Oncology Massage

Massage is an ancient technique that involves manipulating muscles and rubbing or stroking soft tissues of the body. Massage is considered a type of complementary therapy. Complementary therapies aim to treat the whole person, not just the symptoms of disease. They are used together with conventional or mainstream medicine. Complementary therapies are not used instead of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or drug therapy. While massage doesn’t treat the cancer itself, it may help reduce the side effects caused by conventional treatments and improve quality of life and wellbeing.

Oncology massage is the modification of massage therapy to safely work with the effects of cancer and cancer treatment. Everyone affected by cancer — people in active treatment, those in recovery or survivorship, those at the end of life, and even caregivers — can benefit from oncology massage. These benefits can include respite from pain, nausea, fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Clinical assessments and adaptations to the massage session for someone affected by cancer are critical to providing a safe massage.

Unlike many massage applications, oncology massage is not a series of techniques or applied protocols. A patient-centered approach is the hallmark of oncology massage. Each session is tailored to the patient’s unique circumstance.

Massage adaptations: For someone in active cancer treatment or recovery, our practitioner will adapt pressure and speed to ensure maximum support. Deep and vigorous massage may add to fatigue, compromise skin or bone integrity, aggravate the side effects of compromised blood cell counts or vital organ impairment, cause nausea, create unnecessary risk for someone with or at risk for blood clots, or trigger or exacerbate lymphedema. Positioning and bolstering the body to accommodate medical devices and post-surgical changes will provide comfort and relief.