Cancer and Massage?

Cancer has touched many lives and will continue to do so, it does not
discriminate. It has in the past been a controversial issue as to whether
it was "safe" to massage people who have cancer. The more the medical
profession understands how cancer spreads, the more apparent it is that
previous fears about massaging people with cancer are unfounded. New studies
are now showing that it can not only be done safely but also has many
benefits. Massage is used frequently to promote relaxation, decrease pain,
and speed healing.

Being sick can be lonely, being touched provides an accompaniment and can
also act as an antidote to the probing, uncomfortable, impersonal touches
that all too frequently are part of modern medicine. One of the most
relaxing and enjoyable experiences for a person with cancer (or for any
human being) is to receive gentle compassionate, accepting touch from
another person. Receiving massage therapy on a regular basis helps
reconnect the mind, body and spirit.

Often people with cancer will have some combination of surgery, chemotherapy
and radiation if a more holistic approach is not taken. These treatments can
leave a person feeling fragmented. Massage therapy helps by putting some of
these fragments back together, making a person feel whole again. When
receiving massage, people with cancer have reported a decrease in nausea,
fatigue, anxiety, pain and an increase in or improvement in skin conditions,
feelings of well-being, digestion and mobility.

There are precautions that should be taken when massaging people who have
cancer or have recently finished treatment. The treatments and health of the
patient will determine and guide the massage session so that no harm is
done to the patient. Many times the immune system has been quite
compromised and a deep therapy would not be appropriate. A gentle touch
massage such as light swedish, reiki, craniosacral or gentle shiatsu, for
example, can be good medicine for cancer patients.

Massage therapy should be discussed with the patient¹s oncology team prior
to adding massage to the treatment plan. It is also important to seek out a
massage therapist that has been specifically trained to work with people
living with cancer.