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Massage Therapy and Cancer PatientsAs the field of massage therapy matures, its knowledge base expands. For many years it has been said that massage therapy is contraindicated (not advised) for cancer patients. Old attitudes about massage therapy contraindications die hard, but massage and bodywork are increasingly important weapons in the fight against one of the most prevalent diseases in America today.Therapists seeing clients with cancer tout the many benefits. It reduces stress and relaxes patients. It bolsters the immune system and helps remove toxins from the body. It helps with circulation and restores energy. It reduces pain and minimizes the effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. It enhances a patients body awareness and allows them to direct energy toward healing. And in cancer patients who will die from the disease, it can help ease their final days. Even the American Cancer Society views massage as an important complementary therapy for cancer patients. Some hospitals are integrating massage therapists into teams of doctors and health professionals. Therapists in private practice are getting the training they need to be able to see patients recovering from cancer or in treatment. Bodyworkers are cautioned against working sites with tumors, but as MacDonald writes in Medicine Hands, "The more the medical profession understands how cancer spreads, the more apparent it is that previous fears about massaging people with cancer are unfounded." Although researchers are still looking at how cancer occurs, most evidence points to a combination of genetics and environmental factors. These same factors heavily influence how cancer cellls spread. Malignant cells spread in two ways, they migrate directly to the adjoining site of turmors or they metasize and spread to distant sites. The potiential for metastasis in any individual is similar to how cancer occurs in the first place. If you have cancer or have had cancer in the past please get permission, your therapist will probably request it in writing, from your doctor before receiving therapeutic massage. I would recommend that you make sure your therapist has an understanding of cancer patients and that your therapist has received some instruction on applying therapeutic massage to cancer patients. I have received training in Massage Therapy and its effects on Cancer Patients at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida. My instructor was Tracy Walton who specializes in treating cancer patients with massage therapy. I do require a release form from your doctor before receiving Massage if you are currently under his/her care for cancer. Please print the form (MS Word or PDF formats) and take it to your doctor before your scheduled appointment. This form will better enable me to determine your treatment with Massage Therapy. |