Last Updated on January 2, 2024 by Aditi Gangal
Quick Take
A video on social media claims that a hand massage improves brain health. The claimed video shows that tapping the nail bed of the thumb and then squeezing the surrounding area will stimulate the brain’s anterior pituitary gland which can reboot the brain. We fact-checked and found this claim to be mostly false.
The Claim
In a Facebook video, a person suggests that tapping the thumb’s nail bed and then squeezing the surrounding area will stimulate the anterior pituitary gland of the brain. The person believes that this technique will induce a calming or relaxing effect and can reboot the brain. This video has received 5.9K likes till we last checked.
We have attached a screenshot of the post below:
THIP Media has previously debunked various claims aiming to cure certain health conditions through a massage. In one story, we debunked the notion that rolling a tennis ball under the leg relieves pain. In another story, we refuted the claim that foot massages can stop Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, we addressed the misconception that massaging your feet with oil is good for the eyes. Let us now read whether a hand massage can improve brain health.
Fact Check
Can the hand massage as shown in the video improve brain health?
Not exactly. The claim that tapping and squeezing the nail bed on your thumb can activate the anterior pituitary gland and induce a calming effect is not supported by scientific evidence. However, some might feel calm because of the massage.
The claimant of the Facebook post is Motivationaldoc whose actual name is Dr. Alan Mandell. He has 2.2 million Facebook followers with the profile bio ‘Self-Help Videos on Posture, Neck/Back Pain, Neuro-Science, Nutrition, Fat Burning, Healthy Living’. His website shows that he is a chiropractor but we could not find information on his education degrees.
We even got this confirmed by Dr Abhishek Juneja, a Neurologist who said “As per current clinical evidence, massage therapy may help relieve the emotional and behavioral symptoms in patients with dementia. But it has not been scientifically proven to improve cognitive or memory functions”.
What does the science say about such claims commonly shared on social media?
The claim made in the reel is not supported by science and should be approached with caution. It appears to be related to a practice known as hand reflexology, which suggests that certain areas of the hands are connected to specific organs or parts of the body. This allows stimulation of these areas to influence corresponding body functions. However, the anterior pituitary gland is located deep within the brain, protected by the skull and blood-brain barrier. It is highly unlikely that tapping or squeezing the nail bed on the hand could directly stimulate it.
We researched to understand the logic behind the practice recommended in the video. Evidence shows that reflexology is a traditional practice based on the idea that pressure points on the feet and hands correspond to organs and systems in the body. But there is no evidence to confirm that tapping the thumb’s nail bed and then squeezing the surrounding area will stimulate the anterior pituitary gland of the brain.
Also, no studies have shown that specific hand or foot massage points directly affect internal organs. On the contrary, a website shows a hand reflexology chart detailing the zones and the areas of the body it connects to.
Besides this, we further researched and found that the feeling of calmness someone might experience from tapping and squeezing the nail bed could be due to various factors. These can include stimulation of nerves and blood vessels in the area, or simply the pressure itself. But current scientific research does not confirm whether reflexology is related to any activation of the brain or pituitary gland.
What can be the dangers of trying to cure certain health conditions through quick home remedies and not seeking medical advice?
Relying solely on unverified hand reflexology practices, as described in the claim, without seeking proper medical advice can lead to detrimental effects. This approach may create false expectations, delay or prevent seeking necessary medical treatment, risk misdiagnosis, potentially cause harm, and deter individuals from evidence-based medical interventions. Trusting in unproven methods could result in overlooking serious health conditions and could be detrimental to one’s overall well-being.
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