Massage Offers Benefits to Cancer Patients

Massage is considered a complementary therapy, which means it’s aim is to treat the whole person instead of just the symptoms of a disease. Naturally, this makes it an ideal palliative treatment for cancer patients. Here are just some of the benefits that massage therapy can offer to those living with cancer.
Pain Relief
It’s no secret that most types of cancer can be painful for patients, but the chemotherapy and radiation therapy used to treat it can be just as hard on a person’s body. A gentle massage can help alleviate some of that pain, which can become unbearable for some people in cancer’s later stages. Massage sometimes also has the benefit of relieving nausea, another common side effect of many cancer treatments.
Stress Relief
Getting a massage is always a great way to relieve stress, and that is no different for cancer patients. Like using massage to relieve pain, a relaxing massage can go a long way toward improving one’s quality of life.
Improving Range of Movement
Since cancer and its treatments can be so painful, many patients eventually become less active over time. A massage can help improve these patients’ range of movement, especially when it is combined with other forms of physical therapy and exercise.
These are just a few of the benefits that massage therapy can have for a cancer patient. As with any kind of therapy, it isn’t for everyone. Some people will respond very well to a regular massage, while others might not get anything from it. You can however rest assured that massage therapy is perfectly safe for most cancer patients at any stage of the disease. Your doctor can give you more information about massage therapy and whether or not it could be right for you, so do not hesitate to ask for any advice or recommendations.
If you are interested in massage therapy, contact Central Wellness today!