Positive Health Online

Abstract

LICHTENBERG and COLLEAGUES,  Department of Psychiatry, Herzog Memorial Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel conducted a study to determine if shiatsu can provide clinical benefit to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Background

Studies have suggested a possible role for shiatsu in treating a variety of mental and physical ailments.

Methodology

An open-label pilot study. Setting: an inpatient psychiatric ward at Herzog Memorial Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel with twelve hospitalized patients with chronic schizophrenia. Intervention: Shiatsu treatment provided in a course of eight 40-minute biweekly sessions over 4 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: All subjects were evaluated at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks (end of treatment), and 12 weeks (followup). The tools used for assessment included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and the Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE). Side effects were measured using the Simpson-Angus Scale for Extrapyramidal Symptoms (SAS) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS).

Results

On all scales of psychopathology and side effects, the subjects showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement by the end of treatment. This improvement was maintained at the 12-week follow-up.

Conclusion

These findings, while encouraging, must be considered preliminary and require confirmation and cross-validation in larger-scale controlled studies.

References

Lichtenberg P, Vass A., Ptaya H, Edelman S and Heresco-Levy U. Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for schizophrenia: an open-label pilot study. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine 15(5): 44-6. Sep-Oct 2009.