Many guests at Kocoon Spa book massage treatments to ease muscle tension and chronic discomfort. Understanding what published research says about massage and pain can help you set realistic expectations and choose the right treatment.

What the 2024 systematic review found

In July 2024, researchers led by Selene Mak, PhD, published a systematic review titled "Use of Massage Therapy for Pain, 2018-2023" in JAMA Network Open (published July 15, 2024; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22259). The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development program.

The researchers searched five major medical databases for systematic reviews published between 2018 and 2023. They identified 129 systematic reviews on massage therapy for painful conditions in adults. Of those, 41 reviews used a formal method to rate the certainty of their evidence, and 17 reviews covering 13 health conditions were included in the final evidence map.

Key findings

• No conclusions reached high-certainty evidence. Across all reviewed studies, none rated their conclusions as high certainty.
• Seven conclusions reached moderate-certainty evidence that massage therapy had a beneficial association with pain relief. These covered conditions including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain.
• All remaining conclusions were rated as low or very low certainty.
• No serious adverse events were reported in the reviews that collected safety data.

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration published a companion evidence map in 2023 (VA ESP Project #05-226), which noted that while the number of moderate-certainty conclusions has grown since 2018, it remains small relative to the volume of research needed.

What this means for spa guests

Massage therapy is widely used and generally considered safe when performed by trained professionals. The 2024 review confirms that moderate evidence supports pain relief benefits for several common conditions. However, massage is best understood as a complementary approach, not a replacement for medical diagnosis or treatment.

At Kocoon Spa, our therapists tailor each session to your needs. If you have chronic pain, injuries, or a medical condition, please inform us before your appointment so we can recommend an appropriate treatment. For persistent or severe pain, consult your doctor first.

Sources

• Mak S, Allen J, Begashaw M, et al. Use of Massage Therapy for Pain, 2018-2023: A Systematic Review. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(7):e2422259. Published July 15, 2024. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22259
• Mak S, Allen J, Begashaw M, et al. Evidence Map of Massage Therapy for Painful Conditions: Update from 2018-2023. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Evidence Synthesis Program. 2023.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Massage Therapy: What You Need to Know. NIH. Updated June 2024. nccih.nih.gov

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