A special edition of AMTA's popular e-zine sent to you by your local AMTA member designed to present you with information on the benefits of massage.
A Message From Your Massage Therapist
It’s frightening to be fine one moment, and to be wheezing and gasping for air the next. This is something that people with asthma deal with on an almost daily basis. Certain triggers—dust mites, mold and cigarette smoke—in their environment typically set off an asthma attack. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 17 million people suffer from asthma—5 million of whom are children. And here’s another alarming statistic: Asthma affects nearly one in 20 children, making it the most chronic childhood disease. There is no cure for asthma, and doctors think that environmental triggers and genetics play a role in who gets asthma and who doesn’t. This month’s feature, “Alternative Therapies For People With Asthma,” communicates some basic information about asthma, and examines how massage and other alternative therapies might play a part in relaxing those with this chronic disease.
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In This Issue
- Alternative Therapies For People With Asthma by Michelle Wolf
- Did You Know?
- Massage Therapy: Q & A
- Refer a Friend for Massage!
- Table Tips
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES FOR
PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA
By Michelle Wolf
The proverbial wheezing and gasping of asthma sufferers is likely to
increase in the future, as the
prevalence of this condition in the United States has been steadily
increasing the past two decades. Asthma is one of the most chronic diseases
affecting children under the age of 18, typically affecting more
African-Americans. About 17 million people in the
United States have asthma, and it has become, according to the Asthma and
Allergy Foundation of America, “this country’s most common and
costly illness.”1
Can massage be of use to children and adults with asthma? This article will look at what the disease is, what are the long-term effects, how alternative therapies are used for asthma sufferers and if massage is useful for this condition.
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease in which the airways become inflamed and constrict airflow. Several symptoms develop from this, such as wheezing, coughing or tightness in the chest. The illustration above compares the inflamed bronchial tube of an asthmatic (left) to a normal bronchial tube (right). The bronchial tube muscles of an asthmatic are tightened and thickened, making it difficult for air passage.
Exercise is a commonly known trigger of asthma attacks, but several other triggers and allergens can cause an attack, such as cigarette smoke, dust mites, indoor mold, cockroach waste and colds. According to Ruth Werner, “Asthma attacks are sporadic, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.”2
There is no cure for asthma; however, asthma sufferers can lead, for the most part, normal lives with the appropriate medication and treatments.
What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Asthma?
Other disorders may develop in people who have had asthma for a long time, most likely in those who developed asthma as a child and carried it into their adulthood. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two other conditions that can stem from long-time asthma.2
Other long-term problems occur from treatment or poorly treated asthma. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, “The long-term effects of daily inhaled steroid medication on growth and puberty are still being studied … Most asthma experts believe that if treatment is initiated early and at the appropriate doses, growth and puberty might not be permanently or significantly impacted."3 Stress and anxiety are also common among those with asthma.
How Are Alternative Therapies Used For Asthma Sufferers?
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is increasing among health-care professionals for asthma sufferers, as demonstrated in a study published in the Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, entitled “The use of complementary/alternative medicine for the treatment of asthma in the Unites States.” Health professionals who subscribed to the journal were asked if they used any CAM therapies in their practices. For utility and usefulness, massage was ranked 10th by doctors and 6th by other health professionals. The usage of massage was 27 percent for doctors and 48 percent for other health professionals.4 Ranked number one all around by both groups was nutrition.
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| Asthma has become the most chronic childhood disease. |
Much of the research completed in the past 10 years on the use of massage and asthma has produced positive results. In a study done by Touch Research Institutes researchers Tiffany Field, Maria Hernandez-Reif and Tanja Henteleff, children with asthma were given either massage or progressive muscle relaxation therapy to see if it had any effect on their pulmonary functions. Their results showed that the stress levels of the children decreased, and their lung function improved.
Other recent studies have looked at the use of acupuncture, reflexology and connective tissue massage to ease symptoms of those with asthma.
Is Massage Useful For Those With Asthma?
If, as a client, you do not come into contact with an asthma-attack trigger, massage can be used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. (It is a good idea to make sure to let your massage therapist know prior to the first session that you suffer from asthma.) Werner cautions: “Therapists should watch for hypertonic intercostals, scalenes, serratus posterior inferior, and diaphragm with asthmatic clients. These muscles of inspiration are chronically tight for someone who does not breathe easily, and that tightness further interferes with breathing.”2
~ Michelle Wolf is an associate editor at the American Massage Therapy Association. She can be contacted at: mwolf@amtamassage.org.
References
- “Asthma Facts,” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, http://www.aafa.org/templ/display.cfm?id=2&sub=100; accessed 14 October 2002.
- Werner, Ruth. A Massage Therapist’s Guide To Pathology. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
- “Frequently Asked Questions,” Topic of the Month: October 2002: Pediatric Allergies and Asthma, America Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, http://www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/1002/default.stm; accessed 14 October 2002.
- Spencer, John W. and Joseph J. Jacobs. Complementary/Alternative Medicine: An Evidenced-Based Approach. St. Louis: Mosby, Inc., 1999.
“Asthma is the only chronic disease, besides AIDS and tuberculosis, with an increasing death rate. Each day 14 Americans die from asthma.”
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
www.aafa.org/templ/display.cfm?id=2&sub=100
Maybe you've been telling family and friends about the benefits you experience from massage. If they live out of the immediate area, did you know they can use AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist® national locator service to locate a qualified AMTA Professional-category member anywhere in the United States. This service will direct them to professionals who are well-trained, adhere to a professionally recognized code of ethics and standards of practice, and are committed to continuing their professional education and development. Visit the locator service online today or call toll-free at 888-THE-AMTA [843-2682].
This is something everyone should do, whether it is your first massage or your 20th massage. Remember to drink at least eight glasses of water in the 24-hour period after getting a massage. Water replaces lost fluids and flushes out toxins that are released into the body during a massage.
Madeline Rudy
AMTA Professional Member
Sedona, Arizona
For a different massage tip each week, visit AMTA’s Massage Room at: www.amtamassage.org/massageroom/massage.html.
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