Massage Healing Benefits for Cancer Patients

By: (Guest Contributor) Melanie Bowen
Awareness Advocate for Natural Health

Massage therapy doesn’t cure cancer, but for those dealing with the disease, it offers a variety of benefits for mind, spirit and body. Used in conjunction with conventional treatments, massage in all its forms can provide relief from stress and pain, enhance flexibility in joints and muscles, and improve circulation. Some studies suggest it may even improve immune responses. In general, massage can restore a sense of control and body awareness that focuses on healing rather than illness.

In many hospitals and clinics, massage therapists are partnering with healthcare teams to provide complementary therapy that can enhance quality of life and reduce pain and suffering, and top-level massage therapy training program are including training in massage for those coping with cancer as well as other life-threatening diseases. The American Cancer Society has fully embraced massage as an important tool in the overall treatment plan.

How does massage work benefit cancer patients? The Western model of massage, most clearly represented by the so-called Swedish massage, uses pressure, stroking and rubbing motions with hands, massage tools or arms to relax tension in muscles and encourage better circulation. Deep tissue massage focuses on the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissues, while myotherapy and neuromuscular therapy work with trigger points, knots and tight muscle tissue that cause pain or limit flexibility.

These types of massage encourage the oxygenation of muscle tissue and increases blood flow in the targeted areas, causing biochemical signals that modulate pain responses in the brain. Improved  circulation and muscle flexibility can reduce fatigue and improve a patient’s overall sense of well being. The very experience of massage can have therapeutic benefits, too. Many sessions offer gentle touch in a relaxing setting that can include soft light, music or aromatic oils, far removed from the clinical settings of traditional treatments.

Professional massage therapists point out that there is a massage or bodywork alternative to fit virtually every caner patient’s situation. Even bedridden individuals and those in late stages of the disease  can benefit from gentle massage or Eastern traditions of pressure point massage, and, according to the Associated  Bodywork and Massage Professionals, massage can support cancer survivors in maintaining their health long-term.

Although massage can be effective in promoting well-being and reducing pain for those coping with cancers such as mesothelioma, breast and bone cancers and tumors of the brain and other organs, experts caution that massage practitioners must be aware of the need for caution. Cancer treatments can cause bleeding, easy bruising and bone fragility. surgical interventions leave scarring. Medications can cause tenderness and irritation of the skin. For this reason, cancer specialists stress the importance of specialized training for massage therapists working with cancer patients.

While massage does not claim to cure cancer, getting massage treatments during cancer care can improve overall well-being, reduce pain and may even boost immune responses –  a gentle way to enhance quality of life during a difficult time.

For more information, please visit: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog