Benefits of massage therapy for Parkinson's patients

Parkinson's Disease is characterised as a neurological disorder caused by the degeneration and death of the nerve cells of the dopamine-producing neurons. It is a degenerative, chronic and progressive disease that causes the loss of neurons in the Central Nervous System. There are many symptoms, including non-specific pain, weakness and fatigue, resting tremors, difficulty moving, muscle stiffness, loss of balance and more. Massage therapy can be used systematically to help reduce muscle tension, improve blood circulation and tissue nutrition, as well as causing physical and mental relaxation. With this in mind, the general aim of this study was to identify the benefits of massage therapy for people with Parkinson's disease, with a view to improving these symptoms.