Shiatsu + Thalidomide
Thalidomide brand name: Thalomid.
We found no known interaction between Shiatsu and Thalidomide in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.
Shiatsu and Thalidomide
We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.
No Known Interaction Found
We did not find a documented interaction between Thalidomide and Shiatsu in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Shiatsu alongside specific medications may be limited.
Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Shiatsu at all — not against Thalidomide, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.
Shiatsu is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.
Shiatsu safety at a glance
Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.
Shiatsu in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
When used appropriately. Shiatsu massage has been safely received by those who are pregnant without reports of serious adverse effects.
DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Thalidomide
This page covers Shiatsu only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Thalidomide page lists 70 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate), American Ginseng (moderate) and Andrographis (moderate).
By severity: 1 major · 59 moderate · 10 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Thalidomide page
“Thalidomide (Thalomid) works in part by quieting the immune system, which is exactly why most of the supplements on this page concern me. The large majority are herbs and extracts marketed as immune boosters, astragalus being one familiar example, and their theoretical effect is to push back against what thalidomide is trying to accomp…”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Where Shiatsu and Thalidomide Sit Against Everything Else
Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.
#1,251 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#1,216 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.
Where does our data come from?
- Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
- Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Shiatsu reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Shiatsu and Thalidomide records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
- What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
About Shiatsu
What is Shiatsu?
- Stress and relaxation
- Muscle tension and stiffness
- Low back and neck pain
- Headaches
- General well-being
- Sleep problems
Shiatsu is a Japanese form of massage and bodywork, not a herb or dietary supplement, so it is not something you swallow. Many people find it relaxing and helpful for stress and muscle tension, but high-quality research on its health benefits is limited. It is generally low-risk for most people when done by a trained practitioner, but talk with your doctor first if you have a medical condition.
Not applicable — Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy, not a plant or supplement · In-person bodywork sessions performed by a trained practitioner
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Shiatsu is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Shiatsu record says about it on its own.
Shiatsu: dosing
Because Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy and not something you swallow, there is no dose in milligrams or pills. Sessions usually last around 30 to 60 minutes, and how often people go varies widely based on their goals and comfort.There is no standard "prescription" for how many sessions are needed. If you want to try Shiatsu, choose a qualified practitioner, start slowly, and discuss your health history with them.
From our Shiatsu monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Thalidomide
What Is Thalidomide Used For?
Brand name: Thalomid
Thalomid (thalidomide capsules) is approved for two uses. First, it is used in combination with dexamethasone to treat newly diagnosed multiple myeloma — a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow.
Second, Thalomid is used on its own to treat the skin symptoms of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), a painful inflammatory reaction that can occur in people with leprosy. It can also be used as ongoing maintenance therapy to prevent ENL from coming back. Note: Thalomid is not approved as the sole treatment for ENL when moderate to severe nerve inflammation (neuritis) is also present.
Other Drugs & Shiatsu
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Shiatsu — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Shiatsu against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Warfarin ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Sertraline ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Aspirin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Propranolol ›
- Metformin ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Naproxen ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Letrozole ›
- Citalopram ›
- Buspirone ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Shiatsu list.
Shiatsu References
The 16 references that drive our Shiatsu monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.
- Iwanami H, Odaka M, Hirata K. [Bilateral cerebellar infarction caused by intracranial dissection of the vertebral artery after long periods of "Shiatsu"] . Brain Nerve 2007;59:169-71.
- Saito, H. Preventing and resolving post-laparotomy intestinal obstruction: an effective shiatsu method. Am J Chin Med 2000;28(1):141-145. PubMed
- Ingram, J., Domagala, C., and Yates, S. The effects of shiatsu on post-term pregnancy. Complement Ther Med 2005;13(1):11-15. PubMed
- Brady, L. H., Henry, K., Luth, J. F. 2nd, and Casper-Bruett, K. K. The effects of shiatsu on lower back pain. J Holist Nurs 2001;19(1):57-70. PubMed
- Cheesman, S., Christian, R., and Cresswell, J. Exploring the value of shiatsu in palliative care day services. Int J Palliat Nurs 2001;7(5):234-239. PubMed
- Brown CA, Bostick G, Bellmore L, Kumanayaka D. Hand self-Shiatsu for sleep problems in persons with chronic pain: a pilot study. J Integr Med 2014;12(2):94-101. PubMed
- Herskovitz S, Strauch B, Gordon MJ. Shiatsu massage-induced injury of the median recurrent motor branch. Muscle Nerve 1992;15(10):1215.
- Lichtenberg P, Vass A, Ptaya H, Edelman S, Heresco-Levy U. Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for schizophrenia: an open-label pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med 2009;15(5):44-6.
- Mumm AH, Morens DM, Elm JL, Diwan AR. Zoster after shiatsu massage. Lancet 1993;341(8842):447. PubMed
- Teimoori B, Rajabi S, Navvabi-Rigi SD, Arbabisarjou A. Evaluation effect of shiatsu technique on labor induction in post-term pregnancy. Glob J Health Sci 2014;7(3):177-83. PubMed
- Wada Y, Yanagihara C, Nishimura Y. Internal jugular vein thrombosis associated with shiatsu massage of the neck. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005;76(1):142-3. PubMed
- Yeh CC, Ko SC, Huh BK, et al. Shoulder tip pain after laparoscopic surgery analgesia by collateral meridian acupressure (shiatsu) therapy: a report of 2 cases. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008;31(6):484-8. PubMed
- Tsuboi K, Tsuboi K. Retinal and cerebral artery embolism after "shiatsu" on the neck. Stroke 2001;32(10):2441. DOI
- Lanza G, Centonze SS, Destro G, et al. Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for depression in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A pilot study. Complement Ther Med. 2018;38:74-78. PubMed
- Kobayashi D, Shimbo T, Hayashi H, Takahashi O. Shiatsu for chronic lower back pain: Randomized controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2019;45:33-37. PubMed
- Harorani M, Garshasbi M, Sediqi M, et al. The effect of Shiatsu massage on agitation in mechanically ventilated patients: A randomized controlled trial. Heart Lung 2021;50(6):893-897. PubMed
Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.
Having Shiatsu While Taking Thalidomide: Common Questions
Is it safe to have Shiatsu while taking Thalidomide?
Do Shiatsu and Thalidomide have any of the same side effects?
Does Thalidomide interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.