It decreased the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, according to researchers at Umeå University in Sweden.

First, the details.

• 60 people with constipation were randomly assigned to 2 groups.
  • Abdominal massage in addition to an earlier prescribed laxative
  • Control group that took only laxatives according to earlier prescriptions
• Gastrointestinal function was assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) at the start of the study, week 4 and week 8.

And, the results.

• Abdominal massage significantly decreased severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation, and abdominal pain.
• Abdominal massage was associated with a significant increase of bowel movements compared to the control group.
• There was no difference in the amount of laxative used after 8 weeks.

The bottom line?
Based on the finding that laxative use did not change, the researchers concluded, “Abdominal massage could be a complement to laxatives rather than a substitute.”

There’s limited research in this area. A PubMed search of massage and constipation yielded the following studies.
Functional bowel disorders

• Massage therapy was used by 12% of patients

Children with cancer

• A review of the literature revealed that massage therapy might be useful to treat constipation and other symptoms.

A video that illustrates abdominal massage technique is here.

2/18/09 17:23 JR