Herb & supplement monograph

Massage Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Massage interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Massage is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Massage is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Reviewed by licensed pharmacists Sourced from Natural Medicines

On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Massage

0 medications have a known interaction with Massage, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Massage. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Massage combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Massage: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Massage is a hands-on therapy that uses pressure and movement on the soft tissues of the body. It is widely used to ease muscle tension, lower stress, and help with certain types of pain, and the evidence is moderate for short-term relief of pain and anxiety. It is generally safe for most people when done by a trained therapist, but those with certain medical conditions should check with a doctor first.

Part used: Not applicable (a hands-on therapy, not an herb or supplement)
Common forms: Swedish massage, deep tissue, sports massage, trigger point, shiatsu, Thai, reflexology, self-massage tools

People commonly use it for

Muscle tension and soreness
Stress and relaxation
Low back and neck pain
Anxiety and mood
Sleep quality
Recovery after exercise

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallLikely safe

Generally safe for most healthy people when performed by a trained therapist.

PregnancyLikely Safe

When most forms of massage are administered to enhance mood and physical well-being during pregnancy and labor. There is insufficient reliable informa...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingLikely Safe

When most forms of massage are administered to enhance mood and physical well-being during pregnancy and labor. There is insufficient reliable informa...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Massage is not an herb or supplement — it is a hands-on therapy. A therapist (or you, using your own hands or a tool) presses, rubs, and moves the skin, muscles, and other soft tissues of the body.

Massage has been used in many cultures for thousands of years. There are many styles, including Swedish (gentle, relaxing strokes), deep tissue (firmer pressure), sports massage, Thai, shiatsu, and reflexology. People use it both to relax and to relieve specific aches and pains.

How it works

Massage is thought to work in several ways. Pressing and moving the muscles may improve local blood flow, reduce muscle tightness, and help relax tense areas.

Massage may also calm the nervous system. The gentle, steady touch can lower the body's stress response and may raise feelings of comfort and well-being. Some researchers think it changes how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals, which could explain short-term pain relief.

Many of these explanations come from small studies, and scientists do not fully understand all the ways massage affects the body.

Effectiveness

Does Massage work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 90 uses evaluated

2 Likely effective 10 Possibly effective 78 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Likely Effective Back pain