The efficacy of traditional Thai massage for the treatment of chronic pain: A systematic review

Abstract Rational and background Traditional Thai massage (TTM) is an alternative medicine treatment used for pain relief. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the research about the effects of TTM on pain intensity and other important outcomes in individuals with chronic pain. Methods We performed a systematic review of the controlled trials of the effects of TTM, using the keywords "Traditional Thai massage" or "Thai massage" with the keyword "Chronic pain." Results Six research articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies found a pre- to post-treatment pain reductions, varying from 25% to 80% and was also associated with improvements in disability, perceived muscle tension, flexibility and anxiety. Summary The TTM benefits of pain reduction appear to maintain for up to 15 weeks. Additional research is needed to identify the moderators, mediators and to determine the long-term benefits of TTM relative to control conditions.