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Cavaye, Joyce
(2012).
URL: http://www.medicalsociologyonline.org/resources/Vo...
Abstract
Massage was once a traditional medical practice of many ancient cultures. Today, the practice of modern therapeutic massage is embedded within the field of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). The demand for evidence based medicine requires the integration of clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research. Thus in the last twenty years the therapeutic uses of massage have broadened and research has sought to investigate its physical, physiological and psychological effects. This paper reviews the literature in order to determine whether massage is an effective CAM modality that contributes positively to mental wellbeing. The evidence suggests that massage therapy is a relatively safe intervention with no significant adverse effects being reported.