Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Massage Therapy

Keeping my thoughts straight and myself on task has been something I’ve struggled with since I was a child.  School was hard, good grades never came easy and I often felt “stupid” compared to other kids in my classes.  When I was a child I had no idea that I was struggling with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is a neuro-psychiatric disorder.  It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I learned about ADHD and associated the symptoms that I have had and continue to have with it.  Google along with peers told me that my symptoms could be treated with medication, but I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to ingesting things.  So, I decided to go another route, increased physical activity.  Which looking back to my childhood playing sports and physically tiring myself out seemed to help stabilize and reduce my symptoms.  A few years back when I decided to go back to school to obtain a Bachelor of Health Sciences I thought it was best, in order to do well in school, to get my ADHD diagnosed and treat the symptoms.  With my new-found knowledge and interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I have found yet another way to manage, and possibly cure my symptoms outside of Western medicines way of treating my symptoms with medication.

For those of you that do not know what ADHD is, it is a neuro-psychiatric disorder, “a blanket medical term that encompasses a broad range of medical conditions that involve both neurology and psychiatry”.  (Wolfsdorf 2018).  Western medicine defines ADHD as a “biological condition that’s caused by differences in the development of the brain anatomy and wiring.  It involves a group of key skills known as executive function”.  These functions influence the way a person is able “to focus, organize, use working memory, and other skills”.  (The Understood Team).  At some point in our lives, everyone has shown or have had symptoms of ADHD but in comparison, people with ADHD have a much harder time dealing with the above problems. 

Symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, inability to keep still for any period of time and limited attention spans.  These symptoms typically tend to cause problems for a person that affect their home lives, schooling and relationships with people.  There are three types of ADHD that a person can be diagnosed with.  These are inattentive type, hyperactive/impulsive type or combined type.  Please visit https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd if you would like to see the different symptoms for each type listed above. 

ADHD is diagnosed through medical evaluations and checklists.  Once diagnosed, Western Medicine uses behavioral therapy, medication and parenting as treatment options.  Medication treatments include stimulants such as methylphenidate and amphetamines and non-stimulants such as atomoxetine and guanfacine.  These medications come with a list of potential side effects.  Here are some side effects of stimulants; disruption in sleep, loss of appetite, weight loss, moodiness and irritability, increased blood pressure among many other things.  The following are only a few of the potential side effects of non-stimulants; nausea, loss of appetite, mood swings and fatigue.  It is said some of these side effects tend to diminish after a few days of taking the medications, but some may last the entire duration of treatment.

There has been research done in regard to the effects of massage with people who have ADHD.  The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s blog reflects on a study that showed that, “adolescents who took ten massage treatment classes for two weeks rated themselves as more content than those in comparison who participated in recreation therapy.”   (“Treating ADHD With Massage Therapy” 2014).  In further support, the Silicon Valley Massage therapy group backs that massage is indicated and very beneficial for treatment of ADHD symptoms.  Their blog discusses how “two recent studies conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami reported that regular massage therapy can be an effective treatment for kids and adults with ADHD”.  (“ADHD: Why Massage Works” 2014).  Even with the above research, Western medicine still relies heavily on medication to treat the symptoms and not the root of ADHD.

From a TCM point of view, “ADHD is a condition affecting the mind, thought, and emotion. The main affected systems are the heart, liver, spleen and kidney; the pathogenesis is caused by the imbalance of yin-yang and dysfunction of the Zang-fu (viscera) organs”.  (Ni, et al. 2014).  With ADHD, or any disease there is a disharmony within the body.  By bringing the body back into harmony by use of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, Tui Na (Chinese medical massage), Tai chi chuan and TCM diet therapy, symptoms of ADHD can be decreased and improve overall quality of life.  It is important to know that with the above TCM therapies, there are specific contraindications with each of them.  These can be found here, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265647687_Traditional_Chinese_Medicine_in_the_Treatment_of_ADHD.

An article written by Erik Goldman discusses how Dr. Cowan, a pediatrician who takes a holistic approach to healing, and author of “Fire Child, Water Child: How Understanding the Five Types of ADHD Can Help You Improve Your Child’s Self Esteem and Attention” uses the Five Elements ideas to figure out how to help your child based on their specific personality and type of element that they mirror.  Goldman states that the Five Elements idea is a “theory that every human, in his or her essence, belongs to one of these five “types which colors how one asserts oneself in the world, what one finds attractive or repelling, how one copes with stresses, and how one seeks comfort.”  Dr. Cowan uses this theory to educate children and their parents, based on what type of element they are, “how to both nurture the core elemental tendencies while simultaneously balancing them, so they become assets rather than hindrances.”  (Goldman 2007).  This is done by suggestions on diet and nutrition in conjunction with “acupuncture, guided imagery and other mind-body techniques.”  Treatment with this method is unique to each person.  Just as medications affect people differently and may take several times to get things right, treating and tailoring a plan of care to a person’s element type is necessary to achieve success.

In conclusion, TCM and massage therapy have been proven to be very beneficial with those struggling with symptoms of ADHD.  I can attest to this, as I have decreased medication usage significantly since starting school at Alaska Institute of Oriental Healing, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy. It has been months since I’ve taken any medicine and I managed to write this research paper without any medication at all!!  Doing Qi Gong twice a week, meditation and the occasional massage have done my mind body good!!

References:

Wolfsdorf, Jack. “Neuropsychiatric Disorders.” Nicklaus Children's Hospital, 22 Feb. 2018, www.nicklauschildrens.org/conditions/disorders/neuropsychiatric-disorders.

The Understood Team. “Understanding ADHD.” Understood, Understood.org USA LLC, www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/understanding-adhd.

“ADHD: Why Massage Works.” Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group, 25 July 2014, https://svmassagetherapy.com/blog/2014/07/25/adhd-why-massage-works/.

Ni, Xinqiang, et al. “Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of ADHD.” Research Gate, Oct. 2014, www.researchgate.net/publication/265647687_Traditional_Chinese_Medicine_in_the_Treatment_of_ADHD.

Goldman, Erik. “The Five Faces of ADHD: A Chinese Medicine Approach.” Holistic Primary Care, 1 June 2007, www.holisticprimarycare.net/topics/topics-a-g/acupuncture-a-oriental-med/12-the-five-faces-of-adhd-a-chinese-medicine-approach.html.

“Treating ADHD With Massage Therapy.” Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, 22 Dec. 2014, www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/12/22/treating-adhd-massage-therapy.

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Massage Therapy For Asthma

ASTHMA
Western and Chinese Medicine Points of View
Benefits and Considerations of Massage Therapy For Asthma

Western medicine describes asthma as a chronic lung disease, for which there is no cure, and no way to prevent. Risk factors for someone becoming sick are: genetics, allergic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis, exposure to airborne pollutants and chemicals. An asthma attack can be triggered by respiratory infections, physical activity, pollutants, cold air, medications, strong emotions, sulfites, and GERD. (www.mayoclinic.org) Once triggered, an asthma attack causes the airways to become swollen, inflamed and excess mucous is being produced. This makes breathing labored, sometimes with a wheezing sound. These attacks can be minor or life threatening.

Western medical professionals use a specialized, detailed medical plan to treat and control asthma symptoms. The common prescription protocol is a combination of bronchodilators; both rescue and long-acting. Rescue inhalers are used when a person feels like an attack is eminent. Common rescue inhalers are Albuterol, Proventil and Ventolin.  Long-acting corticosteroids used for daily maintenance include; Advair and Symbicort. Both of these contain a combination of long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilators and an inhaled steroid. Long acting beta-agonist bronchodilators raise the risk of death from asthma and should only be used as additional treatment for people who are using an inhaled steroid. (www.webmd.com) Other common side effects of bronchodilators include jittery feeling, racing or irregular heartbeat, upset stomach, insomnia, and muscle cramps. The Mayo Clinic warns that, “overusing asthma medications can cause side effects and may make your asthma worse.” Western physicians stress the importance of staying on your medication regimen even if you feel good. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) does not have one single diagnosis for asthma. It divides the respiratory conditions into two categories: breathlessness and wheezing.  Similar to western medical points of view, airborne pollutants factor into the cause of the distressed breath. The irritants adhere to latent mucous within the lungs. When phlegm and the congested lung qi fuse, they obstruct the airway making it difficult to breathe. (Essentials of Chinese Medicine: Internal Medicine by Anshen Shi, Bridge Works Publishing Group, October 1, 2003)

TCM states that the lung Qi is affected by wind cold or wind heat. Excess wind cold-contracts and inhibits dispersion of lung qi. Wind heat-obstructs by forming damp mucous and blocks the descent of lung qi. Mucous is the fluid of the Metal element. The capacity to cough is the Metal element’s power. Coughing is the capacity to eliminate unwanted waste, physical waste or emotional waste. Irritants from the environment enter the airway and signal the cough…a forceful burst of air to expel the irritant. (www.thetaoofwellness.com) A Metal imbalance can present as a congestion in the lungs. A congestion representing cloudy thoughts or feelings.

Improper diet that disrupts the healthy functioning of the spleen generates phlegm-dampness. This also blocks the descent of lung qi. Strong negative emotions like worry and anger create dysfunction in descending and dispersing lung qi. Chronic stress on the lung qi and yin eventually damages the kidney essence. Water metabolism will be impaired. Deficient qi fails to transform fluids and phlegm is generated. (“Essentials of Chinese Medicine: Internal Medicine,” First Edition, by Anshen Shi, Bridge Works Publishing Group, October 1, 2003)

 TCM points of view believe that the respiratory system affects the entire mindbody. It is a major contributor to the blood flow. According to TCM the function of the lungs is to receive qi from the heavens. They receive pure energy and infuse it into our complete mindbody. Points along the stomach, large intestine, spleen, bladder and kidney meridian pathways, as well as the lung meridians are used in acupuncture to return the lung qi into balance so it can once again receive and infuse pure energy from the heavens. (“Fundamentals of Chinese Acupuncture,” Revised Edition, Ellis, Wiseman and Boss, Paradigm Publications, 2004)

Massage therapy has consistently shown positive results for asthma patients. It helps reduce anxiety, and minor coughing and congestion frequently associated with asthma. It has been recommended for children as a compliment to traditional medical treatments.

 Keep client in the prone position longer if possible as it helps in oxygenation. During massage concentrate on respiratory muscles. Work with client on diaphragmatic breathing. Finish with tapotement, making certain you stop to allow the client to expectorate if necessary.

Contraindications for massage therapy:

·       Determine patient’s asthma triggers. Remove if present

·       Do not exhaust with over treatment

·       Avoid compression of xyphoid and floating ribs

·       Treatment during acute attack is contraindicated

·       Postural drainage with severe conditions of the heart and lungs

·       Tapotement over bony prominences

·       Ask client if osteoporosis is present 

                                                 (Source: www.massagetherapyreference.com)