Field T, Henteleff T, Hernandez-Reif M, Martinez E, Mavunda K, Kuhn C, Schanberg S
Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA.
J Pediatr. 1998 May;132(5):854-8. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(98)70317-8.
Thirty-two children with asthma (16 4- to 8-year-olds and 16 9- to 14-year-olds) were randomly assigned to receive either massage therapy or relaxation therapy. The children's parents were taught to provide one therapy or the other for 20 minutes before bedtime each night for 30 days. The younger children who received massage therapy showed an immediate decrease in behavioral anxiety and cortisol levels after massage. Also, their attitude toward asthma and their peak air flow and other pulmonary functions improved over the course of the study. The older children who received massage therapy reported lower anxiety after the massage. Their attitude toward asthma also improved over the study, but only one measure of pulmonary function (forced expiratory flow 25% to 75%) improved. The reason for the smaller therapeutic benefit in the older children is unknown; however, it appears that daily massage improves airway caliber and control of asthma.
32名哮喘儿童（16名4至8岁儿童和16名9至14岁儿童）被随机分配接受按摩疗法或放松疗法。孩子们的父母被教导在每晚睡前为孩子提供其中一种疗法，每次20分钟，持续30天。接受按摩疗法的年幼儿童在按摩后行为焦虑和皮质醇水平立即下降。此外，在研究过程中，他们对哮喘的态度、峰值气流和其他肺功能都有所改善。接受按摩疗法的年长儿童在按摩后报告焦虑程度较低。他们对哮喘的态度在研究过程中也有所改善，但只有一项肺功能指标（25%至75%用力呼气流量）得到改善。年长儿童治疗效果较小的原因尚不清楚；然而，每天按摩似乎可以改善气道口径并控制哮喘。
