Massage and Cancer

A Viable Option?

There’s no doubt that cancer patients can benefit from massage therapy. In fact, bodywork can serve as a nurturing health care option during the stressful, doctor appointment-ridden time of oncology management.

“Cancer treatment places a heavy toxin load on the body, which massage can help eliminate,” says Gayle MacDonald, author of Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer. “However, too much too fast may be more than the client’s body can comfortably handle. Skilled touch is beneficial at nearly every stage of the cancer experience, during hospitalization, the pre- or post- operative period, in the out-patient clinic, during chemotherapy and radiation, recovery at home, remission or cure, and in the end stage of life.”

The benefits of massage for these clients include improved blood circulation, equalized blood pressure, and help with fatigue and nausea. The place to start is by consulting with your physician and your massage therapist. For those who are two to three months out from treatment, bodywork that can be used includes lymph drainage therapies, trigger point therapy, neuromuscular therapy, myotherapy and myofascial release, among others. It’s better to wait before receiving deeper work.

While hospitalized, some appropriate techniques include cranial sacral therapy, polarity therapy, reiki and Therapeutic Touch. MacDonald says no matter how severe the treatment’s side effects, there’s always a way to administer some type of bodywork. According to massage therapist and former oncology nurse Cheryl Chapman, while it’s important to receive touch from a qualified practitioner who has worked with cancer patients before, “Touch is always appropriate–there isn’t anyone who is untouchable.”

If you or someone you love is battling cancer, consider massage as a therapeutic, nurturing choice to help navigate this difficult journey.

photo credit: Valerio Pirrera

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This entry was posted on December 3, 2010 at 12:17 pm and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.