Abdominal massage is a gentle, noninvasive treatment that may have relaxing and healing effects for some people.

Many people use abdominal massage to treat a wide variety of health concerns, especially those related to the stomach, such as digestion issues, constipation, and bloating.

You can give yourself an abdominal massage or visit a massage therapist for a session. You may benefit from the effects of abdominal massage after only 5 or 10 minutes of massage per day. Continue reading to learn more about this self-healing technique.

Be sure to talk with your doctor before getting an abdominal massage if you are pregnant or have any health concerns.

The National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health states that massage therapy may play a positive role in the management of joint and muscular pain. Other reported benefits include improvements in stress, anxiety, and depression scores.

Relieve constipation

Massaging the abdomen may help to relax your stomach muscles. That, in turn, helps stimulate digestion and relieve constipation.

A small 2016 study examined the effects of abdominal massage on constipation following surgery. The researchers found that people who had abdominal massage — compared to the control group who didn’t receive massage — had:

  • reduced symptoms of constipation
  • more bowel movements
  • less time between bowel movements

Abdominal massage was further shown to have a positive effect on their quality of life scores. Larger in-depth studies are needed to expand upon these findings and to learn more about characteristics that can affect constipation.

Improve digestive function

Research from 2018 examined the effects of abdominal massage on the digestive issues of people who had an endotracheal tube. People who had a 15-minute abdominal massage twice a day for three days showed improvements in their symptoms compared to people who received no treatment. The massage group also reduced the amount of stomach liquid they had, and their abdominal circumference and constipation decreased significantly.

More research is needed, both in hospital settings and among people outside of the hospital.

Reduce bloating

A 2015 study found that abdominal massage was effective in treating some symptoms of excess fluid (common in people being treated for cancer) that accumulate in the abdominal cavity.

In this study, people who had a 15-minute abdominal massage twice a day for three days had lower levels of perceived abdominal bloating. Depression, anxiety, and well-being levels also improved.

Abdominal massage did not have an effect on their other symptoms, including pain, nausea, and tiredness.

Other benefits

In addition to the above, proponents of abdominal massage also report the following potential benefits:

  • aid in weight loss
  • encourage relaxation
  • tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles
  • release physical and emotional tension
  • release muscle spasms
  • increase blood flow to the abdomen
  • benefit abdominal organs

However, there isn’t specific research proving the effectiveness of abdominal massage in bringing about many of these benefits, including weight loss.

Generally, abdominal massage is safe for most people provided it’s done in a gentle and safe manner:

  • Don’t have an abdominal massage if you’ve had recent abdominal surgery.
  • Talk to your doctor before getting an abdominal massage if you’re pregnant or have any health concerns.
  • It’s best that you don’t eat any heavy or spicy foods for a few hours before and after an abdominal massage.

Drink plenty of water after the massage.

To perform abdominal massage on yourself:

  1. Lie flat on your back with your belly exposed.
  2. Overlap your hands on your lower belly and hold them here as you focus on your breath.
  3. Warm your hands by rubbing them together for about 30 seconds.
  4. Apply any oils that you’re using.
  5. Use the palm of your hand to massage your entire stomach in a clockwise direction several times.
  6. Then massage the centerline of your abdomen, starting below your sternum and ending at your pubic bone.
  7. Do three more lines an inch apart down the left side of the abdomen.
  8. Do the same on the right side of the abdomen.
  9. Then press your fingers into your navel firmly.
  10. Continue massaging with gentle pressure and circle outward from your navel in a clockwise direction.
  11. You can spend extra time on specific areas or trigger points that feel like they need some extra attention.
  12. Do this for up to 20 minutes.

If you don’t feel comfortable massaging yourself, you can also have your abdomen massaged by a massage therapist. Call before you make your appointment to see if the therapist performs abdominal massage. Not all masseuses provide this service.

Abdominal massage is a low-risk treatment option that you can use to help several health conditions. It’s up to you as to whether you wish to do it on your own or have a session with a massage therapist.

Even if you see a massage therapist, you may want to spend a short amount of time each day doing self-massage, especially if you’re trying to treat a specific issue.

Always see your doctor for any serious conditions or if any of your symptoms worsen or become severe.