk. The former is generally associated with the fight/flight response while the latter is characterised by its role in sedating the body and restoring it to the resting state it was in prior to sympathetic stimulation. The ANS is a modifier of activity; either increasing or decreasing it. thus the heart can beat without innervation from the sympathetic fibres of the ANS, but its rate of beating does not change as a result of excitement or fear levels.

Anatomically, the autonomic nervous system differs from the somatic nervous system in that it has two effector neurones into the central nervous system. It also uses nor-epinephrine (nor-adrenalin) in addition to acetyl choline as a neurotransmitter.

EFFECTS OF MASSAGE ON AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS):

To demonstrate the difficulty in getting an absolute answer on the actual rather than the deduced effect massage has on the ANS, quotes are provided from relatively up-to-date texts which attempt to objectively report the effects of massage. “it is obvious that massage stimulates the sensory and proprioceptive nerve fibres of the skin and underlying tissues, and that these messages pass along the afferent fibres to the spinal chord. From there it is conceivable that these stimuli may disperse through the central and autonomic nervous systems – producing various effects in any zones supplied from the same segment of the spinal chord. … Such reactions are called reflex effects” (Tappan, 1988). Massage bombards the skin and subcutaneous tissues with stimuli, and this not only produces a local effect but may exert either a stimulating or soothing effect on the body as a whole – depending on the type of massage technique used (Tritton, 1993).

Swedish massage, particularly effleurage and other slow stroki