Massage has become an effective adjunct treatment for osteoarthritis. Additional benefits may include reduced stiffness, increased flexibility, and less reliance on pain meds.

More than 100 years ago, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the creator of Corn Flakes breakfast cereal, studied the benefits of massage and found that it increases circulation and aids the nervous system. This was just the beginning of the long line of benefits that massage can provide. A century later, there’s an increasing body of research to show that massage can help alleviate symptoms that result from a number of medical conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA). "There is definitely an acceptance now," says Karen Ellen Fink, LMT, RN, BSN, CLL, massage therapy coordinator at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. "More doctors are referring OA patients for massage because it simply makes them feel better. Many patients are now taking less medication and they require fewer doctor visits."

Subscribers:
View the Full Story

Non-subscribers:
Purchase Selection or begin your FREE 14-day trial subscription to arthritis-advisor.com