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Massages may help healing
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by Allison Griffith
Center for
Therapeutic Massage
While many people know healthy foods and vitamins can boost immune
functions, the important role of clinical massage to fight off
infectious diseases or help patients recover from surgery often may be
overlooked.
The immune system is strengthened by massage therapy through various
factors such as increasing the body’s natural killer cells, aiding in
the fight against bacteria and infection, and enhancing the body’s
ability to get nourishment to important areas.
Several doctors have begun to recommend massage therapy as a form of
treatment for patients suffering from various ailments due to having a
poor immune system. Gail Ironson, M.D., from The University of Miami
School of Medicine, shares her insight. “In one of my studies, HIV
positive men were given 45 minute massages five days a week for a
month. They showed an increase in serotonin and an increase in cells
that are viewed as the first line of defense in the immune system. This
is testing a very narrow aspect of the human immune system, but it does
lend scientific credibility to a therapy which is widely recognized as
therapeutic, based on experience.”
Information about massage therapy and its effect on the immune system
will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 4 at Wellness Wednesday
in the Ashley River Tower lobby. A Brown Bag Lunch and Learn also will
be held from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. Aug. 6 in the Colbert Education Center
& Library. To register for the class, e-mail
health1st@musc.edu.
Lactation
consultants available
World Breastfeeding Week will be held Aug. 1 to 7. The MUSC
Lactation Service will have a booth and a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. Aug. 4 in the Children’s Hospital lobby. The proceeds from the
bake sale will be used to support incentive programs for mothers who
are pumping breast milk for their preterm or hospitalized infants.
MUSC’s goal is to support, educate, and assist mothers in meeting their
breastfeeding goals. All nurses who are involved with the care of
mothers and babies have received breastfeeding education training.
MUSC offers lactation consultation services to those mothers who
require additional support to help manage or prevent potential
problems. In addition, a pumping room for MUSC employees is available
on the first floor of the main hospital. If you are an employee, a
breast pump kit can be obtained by calling 792-0410.
Friday, July 30,
2010
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