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Marie Hanna, MD

Arch Surg. 2007;142(12):1167.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Massage has been used as a medical therapy since the time of Hippocrates, around 400 BC, until the focus of medical care shifted to biological science. Therapeutic benefits of massage therapy include vasodilatation, increased skin temperature, and relaxation of mind and body. Massage is also thought to reduce lactic acid levels in the muscles, stimulate healing of the connective tissues, and increase lymphatic and venous circulation.¹

Increased awareness for better pain control has led treating physicians to use nontraditional modalities such as massage therapy, music, and relaxation techniques. In recent attempts to reinforce adequate pain control, the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recommended making pain the fifth vital sign.²

The conscious experience of pain has 2 components: a sensory neurohumoral component arising locally from the surgical incision and an affective component strictly related to the patient's perception of pain, which is often described as . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Acute Postoperative Pain Management Using Massage as an Adjuvant Therapy: A Randomized Trial
Allison R. Mitchinson, Hyungjin Myra Kim, Jack M. Rosenberg, Michael Geisser, Marvin Kirsh, Dolores Cikrit, and Daniel B. Hinshaw
Arch Surg. 2007;142(12):1158-1167.
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