Non-Drug Therapy and Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus by Dalk (Massage)

BACKGROUND: According to WHO estimation, the number of diabetic patients would reach about 591.9 million people in 2035. The tendency towards other kinds of treatment is increasing because of the high therapeutic expenditures and current medical complications. Positive results of massage in recent articles and the prominent role of dalk in Iranian traditional medicine led us to the present study review. METHODS: Studying Iranian traditional medicine textbooks, such as Canon of Ibn Sina, Kholasat Al Hekma of Aghili, Zakhireh-ye Khwarazm shahi of Jorjani, Alhavi of Razes and Kamel-al-sanaat of Ibn Abas were done on the topic of dalk discussion. Additionally, a search on “massage and diabetes mellitus” articles was done in motor search engines of PubMed, Google Scholars and the site of “Farhangestane Oloume Pezeshki”. The data were eventually compared and evaluated. RESULTS: In Iranian traditional medicine, dalk means kneading or massage of the body. Depending on the quality and quantity of the performance, it was divided into different kinds. The mechanism of dalk is to increase the blood supply in organs and subsequently increasing organ’s warmness and metabolism that lead to increased residues expulsion. Therefore, it could be advised to healthcare system as a means of treatment. On the other hand, for different diseases such as asthma, arthritis, insomnia, paralysis, DM, and constipation the effect of massage was evaluated and its positive results were confirmed. For example, in DM, its effects in decreasing FBS and HBA(1)C are shown. CONCLUSION: According to Iranian traditional medicine and latest articles, dalk as a non-drug therapy and prevention manner is recommended.