PMS and Massage
Massages can be relaxing and rejuvenating but are they any good in the management of
premenstrual syndrome? It is hard to determine the effectiveness of massage for PMS from
past studies. This is due to the difficulty in conducting unbiased research into this form of
treatment. Therefore, it is best to experience massage for PMS before determining its
effectiveness. Anecdotal evidences suggest that massage works wonders for women with
PMS. This article identifies the possible ways that massage can provide relief for PMS
symptoms and also discusses the commonly used forms of massage for PMS.
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In This Article
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The Many Types of Massage
Benefits of Massage
PMS and Massage
The Touch Institute Study
Abdominal Massage for PMS
Aromatherapy Massage for PMS
Reflexology for PMS
Acupressure for PMS
The Many Types of Massage
Massage involves the manipulation by touch of surface and deep layers of muscles and
connective tissues to reduce fatigue, improve muscular function and promote healing. In
simple terms, massage promotes relaxation.
There are different massage techniques but in every case some degree of pressure is
involved.
The parts of the body targeted by massage techniques are usually muscles, tendons,
ligaments, joints, skins and connective tissues. However, organs of the gastrointestinal
system and vessels of the lymphatic system may also be massaged.
Although massage is usually given by hands and fingers, it can also be delivered by
forearms, elbows, knees and even feet.
Different Types of Massages
Acupressure massage
Lymphatic breast massage
Lymphatic drainage massage
Ayurveda massage
Deep tissue massage
Foot massage
Reflexology massage
Self massage
Shiatsu
Sports massage
Tantric massage
Thai massage
Traditional Chinese massage
Benefits of Massage
It is rather difficult to conduct clinical trials to investigate the benefits of massage. This is
because there is no appropriate control to compare massage treatments with.
Ideally, a placebo-controlled, double-blind study will require a treatment that appears
(and in this case, feels) similar to massage even though it is not massage. In addition,
both the massage therapist and the person receiving the massage should not know the
difference between the real massage and the fake massage (double blind).
Unfortunately, there is no fake or placebo massage and there is no effective way to
blind both the receiver and giver of the massage to the placebo massage.
Therefore, most of the evidences to support massage treatments come from subjective
rather than objective measures of their outcomes.
However, a 2004 meta-analyses published in Psychological Bulletin reviewed the body of
work done in massage therapy research to conclude that massage helped reduce pain,
anxiety, depression, blood pressure and heart rate.
A lot of theories are currently put forward to explain the efficacy of massage for
promoting physical, physiological and psychological relaxation. Some of these are
mentioned in the table below.
How Massage May Help You Relax
By stimulating the release of serotonin (neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep and
memory) and endorphins (natural pain relievers)
By increasing blood circulation in the area massaged
By activating the parasympathetic nervous system
By increasing lymph flow in the lymphatic system
By blocking response to pain or raising the threshold of pain
By preventing the formation of scar tissue
By promoting sedation
PMS and Massage
Massage is good for managing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) for all of
the reasons listed in the table above.
While it should not be the sole therapy to manage your PMS, massage can help
considerably.
Besides its therapeutic benefits, the mere feeling of touch can provide needed intimacy
for women who are going through the emotional rollercoaster of PMS. Massage for PMS
does not have to be given by a trained massage therapist; your partner can gradually
develop the right skills and help you relax when PMS hits the hardest.
By promoting blood circulation and lymph flow, massage can stimulate renewed energy
and restore hormonal balance.
Lymphatic massage is especially effective for addressing PMS-related bloating. By
massaging the swollen areas of your body upwards and towards the nearest lymph
nodes, you can prevent the accumulation of fluid in the body and relieve abdominal
bloating and edematous swelling.
The same is also true of breast tenderness. By helping with fluid emptying into the
lymph nodes, massage can also reduce breast pain.
Pain, aches and cramps are major physical symptoms of PMS. Because massage relaxes
the body, promotes blood flow and releases endorphins, it can significantly reduce all
these PMS symptoms.
Lastly, deep tissue massage can leave you both spent and relaxed enough to improve
your sleep.
Sleep has its own benefits. It helps the body repair and renew itself. In addition, it
improves memory, mental focus and cognitive performance.
Therefore, sleep can help quiet you down and reset the balance of neurotransmitters in
the brain.
All of these benefits indicate that sleep is important for women with PMS who,
unfortunately, are affected by depression, irritability and insomnia.
The Touch Institute Study
While it is difficult to measure the effect of massage on PMS (for reasons discussed
above), at least one group of researchers tried to.
In a 2000 study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology,
researchers from the Touch Research Institute in the University of Miami School of
Medicine investigated the efficacy of massage therapy for PMS symptoms.
For this study, they recruited 24 women aged 19 45 years and suffering from PMDD
(premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a more severe form of PMS).
These women were randomly assigned to either massage therapy or relaxation
techniques (breathing, stretching and yoga-like exercises etc.). The massage group
received massage therapy twice a week for 5 weeks. Each massage session took 30
minutes.
In half of that time, the massage techniques used included kneading the feet and thighs;
stroking the forehead, hands, arms, shoulders and feet; pressing down on the shoulders;
and circular stroking of the abdomen while lying face upward.
In the other half, the women lay face downward while they were massaged on the low
back, neck and shoulders. Furthermore, their ankles were stretched, calf muscles
compressed, thigh muscles kneaded and legs stroked.
The relaxation group was also given a roughly equivalent muscle relaxation therapy for
the same duration.
The results of the study showed that the massage group experienced immediate relief
from pain, anxiety and depression following each session.
In addition, they experienced long-term improvements in pain, fluid retention and overall
menstrual distress.
While this study is flawed, it is hard to come by a better designed study investigating the
use of massage for PMS. In spite of its flaws, the results of this study are still good
enough to conclude that massage has some benefits for improving PMS symptoms.
Abdominal Massage for PMS
Abdominal massage involves kneading and stroking the abdominal area. It is believed to
help with PMS symptoms such as cramping and abdominal bloating.
Abdominal massage is also a form of self message. Because you can do it yourself, it can
be done regularly and consistently. This is important because the benefits of this
massage are cumulative and it may take 3 4 months before you see results.
Abdominal massage should be started 4 days before your period and a minimum daily
session of 5 minutes is advised.
However, you should avoid this PMS massage if you suffer from acid reflux, irritable
bowel disease or if you are pregnant. Women with fibroids should massage gently.
First, you need to lie down in a semi-reclining position on your bed and set a heating pad
underneath your lower back. This means that you should set up a sloping wall of pillows
to support your back and your head and a single pillow placed beneath your knees.
Thereafter, apply 1 teaspoon of fragrant massage oil or an essential oil used in
aromatherapy to your belly. Spread the oil and massage your abdomen in a clockwise
direction with your right hand.
Repeat with your left hand and also in a clockwise direction.Repeat these movements on
your lower abdomen over the area where your uterus should be.
Move the heating pad from your lower back to rest on your belly.
Aromatherapy Massage for PMS
Aromatherapy is another useful alternative medicine therapy for PMS. It involves the use
of soothing and healing essential oils.
Commonly used aromatherapy oils include rose oil, geranium oil, clary sage oil, lavender
oil and bergamot oil. These oils can be used in PMS therapy by inhalation, bath or
massage.
Aromatherapy oils can provide relief for PMS pains and muscle aches. They can also
promote relaxation and sleep while improving mood. Lastly, these oils are useful for
getting rid of PMS-related acne and other skin conditions.
Aromatherapy oils can be directly massaged onto the skin. But to improve their
penetration into the skin tissues, a base or carrier oil may be added. Examples of base
oils are almond oil and jojoba oil.
To address various PMS symptoms, aromatherapy oils can be massaged on the temples
to relieve headache, on the breast to reduce breast pain and soreness, on the stomach
to reduce bloating and cramps, on the back to reduce backaches and on the face to
relieve acne.
Reflexology for PMS
Reflexology or zone therapy is a system of alternative medicine based on the principle
that various points in the feet, lower leg, hand, face and ear correspond to different
parts of the body.
Therefore, a reflexologist applies pressure on these points with specific fingers, thumbs
and hand movements to stimulate healing in a distant part of the body through the
activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
In treatment of PMS, reflexologists usually massage the ankle and big toe because these
points are used to calm the reproductive systems and achieve hormonal balance.
Unlike some other forms of massages, reflexology does not require the use of oil or
lotion.
But is reflexology any good? A 2009 review of past studies found little clinical evidence
to support its use for any medical condition.
However, a 1993 study published in the journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, found the
technique effective in the treatment of PMS symptoms. In that study, the researchers
recruited 35 women with PMS. These women were randomly assigned to receive either
placebo reflexology or reflexology of the ear, hand and foot.
The researchers measured PMS symptoms for 2 months before the study, 2 months
during the treatment and 2 months after the treatment.
Both the real and placebo reflexology sessions were conducted by a trained reflexologist.
Each session lasted for 30 minutes and was given once every week for 8 weeks.
The results of the study showed that the women who received real reflexology
experienced significantly greater improvements in their PMS symptoms compared to
those who received placebo reflexology.
Yet another study found that receiving reflexology before and during PMS was more
effective than ibuprofen for reducing the severity and duration of menstrual pain.
Given the lack of scientific evidence to support the link between reflexology points and
other parts of the body, the effectiveness of reflexology massage may be due to the
massage rather than reflexology claims. However, there is no denying that reflexology
massage works for some women with PMS.
Reflexology Massage and PMS Symptoms
Massage
Massage
Massage
Massage
the
the
the
the
top of the ankle to reduce bloating
instep of your feet to relieve back pain
inner ankles to relieve cramp
ear to boost your mood
Acupressure for PMS
Acupressure is similar to reflexology because its basic principle also involves the
application of pressure on certain points of the body to effect a therapeutic response in a
distant part of the body.
However, the points needed to be stimulated in acupressure are acupuncture points and
they are situated on the meridian lines through which qi (or energy) flows.
The efficacy of acupressure is also contested but it enjoys better acceptance than
reflexology. The table below identifies the key acupressure points for relieving PMS
symptoms.
Acupressure Points for PMS
CV 4 and CV 6 also called Sea of Energy and Gate Origin. They are located below the
navel and in the lower abdomen. They are stimulated to relieve cramp and abdominal
discomforts
SP 12 and SP 13 also called Rushing Door and located in the pelvic area where legs join
the trunk. They are also used to relieve cramp and abdominal discomforts
B 27 34 also called Sacral Points. They are located at the base of the spine and a little
above the tail bone. They are stimulated to relieve cramps, pain in the lower back and to
relax the uterus
B 48 also known as Womb and Vitals. Located on both sides of the buttocks and found on
the top of the hip bone outside the sacrum. They are stimulated to relieve cramp and pelvic
tension
SP 6 also known as Three Yin Crossing. Located above the ankle on the inner leg and
close to the back of the shin. It is stimulated to relieve cramp and swelling due to fluid
retention
SP 4 also known as Grandfather Grandson. It is located in the upper arch of the foot and
close to the ball of the foot. Once stimulated it provides relief from cramp, bloating and
other PMS symptoms
Shiatsu massage also uses these acupressure points to relieve PMS symptoms. However,
shiatsu massage also include other techniques besides pressure. Additional shiatsu
techniques include stretching, rolling, brushing, grasping and vibrating.
