Spring 2008
Massage Therapy: Helping People to live With Cancer -
by Amber Young, Registered Massage Therapist
Human touch is one of the most sacred ways we
can connect as human beings; it allows us to move beyond the physical
barriers we create and respond to each other in a deeply nourishing
and healing way. As the number of cases of cancer increase, there
also exists an increased need to connect on this very human level.
Touch given in a therapeutic and intentional manner can affect an
individual physically, emotionally, and spiritually; it can soothe
physical pain; and it can also create space for the mind to come
to a place of stillness and acceptance. Through simply being present
with an individual and offering comfort, not ignoring their pain
or trying to fix their condition, an environment for a deeper level
of healing is fostered.
When I began giving massage therapy to individuals with cancer,
it increased my understanding of human suffering and the ways in
which it is a shared suffering. I have also witnessed the incredible
impact touch can have on an individual when one meets them in this
place of suffering. My hands have made contact with a person and
the separation between us seems to dissolve. I have physically felt
and seen peoples bodies soften and rest into the support of the
massage and my hands. I have watched their breath become deeper
and more restful as they respond while the massage helps to soothe
their pain - on a physical and an emotional level. It is in these
moments that I truly understand the phenomenal power of touch.
Massage is a safe therapy to receive with cancer, however this
does not negate that there are important considerations when receiving
treatment. Scientific research has shown that metastasis, or the
spread of cancer in the body, is a complicated process, which involves
more than increased circulation or mechanical stimulation. It was
a long held belief that massage could contribute to the spread of
cancer, however over the last decade, many studies have been done
which support the use of massage therapy safely, as a complementary
therapy specifically for an individual who has cancer. Debra Curties
explores and discusses this area of concern in depth in her book
Massage therapy and Cancer, 1999. With careful modifications,
a well-trained therapist can provide massage during a cancer diagnosis,
during medical treatment, when in remission, through palliative
care with a terminal diagnosis and through survivorship. The benefits,
which I have seen first hand amongst individuals I have been honored
to work with, are invaluable. Reflecting on my clinical experience,
as well as reference to the studies that have successfully been
done, massage has helped people with cancer with pain management,
anxiety, depression, disconnection from the body and/or from people,
self esteem, body image, muscular tension, stiffness and pain, nausea,
fatigue and feelings of isolation or loneliness. It can also help
with the emotional impact of a diagnosis of cancer on the mind.
When receiving massage therapy, your therapist would need to be
aware of the location of the cancer, as deep techniques directly
local to a tumor are contraindicated and inappropriate. It is a
massage therapist's goal to reintegrate the body and to work gently
and with caution. Your therapist would need to plan your treatment
avoiding any local or regional pressure, in areas affected by cancer.
Another very important consideration is any medical treatments you
are undergoing, such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, and
adapt the treatment according to your energy levels, side effects,
sites of involvement, and where you are in your treatment. General
guidelines of important areas to discuss with your therapist are
as follows: (adapted from Tracy Walton's "Massage therapy for
people with cancer: Fear and Healing")
- Whether/how/where cancer is currently manifesting
- Current or past cancer treatments (surgery/radiation/chemo/bone
marrow transplant/etc.), side effects, complications, and discuss
how this will be considered in the massage treatment
- Discuss lymph node involvement and risk of lymphodema
- Discuss medications and their effects, cancer and non-cancer
related
- Discuss if dialogue with your medical doctor would be appropriate
and necessary, based on your health history, status, and stage
of cancer.
- A continued update to any changes in your health is essential,
and it is also necessary to check your response to every massage
treatment to ensure it is not adversely affecting the body or
it's ability to heal
This is a simplification and a general look at some key areas that
need to be covered when you have cancer or a history of cancer and
you're seeing a massage therapist for the first time. Not all areas
noted above will be relevant to everyone, and in other people there
will be a need to expand on the complexity of the above information.
When these concerns are discussed openly and honestly between you
and your therapist, there will be a greater sense of trust and the
treatment can proceed with more confidence, from both the therapist's
and the patient's point of view.
Often it is important to open up the lines of communication between
you, your massage therapist and your medical doctor, simply to provide
you with the best possible care. The most important element is your
comfort discussing the changing needs of your health with your therapist
so that you will receive the most benefit from your treatments.
Any type of illness will affect the energy levels of an individual.
Gayle MacDonald, (who is a wonderful source of information on massage
and cancer) calls this a "new normal" of energy. I have
seen this first hand, as the body goes through an adaptation phase,
and its innate resources focus on the illness and the changes in
the body. What may have been okay for your body before the cancer
was detected, may not be okay now, even if you have completed a
course of treatment and your cancer is in remission. Treatments
will generally start quite conservatively, to understand and get
to know your bodies "new normal", gauging your response
after each and every session. It is vitally important to be patient
with your body as it will be continually adapting to the disease
process and the treatments administered.
The considerations I have mentioned are not meant to frighten an
individual from seeking massage, but rather it is my hope that they
will encourage more people to consider thoughtful forms of bodywork
to assist the healing process. Massage has time and time again been
revealed to be a truly beneficial complementary therapy as part
of a totally supportive cancer care plan. However, the considerations
do need to be taken seriously, as cancer is a very serious and real
condition. The impacts on an individual both, physically and mentally
can contribute to one of the scariest, most taxing and dehumanizing
times in a persons life. The main focus of massage for someone with
a cancer diagnosis is to offer a safe place to rest, to offer comfort,
to offer positive and very human care, and to help with symptom
relief specific to the individual.
Every person is unique, and every person's story is unique, which
needs to be deeply honored regardless of the type of cancer or the
type of treatment a person is going through. The experiences and
the stories I have been privileged to share with people through
my hands and my heart have shaped me as a massage therapist and
also how I look at life. The gift of touch is shared, as is the
suffering, and connecting in this way can pave the path for true
compassion and healing. It is my hope that we as a society will
not continue to embrace the fear of the unknown or the fear of illness,
but rather embrace the mystery and humanness of life. There is a
sacred element in sharing this journey with others through touch,
and in times of serious illness the power behind this sacredness
has the potential to grow. The people that I have worked with have
allowed me to integrate the beauty and the intuition of massage,
but also to deeply respect the science behind massage, the body
and disease and to see how massage can positively affect a person
when the bridge between the science and the intuitive element of
massage are joined in a mindful way. I hope through reading this
article that more people will seek out massage to help them on their
journey through cancer. In my own clinical practice I have only
witnessed the benefits for the body, the mind and the soul.
Amber Young is a Registered Massage Therapist practicing in Toronto,
Ontario. She devotes a large part of her practice and ongoing education
to helping people who are living with the physical and psychological
effects of cancer and chronic illness. Amber believes strongly in
community and she has volunteered with organizations such as the
BC Cancer Agency, and the Royal Victoria Hospice Society. In January
of this year, Amber joined Wellspring Cancer Support Center in Toronto,
offering Reiki to members.
Please email me with any concerns, questions or feedback and
I will respond in the best way I can. Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to share in my thoughts and some of
my experience with cancer as a massage therapist.
Amber Young ajyoung@rogers.com
Recommended Reading / References
MacDonald, Gayle. Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People
with Cancer, Findhorn, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 1999
Curties, Debra. Massage Therapy and Cancer. Moncton, NB:
Curties-Overzet Publications, 1999
Curties, Debra. "Could massage therapy promote cancer metastasis?"
Massage Therapy Journal, Fall 2000, 39 (3): 83-88
www.tracywalton.com (Tracy
Walton is a huge inspiration to me in my practice. She has written
many articles, contributed richly to the massage therapy profession
and teaches courses to massage therapists on massage therapy for
individuals with cancer, she is also actively involved in research
in helping to support massage therapy as a treatment for individuals
with cancer)
Hernandez - Reif M, Field T., et. al. "Natural Killer cells
and lymphocytes increase in women with breast cancer following massage
therapy". International Journal of Neuroscience 2005;
115 (4): 495-510
Cassileth, and Vickers " Massage therapy for Symptom Control:
Outcome study at a major cancer center", J. Pain Symptom
Management 2004; 28 (3): 244-249 (Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- massage created a decrease in pain, fatigue, anxiety, nausea,
depression)
Hernandez - Reif M, Ironson G., et. al. "Breast cancer patients
have improved immune and neuroendocrine functions following massage
therapy". Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2004; 57:
45-52
Post-White, et. al. "Therapeutic Massage and Healing Touch
improve symptoms in cancer". Integrative Cancer Therapies
2003; 2(4): 332-344 (230 patients - decreased anxiety and the use
of pain medications)
Smith, Reeder, et. al. " Outcomes of touch therapies during
bone marrow transplant". Alternative Therapies in Health
and Medicine 2003; 9(1): 40-49 (massage showed decreased neurological
complications with chemotherapy, and created increased comfort to
patients during treatment)
Grealish et al. "Foot massage: a nursing intervention to modify
the distressing symptoms of pain and nausea in patients hospitalized
with cancer", Cancer Nursing, 23 (3): 237-243, 2000
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