Oncology massage
Oncology massage therapy is not a massage technique as such, but it is rather a care adapted to the specific needs of people suffering from cancer or in remission. The massage aims to create a comforting environment and thus aim to provide well-being to help them overcome their great challenge in life.
Benefits of Oncology Massage
Helps to improve mood by reducing the effects of stress and anxiety on the body, Provides relaxation to promote recovery and offer better support to cop up with the disease and treatments, Relieves physical pain by soothing the tension on tissues, Alleviates some side effects of treatments like nausea or headaches, Improves the quality of sleep, thus reducing mental and physical fatigue, Increases the level of endorphin hormones which is a natural painkiller, Reduces muscle adhesions as a result of surgery, Helps to decrease edema on extremities.
Before the client’s first meeting with the massage therapist, the individual need to get an authorization from his/her family physician.
In order to take the appropriate action, the therapist will take time at the beginning of each session to learn about the condition of the client and the course of treatments in order to offer them the necessary treatment that is needed.
During the treatment, the therapist may use effleurage movements and gentle light massage techniques in area that are not affected by the disease or treatments.
Contraindications
Although massage therapy is in many ways beneficial to people with cancer, it is best to avoid such care in certain situations. For example, if a person is prone to bleeding or blood clots, if blood vessels are fragile or damaged, the care can then be summed up with very light effleurage movements. And as for all massages, it is better to refrain from massaging in the presence of fever, injury or an open wound.