Doctors immediately think of giving drugs to patients who are in pain after major surgery. But a new study has found that massage is just as effective, and far safer.
A group of 605 patients who had undergone major surgery, and who were in great pain for more than four days afterwards, reported a significant improvement after massage.
The patients received either standard, drug care, or 20 minutes of massage, or back massage for five days after surgery. Both massage groups reported a greater lessening of pain and unpleasantness than those in the drug group.
(Source: Archives of Surgery, 2007; 142: 1158-67).