If you or a loved one are facing the many challenges of cancer, massage and other skilled touch techniques can be your ally. For patient and caregiver alike, taking the time for a soothing and nurturing massage can be truly worthwhile, even in a schedule crowded with appointments. Caring, professional touch can ease pain, relax mind and body, and restore your body's own healing resources.
Relieving your discomfort
Many people find that when medication doesn't completely ease their pain, massage helps. It can ease muscle tension, help eliminate irritating toxins and decrease achiness caused by forced inactivity. In addition, massage can reduce the discomforts of nausea, fatigue and insomnia.
Most of all, massage offers deep relaxation of body and mind that can bring profound relief. As you let go and focus on the comfort of nurturing touch, pain and anxiety loosen their grip. Your physical and mental load can lift, often increasing your sense of energy and optimism. This welcome respite can extend into the hours and days beyond your sessions.
Support for your recovery
Touch therapies can support recovery in a number of ways. Massage can increase circulation and speed healing in tissues affected by surgery or radiation. Certain advanced techniques, applied with caution, can reduce swelling and restore pliability to scarred areas. In addition, due to its ability to decrease muscle tightness and increase range of motion, massage can help you feel more like stretching, exercising and enjoying recreational activities as you recover. Finally, as massage reduces pain and stress, your body is better able to rally its healing capabilities on all levels.
Your emotional well-being
No matter what your stage of treatment, skilled and caring touch can affirm that life still holds warm, positive experiences. A one-on-one massage session can nurture you while you are undergoing treatment or adjusting to physical changes, such as a mastectomy or hair loss. If you have encountered changes in your activity levels or social network, or are coping with fear, anxiety, or depression, massage can provide a time for self care and acceptance of tender emotions. In cases where cancer is no longer treatable, attentive touch may provide the most consoling kind of support a person can receive.
Meeting your individual needs
Everyone is different, and depending on where you are in your treatment, your needs may also differ from one session to the next. Communicating with me is very important. Many people are sensitive to pressure and prefer a light touch. Let me know if anything is uncomfortable, for example if pressure is too much or too little, if an area is extra-sensitive, or if scents from oils or candles are irritating.
I can offer extra pillows or bolsters for your comfort if needed. It is not necessary to lie in a particular position, such as face down, In fact, I can massage a person confined to a bed or a wheelchair.
Keep in mind that, like any input to your system, massage can tax your energy. short sessions may be best at first, to help you and I judge what works for you. Depending on your stamina and pain levels, I may want to adjust or reschedule a session. I will work with you in partnership to determine the approach and technique that best meets your needs.
