June 15, 2021
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit their healthcare provider. Virtually all of us will experience back pain during our lifetime and nearly 40% experience lower back pain each year.
A randomized controlled trial evaluated whether Swedish massage with ginger essential oil or traditional Thai massage without oil relieved back pain. Participants in the ginger group received a 30-minute massage (2% ginger in 10 mL of jojoba oil), twice weekly, for five weeks. To assess the short- and long-term effects of massage, the participants were assessed at 6 and 15 weeks. While both groups experienced significant improvements in pain intensity and disability, the ginger massage was more effective in both the short- and long-term.