I know what your thinking, what do massage and my thyroid have to do with each other. Well, more than you might think, especially with issues dealing a hypothyroid. But, before I get into the benefits of massage for your thyroid, a little background on hypothyroidism is in order.
Hypothyroidism is any condition in which tests showing inadequate levels of hormones T3 and T4. The number one cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; this autoimmune issue destroys the thyroid glad but its causes can be somewhat elusive. The next leading cause of hypothyroidism is well known and not elusive at all. It’s caused from partial surgical removal of the thyroid because of cancerous tissue overgrowth. Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include weakness, weight variance, hair thinning, depression, sensitivity to cold, brain fog and/or various other signs.
Research has shown that various massage techniques can actually assist in thyroid health. The Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA and the McMaster University in Canada data showed that whole body massage creates a result similar to anti-inflammatory’s at the cellular level. In addition, tests done in Russia and China also indicated that acupressure and reflexology benefited the thyroid in many profound ways.
Increasing blood flow through massage has a great effect on the thyroid via the lymphatic system which flows to all endocrine organs. Another benefit of massage on thyroid is reduced stress levels which in turn reduces cortisol which also has another extra benefit of helping to manage weight.
It is believed that massage along with routine exercise and planned diet are the best tools we can use on our own to maintain thyroid health besides medication and medical treatment.
Information gathered from American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and endocrineweb.com