Effect of Court-Type Thai Traditional Massage Versus Senokot Treatment on Chronic Constipation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Chronic constipation is the disturbances of intestinal motility which is a challenge in primary healthcare around the world. In this study, Court-type Thai traditional massage and Senokot, treatments were assessed and compared in terms of their efficacy in relieving constipation. Forty subjects diagnosed with constipation were recruited and randomized into the massage group and drug group. For 7 days, Thai traditional abdominal massage was provided regularly for the patients in the massage group, while the drug group was subjected to Senokot treatment only. The Bristol stool chart scale and demographics questionnaire were used as instruments. As a result, both court type Thai traditional massage and Senokot are effective in relieving constipation. However, although both treatment options can increase the frequency of defecations and the sensation of complete evacuation, the court type Thai traditional massage seems to be better since it leads to normal defecations rather than watery or entirely liquid defecations with no solid pieces ( p < 0.05). This randomized controlled trial suggested that Thai traditional abdominal massage can be used as an optional public health treatment for constipation.

Analysis of the efficacy of abdominal massage on functional constipation: A meta-analysis

“…It was demonstrated that abdominal massage can effectively stimulate intestinal peristalsis and improve intestinal dynamics, thus increasing the frequency of defecation and alleviating difficulty in defecation. Boonruab et al [ 33 ] showed that there was no significant difference in terms of defecation frequency between massage therapy and Senokot therapy in statistical analysis, but the stool properties of massage therapy were better than those of Senokot therapy, and massage therapy led to more continuous defecation management, with an ideal defecation frequency reaching 75%, while the ideal defecation frequency of Senokot group was only 25%. Consideration may be given to the influence of the medication factor in Senokot therapy.…”

A Comparison of Effectiveness of Thai Traditional Massage and Tamsulosin in Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…the abdominal massage improved the chronic constipation by increasing frequency of defecations and sensation of complete evacuation suggested that abdominal massage leading to abdominal cavity pressure change by the relaxation of muscles and ligaments which affect and control abdominal pressure and also affect colon movement, which is the main factor in the defecation process. 25 The lower urinary tract relaxation and increase bladder power after massage session may the major role of LUTS improvement. The adverse event of the massage was not found in the medical records of participants in a Thai traditional massage group.…”