ONCOLOGY MASSAGE

Service Description

An oncology massage is a client-specific, customized massage session designed to meet the unique and changing needs of someone in treatment for cancer or with a history of cancer treatment. A safe massage plan generally revolves around the side effects (both short- and long-term) of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Massage has many benefits for people living with cancer. Massage Reduces Anxiety Many clients report being less anxious in general when receiving regular massage. In particular, clients in cancer treatment state that massage eases anxiety before and during uncomfortable procedures and interventions. Research literature reports that massage helps anxiety in patients with cancer and other populations. In repeated studies of various populations, including people with cancer, massage helps reduce depression, as well.(1) Massage Eases Pain Recipients of massage therapy express less cancer-related pain, treatment-related pain, and pain related to muscle tension. They claim that massage helps “take the edge off” of acute pain and in some cases relieve it entirely. Although the direction of evidence suggests massage is effective for pain relief, (2), (7) more study is needed to firmly establish the role of massage in pain relief for people with cancer.(3) Massage Helps Control Nausea Gentle massage has been shown to reduce nausea in inpatients receiving autologous bone marrow transplant. (4) In a pilot nursing study, stimulation of acupressure points has been suggested to reduce nausea in patients in chemotherapy.(5) Massage may be a viable, low-cost approach to minimizing this difficult side-effect of medication. Massage Improves Sleep and Eases Fatigue Again and again, clients tell their massage therapists that massage improves their energy level and helps them sleep better, and clients in cancer treatment are no exception. But sleep can be especially hard to come by during cancer treatment, and cancer fatigue is common and poorly understood—a difficult symptom to treat. People in treatment, often with a high degree of symptom distress, are especially in need of good sleep. At least one study shows massage facilitates sleep.(7) http://www.s4om.org/ Massage therapy is not contraindicated in cancer patients. Massaging a tumor is, but there is a great deal more to a person than the tumor. – Dr. Bernie Siegel, MD

Contact Details

• Walnut Beach, Milford, CT, USA

  +USA 203.430.8682

  cherylyea@aol.com