Breast Cancer Massage
Which would you expect to be most effective for people dealing
with cancer?
- Caring presence without touch
- Healing touch (therapist's hands near or lightly touching the
body)
- Massage
- Progressive muscle relaxation
Studies of all four options by the University of Minnesota and
the University of Miami concluded that massage is the most
effective.
The Miami study of 58 women with stage I & II breast
cancer compared progressive muscle relaxation therapy with
massage therapy and discovered that both groups felt less anxiety
afterwards. However, the massage group reported reduced feelings of
depression. They also showed an increase in immune system-boosting
white blood cells and in dopamine, which is related to a sense of
well-being.
The Minnesota study of 230 people with cancer found that those
who experienced healing touch felt less anxiety and pain than those
who experienced only the caring presence of a doctor or nurse. But
those who received massage not only reported feeling less anxiety,
they also needed less pain medication.
Using Massage Effectively
Check with your health care professional before beginning
treatment, and be sure to alert your professional massage therapist
if you've experienced or are undergoing:
- Breast surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Lymphedema
- Radiation
This will enable your Massage Envy therapist to recommend the
best type of treatment for your individual situation. No matter
which type is selected, you'll benefit from the profound effects of
regular massage - including stress reduction, improved immune
function, decreased anxiety and increased relaxation. This leads to
better sleep and less fatigue, which will help make breast cancer
treatment a more positive experience.