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June 23, 2008

Drug Delivery And Massage

One of my classes this semester is an introduction to Pharmacology. We are required to read several chapters and answer questions that the instructors think is pertinent to our learning. One of the questions we had was:

Describe the potential impact of either exercise or physical agents on pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics deals with drug adminstration, absorption, distribution, tissue binding, metabolism and excretion.

In my research to answer this question, I found articles that address both of these impacts. The links are below:
exercise and pharmacokinetics
physical agents and pharmacokinetics

What I found among my reading was the effect that massage therapy may have on pharmacokinetics as well. Mostly what they have to say refers to insulin injections.
Massage can increase drug absorption from local subcutaneous injections sites. Massage has been shown to increase the disappearance of insulin from the injection site and thus increase plasma insulin concentration.

If massage increases insulin absorption, the impact this has on the client is a risk for hypoglycemia. If this is true for insulin, consider what this may do in the case of steroid injections for conditions such as bursitis or plantar fasciitis.

As far as systemic drugs are concerned, the authors say the following:
Massage could conceivably increase drug delivery to the massage tissues by increasing local blood flow or by some type of mechanical "milking" effect.

If the systemic drug is taken for the same reason a client comes in for massage, then the dosage of medicine needed for the condition may need to be lowered. It is important for massage therapists to know why a client is taking a given drug and know what impact massage could have on drug delivery. For the same reason, it is important for your clients to let their doctors know they get massage therapy so the doctor can adjust their medications accordingly.

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at June 23, 2008 8:12 AM