Risks of Massage for Cancer Patients

There are so many different forms of massage, and each form can have a different effect on the body. For cancer patients, depending on the type and the stage of cancer, as well as many other factors, this could possibly even mean negative effects.

While there have been many studies on many different types of massage on cancer patients, as well as their very promising results, there are still some situations, techniques, etc. that could provide a health risk to the cancer patient.

While it is always best to consult your physician before receiving a massage—especially if you have cancer—it can also be beneficial to be informed in advance about the most well-known risks, so that you can avoid these situations.

The following are a few health risks that should be considered before a cancer patient receives massage therapy. These risks do not necessarily mean that massage is out of the question; only that precautions must be taken to avoid them:

• Bone fractures—some forms of cancer can affect the bones, and deep massages on affected areas can lead to fractures. Inform your massage therapist about your cancer so that they are able to avoid risks such as these.

• Tumor spreading—this is an issue that has been debated thoroughly. Many sources claim that it is untrue that massage will cause metastasis while others say that deep massage directly on the site of a tumor can break it down and cause it to spread or increase in growth rate. Since there are so many differences of opinion on the subject, it is best to consult your specialist first in the case of a tumor. They will be able to provide you with the most up-to-date information on the subject, as well as help you determine what is best in your situation.

• Bleeding—deep massage should be avoided in patients who bleed easily.

• Lymphedema—if a patient has recently had lymph nodes removed due to cancer, and then receive certain types of massage near or on certain parts of the body (especially if the therapist is too vigorous with their pressure in this area), it can cause the patient to develop lymphedema.

• Pain—patients with cancer are often in tremendous pain, and then some treatments will even add to that pain temporarily. If this patient seeks out massage in an effort to reduce pain and anxiety, they may well have excellent results. But, if they do not inform their therapist of their medical condition, or if the therapist isn’t prepared to do massage on a cancer patient, the results could be more pain instead of relief. Many massage therapies require deep pressure that could, in the beginning, be considered pain by many patients. This quickly turns to pleasure and relief, but if the person receiving the massage is already in pain before the massage begins, the pain can be excruciating.

• Flu-Like Symptoms—there have been many cases of patients who are undergoing chemotherapy showing flu-like symptoms after receiving bodywork treatments. This usually happens because nausea is a side effect of the chemotherapy as well as the bodywork (this is only with some forms, but it shows why it is important for the practitioner to be aware of your situation).

Even with the variety of risks involved with massage for cancer patients, massage therapy has many benefits to offer. To avoid situations such as the above, talk to all of your caregivers before receiving a massage to find out which therapies are safe for you and if there are any techniques that should be avoided. Once you have done this, you can locate a therapist and, before the first session begins, inform them of your medical condition. If it makes you feel safer, you can find a massage therapist that is experienced in treating cancer patients.

Massage therapy can provide an excellent complimentary therapy for cancer patients, but it should never replace traditional medicine. Instead, it should be used only for pain relief and relaxation, as well as to help manage some of the side effects of medicinal treatments. If you continue your traditional forms of healing, and simply add massage as a complimentary therapy to your cancer treatment, it could lead to a happier, healthier body and life starting immediately.