Can Massage Therapy Reduce Inflammation and Swelling?
Inflammation and swelling are part of the body’s natural healing process. When illness, injury, or musculoskeletal overuse take place, the inflammatory response stimulates the immune system while swelling dilutes harmful products.
However, when these two healing mechanisms go unaddressed for too long, they can cause further issues such as discomfort and stiffness – they may even become counterproductive and delay the healing process they initially started.
How Does Therapeutic Massage Combat Inflammation and Swelling?
There are ways to combat inflammation and swelling, and massage therapy is one of the ways to do just that. So what does a therapeutic massage do to target both?
Encourages Lymphatic Drainage
A medical massage reduces swelling through stimulation of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in immune functioning and fluid balance. The application of manual pressure gently compresses and stretches soft tissues, which in turn encourages lymphatic fluid to move through the vessels and towards the nodes for neutralization. In addition to removing cellular waste, this movement assists with the drainage of excessive fluid from swollen areas of the body.
Improves Blood Flow
Massage therapy boosts circulation, a benefit which allows the body to recover more quickly. Oxygenated blood nourishes damaged tissues and removes inflammatory byproducts, such as lactic acid, from the body.
Enhanced blood flow can also treat swelling by improving the body’s ability to reabsorb fluid and break up fluid stagnation.
Alleviates Muscle Tension
Knotted muscular tissue can compress blood vessels as well as lymphatic pathways – a side effect that traps fluid inside damaged tissues, causing swelling and inflammation to worsen. Massage therapy loosens muscular adhesions, which then alleviates the surrounding areas by easing the pressure placed on them.
Reduces Emotional Stress
Emotional stress disrupts the body’s natural hormonal balance. When it becomes a chronic condition, stress traps the body in a constant state of “fight-or-flight”, which sets off the release of chemicals that influence inflammation such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol.
Stress relief is a common reason people seek out massage therapy. Massage calms the nervous system through the stimulation of “happy hormones” such as serotonin and endorphins, as well as the suppression of stress hormones.
Is Massage Always Ideal for Inflammation and Swelling?
Massage therapy can be a powerful tool for decreasing inflammation and swelling, but there are some things to keep in mind when seeking out bodywork. In some cases, massage therapy isn’t the best course of action, and sometimes it isn’t safe at all.
What are a few scenarios that increase inflammation and swelling but shouldn’t be treated with massage therapy?
- During the first 24-72 hours following injury or trauma, the body is in the acute inflammatory phase and the initial swelling is key to the healing response. If circulation is increased too early in this protective process, swelling can worsen.
- If a fever or infection is present, manual pressure can spread waste products through lymph and blood vessels.
- Massage can be dangerous for deep vein thrombosis, a medical condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein – most often found in the legs. Swelling in the leg could potentially be a blood clot, which can be dislodged if palpated incorrectly.
- While a lymphatic drainage massage can be an effective treatment for lymphedema and lymphatic disorders, any other massage modality can worsen swelling. If fibrosis is present, skin damage may also occur.
- During an autoimmune flare-up, deeper massage strokes can worsen the inflammatory response and increase pain. People living with arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and any other autoimmune condition should avoid massage during flare-ups.
- Ask a doctor when it is safe to receive massage after a recent surgery, as any swelling and inflammation following the procedure is likely still a part of the healing process.
Now You Know!
Massage therapy is an easily obtainable means for reducing inflammation and swelling. Boost your circulation, drain the lymph, release knots, and calm the nervous system to support and speed up recovery. Schedule a massage with one of our talented massage therapists today!
Katrina Jenkins
Author, Licensed Massage Therapist
Katrina Jenkins graduated from Towson University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science and worked as a nurse’s aide briefly before pursuing her true passion. She graduated from the Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado in April 2016 with honors and completed the Touch of Healers Scholarship Program the following summer. She has been a part of the Moyer Total Wellness Team since the summer of 2017.
Resources
Buckenmaier, C., Cambron, J., Werner, R., Buckenmaier, P., Deery, C., Schwartz, J. and Whitridge, P. (2016). Massage Therapy for Pain—Call to Action. Pain Medicine, 17(7), pp.1211–1214. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnw092.
Santos-Longhurst, A. (2018). Deep Tissue Massage: Benefits, What to Expect, and Side Effects. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/deep-tissue-massage.
Vallet, M. (2023). Research Updates in Lymphatic Drainage | Massage Therapy Journal. [online] American Massage Therapy Association. Available at: https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/research-update-lymph-drainage/.
White, G.E., West, S.L., Caterini, J.E., Di Battista, A.P., Rhind, S.G. and Wells, G.D. (2020). Massage Therapy Modulates Inflammatory Mediators Following Sprint Exercise in Healthy Male Athletes. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 5(1), p.9. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk5010009.
Photo Credit
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