By Maureen Salamon, HealthDay Reporter

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TUESDAY, July 5 (HealthDay News) — Massage therapy may be better than medication or exercise for easing low back pain in the short term, a new government-funded study suggests.

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By Erin Hicks, Everyday Health Staff Writer

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TUESDAY Dec. 18, 2012 - Compressing breast cancer cells may stop out-of-control growth of the cells and prompt them to revert back to a normal growth pattern, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

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By ANDREA PETERSEN

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While massage may have developed a reputation as a decadent treat for people who love pampering, new studies are showing it has a wide variety of tangible health benefits.

Research over the past couple of years has found that massage therapy boosts immune function in women with breast cancer, improves symptoms in children with asthma, and increases grip strength in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Giving massages to the littlest patients, premature babies, helped in the crucial task of gaining weight.

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By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

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A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people - both athletes and health professionals - have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect.

Now researchers have found what happens to muscles when a masseur goes to work on them.

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