Massage for Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease (PD) or Parkinson's disease is a progressive degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system. Gentle massage therapy benefits PD by soothing the nervous system and calming anxiety associated with the disease.

Parkinson's occurs when the nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra start to die off. These cells are responsible for producing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is used to send messages to the area of the brain used to control movement. When this occurs this area of the brain can't act as it normally does and the result is a noticeable tremor when the person is trying to perform simple tasks like walking, writing and talking. 80 percent or more of the dopamine transmitting cells have been lost before symptoms show up.

The disease was named after Dr. James Parkinson. Parkinson was a doctor in London who published a paper in 1817 called An Essay on Shaking Palsy. In this essay, he clearly outlines this condition. Later the disease was named after him.

It is unknown why this Parkinson disease occurs. Scientists have some theories about determining factors, but they are only theories. It's theorized that genetics, exposure to toxins, and past head traumas pay a role. The symptoms of this disease can also show up because of drug use.

There are quite a few symptoms of this disease. They include:

• tremors
• slowness of motion
• muscle stiffness
• constipation
• urinary urgency
• difficulty sleeping
• depression

This is a long-term progressive disease. The symptoms persist and get worse over time. There is no cure. Medication can be given to replenish dopamine in the brain, but the capability of this medication is limited. No one can predict how any one person will react to Parkinson's. Some become severely disabled and others do not. The intensity of symptoms varies greatly from person to person.

The Benefits of Massage Therapy

Since Parkinson disease is a progressive disease of the central nervous system, it's important to understand that massage will not cure it. It will, however, help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Massage can help loosen stiff muscles and tight joints. It can also ease depression.

The Touch Institute of Miami teamed up with Duke University to do a study on the effects of massage therapy on Parkinson's. 16 adults with the condition participated in the study. Half were given muscle relaxation exercises to do twice a week for 30 minutes and the other half were given massage twice a week for 30 minutes. While both groups showed improvement, the ones that received the massage showed a greater improvement in sleep, greater ease moving around doing the day and increased dopamine levels.

Swedish massage, geriatric massage, Alexander technique, CranioSacral therapy and Esalen massage are all types of massage therapy that can be done on people with this disease.

Make sure to let you doctor know if you plan to receive massage as it can have an effect on your medication.