Flushing Toxins – A Massage Myth
The world of massage therapy is overwhelmed by many myths and anecdotal evidence suggesting benefits of massage which are just not true. From flushing toxins to moving cranial bones, massage therapy, is still in its scientific infancy. Research is tough to find and even tougher to perform. Spend a few minutes on social media however, and you will find post after post claiming massage flushes toxins from the body – either by pulling them out through sweat pores in the skin or pushing blood and venous fluid faster through the circulatory system, or even by squeezing the liver or kidneys. Jeesh!
Let’s be clear, when talking about massage therapy, the word toxin is any substance in the body which someone believes should not be there – natural, environmental, chemical, or other. Some say lactic acid is a toxin while others lean toward heavy metals, and yet others think of poisons. What about infections and viruses? Yup! Some place those in the toxin bucket also.
Our Waste Management
Our body has a great waste management system built right in. If cared for, it does a wonderful job filtering and excreting waste material as needed. Dead cells, broken proteins, acids, gases, vitamins, minerals, and anything else excess in our body gets excreted through urine and feces. The caffeine we had in our morning cup of coffee, the overabundance of chemicals we digested from our multivitamin, the left over protein from that shake you made, all are excess toxins which our body expels as needed – without the help of massage therapy. Surprise!
Shallow or Deep?
Physical manipulation of soft tissues can do some surprising things, relax a muscle, improve circulation at the surface of the skin, break apart some scar and fibrotic tissues, and even make our fascia a bit less stiff. What physical manipulation of tissues does not do, is flush toxins from the tissue. Some studies indicate deep pressure massage therapy, you know, the tear-generating, elbow-piercing, assault-style pain, may actually cause toxins to be created and released into our body.
After a specifically deep pressure massage you may feel sore and discomforted. This is known as post-massage soreness and malaise (PMSM). It is theorized to be caused by mild rhabdomyolysis (“rhabdo”). Rhabdo is a form of poisoning where the kidneys are poisoned by myoglobin from muscle crush injuries like those seen in trauma. Myoglobin is a necessary protein within our bodies, but too much of it can cause severe kidney issues.
Does Water Help?
So if the physical manipulation of tissues doesn’t flush toxins, maybe that glass of water the therapist offered after the session will do the trick? Sorry, nope! While staying hydrated is a good thing, drinking an extra 6-12 ounces of water after your massage session is just that – a replacement for the fluid you may have lost in the last few hours through digestion or sweat while on the table, or going to the bathroom after the session.
Can MLD Do It?
OK, so what about Manual Lymph Drainage massage – surely that must help flush toxins, right? Not really. MLD is designed and intended to move lymphatic fluid at the superficial layers of the body – between the skin and the muscles below. Fluid which normally moves through the lymphatic vessels with the help of your muscles moving, can be moved with manual strokes, too. The gentle pumping action of MLD does a great job of reducing fluid build-up when natural pathways are compromised because of surgery or trauma, but MLD does not flush toxins. Lymph fluid must still be processed through the blood circulatory system, liver, kidneys, and other organs to be excreted from the body as urine or feces.
Massage – For the Other Benefits.
Don’t be discouraged. Massage therapy has many other benefits, tangible and intangible, which still make it a great, natural healthcare tool suitable for the right reasons. It just so happens using massage therapy to flush those pesky toxins from our body is not one of the reasons to schedule a session. Instead, consider flushing your toxins by 1) eating less nutrient-void (junk) foods; 2) eating more natural, healthy foods; 3) reduce your intake of chemicals like alcohol, smoking, vaping, excess vitamins, caffeine, etc.; and 4) get some exercise!
Exercise (almost any movement except sitting still) is the best way to keep your body systems working well. When you are done and notice a few aches or pains, or just want to relax for a bit, schedule that massage therapy session as a reward! We will take good care of you.
