[libribook.com] Traumatic Scar Tissue Management 1st Edition

Clinical Consideration
MT has been found to be an effective and safe adjuvant therapy for the
relief of acute postoperative pain in patients undergoing major operations.
Patients reported markedly less intense and less unpleasant pain and less
anxiety than patients who received standard pain medication or individual
attention but no MT. The day after surgery, some patients reported that
massage delivered about as much pain relief as a dose from a morphine
drip. It is suggested that MT works by creating a competing sensation to
block pain or by stimulating humoral mediators (e.g. endorphins), which
reduce pain and promote a sense of well-being. The study also notes the
crucial – often undervalued – role of touch in medicine: human touch and a
comforting presence can help alleviate anxiety and ease pain. It is also
important to note that there were no adverse events related to the MT
intervention (Mitchinson et al. 2007).