Research in massage therapy has been ongoing for more than 120 years.

Here are some reported benefits of massage:

Medical school students at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School who were massaged before an exam showed a significant decrease in anxiety and respiratory rates, as well as a significant increase in white blood cells and natural killer cell activity, suggesting a benefit to the immune system.

Preliminary results suggested cancer patients had less pain and anxiety after receiving therapeutic massage at the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio.

Women who had experienced the recent death of a child were less depressed after receiving therapeutic massage, according to preliminary results of a study at the University of South Carolina.

Studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found massage beneficial in improving weight gain in HIV-exposed infants and facilitating recovery in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. At the University of Miami School of Medicine's Touch Research Institute, researchers have found that massage is helpful in decreasing blood pressure in people with hypertension, alleviating pain in migraine sufferers and improving alertness and performance in office workers.

An increasing number of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins (enhancing medical treatment). Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

Research has verified that:

Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged.

Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients.
Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage.

Premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't.
Autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy.

Research has verified that:

• Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged.
  
• Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients.
  
• Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage.
  
• Premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't.
  
• Autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy.

According AMTA, massage helps both physically and mentally.