Will massage benefit the endocrine system?

Answer 1

Most definitely, yes. The endocrine system has the master gland of the body called the hypothalamus and it controls homeostasis. Homeostasis is the balance of the internal environment, or body chemistry, including all the metabolic activities inside your body. The proper and safe application of touch through a trained professional or a caring family member can do a lot to improve the balance of the chemicals called hormones in the endocrine system. There is evidence that massage increases dopamine and seratonin, two hormones that improve mood and reduce the effects of stress. It also lowers epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) which are part of our "fight or flight" response and sympathetic nervous system. These are responsible for our initial reactions to short term stress. And, massage lowers the level of another hormone called cortisol which is responsible for your body's long term stress response. The initial feeling of well-being from a massage, or any comforting contact, like a hug from a friend or family member is produced by the release of another hormone which is released by the posterior ptuitary (sometimes named the hugging hormone) and it is called oxytocin. It is also released by the mother's pituitary gland when her baby is suckling. The main stress response mechanism of the body is called the HPA axis and consists of the following endocrine glands: hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenals. The communicate with each other through negative feedback and neural control. When your body needs to respond to a stressor, as long as this HPA axis healthy, the response will be appropriate in realtion to the stressor. If you have an unhealthy HPA axis, then your body's stress response is delayed and also out of proportion to the stressor. For example; if you have a near miss with your car, you want your stress response in high gear so you can take immediate action to avoid a collision. That is a normal response to a high level of stress. But, if someone borrowed your favorite pen for a second without asking, and you blew up and yelled at them, that would be an exaggerated response to a small stressor. You could then get a massage, or massages, to help normalize your HPA axis. (As, they say "Don't sweat the small stuff!") With the positive effects of massage on the endocrine system, all the other body systems would benefit as weel, directly or indirectly. There are some that would even say that the most powerful and positive effect of massage is on the endocrine system. There are numerous cases around the world where infants in orphanages, though they were physically cared for, were no touched very much as being cuddled, held, and rocked. Their mortality rates were very high, and only after they introduced caring touch did the mortality rate drop as more infants thrived from the attention, which was most likely from a healthier endocrine system.