Massage and chiropractic: Manipulation medicine
Both massage and chiropractic manipulation are part of the "manipulation and touch" therapies classified by the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).
Doctors of Chiropractice perform about 90% of spinal manipulations (with physical therapists, physiatrists and osteopathic physicians performing most of the rest). Chiropractic is most often used to treat musculoskeletal conditions—problems with the muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissue such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Chiropractic involves the manipulation of the spine, purportedly to affect various biomedical processes for improved health.
The most direct scientific data on the mechanisms underlying chiropractic have been done on animals. Though these studies do not make conclusions on a subject like pain, for example, it is clear that spinal manipulation evokes changes in neurophysiological activity in the body and nervous system. Clinical studies using MRI have also shown that chriopractic has a direct effect on the structure of the spinal joints.
Does chiropractic help?
It depends on the condition examined thus far. More research is needed and being conducted. But results thus far from clinical studies show that spinal manipulation may be as effective as some medication for migraine and tension headaches, with some short-term positive benefits for those with neck pain and, to a lesser extent, back pain.
Clinical trials to date, as reported by NCCAM, have yet to find evidence to support spinal manipulation as an effective treatment for either asthma or hypertension.
What about massage?
NCCAM reports that there have been a variety of published reports that have shown positive results as a therapy for a variety of medical conditions (though they caution that many of the studies need better design/control quality). The three specific randomized controlled trials for back pain each found massage to be an effective treatment.
Several clinical studies of massage which examined physiological responses do indicate that massage can "alter various neurochemical, hormonal, and immune markers...including chronic pain, serotonin levels in women who have breast cancer, and corticol levels in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis." (NCCAM)
Finally, there is data of various types that shows various physical and psychological benefits for treating or complementing treatments for a variety of conditions: anxiety, pain, muscle tension/soreness, and a challenged immune system, as well as positive outlook and self-esteem as a complement to several cancer therapies.
At the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, OH, for example, licensed massage therapists are employed with specialized training in oncology massage. This " integrative therapy" is thought to help decrease symptoms associated with treatment, while improving patients' wellness and well-being by reducing anxiety and improving self-esteem, for example.