Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2025

Fall 2025 • 71

A study 1 examined the effect of various holistic therapies (reminiscence, music and reality orientation therapy) on people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study explored the effectiveness of these nonpharmacological treatments on depression levels, quality of life and cognitive status in individuals with AD. The study placed 10 people with AD in a holistic therapy program for six weeks and an additional 10 in a control group. All 20 individuals took the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), geriatric depression scale short form (GDS-SF), Nottingham health profile (NHP), and World Health Organization quality of life instrument, elderly module, Turkish version (WHOQOL-OLD) before and after the therapy. Initial and final assessment results were compared in the therapy group and showed a significant increase in the MMSE scores and a significant decrease in the GDS-SF scores. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the quality of life for the patients in the therapy group according to the NHP and WHOQOL-OLD. “In this study, a significant improvement was observed in the therapy group in the following aspects: cognition, depression level and quality of life―especially in sleep, social isolation, emotional reaction, energy, autonomy, intimacy, fear of death and emotional ability areas,” researchers concluded. It is important to note that the term “holistic” is wide-ranging and includes many therapies and interventions, which means that a holistic approach needs to be carefully tailored for an individual client so together you can find what works best and has the most benefit. The Power of Placebo One of the most common critiques of many holistic practices is how difficult measuring real

benefit can be. But, does that mean there is no real benefit? Many massage therapists have anecdotal evidence from clients, and so the question becomes: If clients report positive outcomes, is always understanding the mechanism of action—if there is one—of relief important? Learning more about the placebo effect— and the nocebo effect—may be helpful. Placebo effects have been widely studied across the medical profession. What’s been discovered is that placebo effects are not only psychological and involve specific brain circuits and activity, including the dopaminergic circuits, the system responsible for releasing dopamine when a person engages in rewarding activities, and the descending opioid system, which is a pathway in the brain that reduces pain signals by inhibiting pain transmission. 2 A systematic review 3 explored how choice (e.g., type and timing) can enhance the placebo effect. Fifteen independent studies comparing the placebo treatment with any form of choice over its administration were included in the review and assessed a range of conditions, such as pain, discomfort, sleep difficulty and anxiety. Researchers found choice significantly enhances the placebo effect. These outcomes suggest that much of what massage therapists already do—like making sure clients know they are in control of level of comfort around disrobing, pressure depth and body parts massaged— may enhance placebo effect benefits. So, consider where you might give clients more control of the massage session, like lighting and music options, as well as any add ons you might offer to customize the massage experience, like aromatherapy or stretching, for example.

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