Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1999 Nov 6;319(7219):1254-7.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.319.7219.1254.

ABC of complementary medicine. Massage therapies

A Vickers, C Zollman
Review

ABC of complementary medicine. Massage therapies

A Vickers et al. BMJ. .

Erratum in

  • BMJ 2000 Sep 9;321(7261):623
No abstract available

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure
Figure
A typical massage treatment session
Figure
Figure
UK massage practitioners usually use an oil, such as sweet almond oil, as a lubricant. Elsewhere in Europe, soap or talcum powder are sometimes used instead
Figure
Figure
Baby massage is one way of encouraging physical interaction and stimulating the developing relationship between parent and child
Figure
Figure
Massage on a hospital ward: foot massage has been shown to reduce anxiety even in highly stressful settings
Figure
Figure
More research is needed on both the therapeutic benefits and the safety implications of using essential oils in massage. However, the doses used are low, and problems seem to be extremely rare
Figure
Figure
If necessary, massage can be adapted to the constraints of conventional healthcare settings by limiting work to the hands, head, or neck and shoulders
See this image and copyright information in PMC