Saying “ouch” a lot? Schedule a massage. It feels good, of course, but it’s also an effective treatment, according to a recent study of 605 people. Those who got a daily 20-minute massage (in addition to medication) after surgery reported less pain a day earlier than those who just got drugs, or who got drugs plus 20 minutes of one-on-one conversation. Other benefits:
- 1.
It fights the blues.
A rubdown cut depression, pain, anxiety, nausea, fatigue and other symptoms in half for cancer patients, according to one study.
- 2.
It calms kids.
In a small study of children with ADHD, those who got a 20-minute massage twice a week for a month behaved better in school.
- 3.
It soothes an aching head.
Chronic tension headache sufferers had fewer episodes after neck and shoulder massages.
