The University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine released research in
March, 2009 reporting on the benefits for advanced cancer patients from Massage Therapy compared to simple touch.
The study, a multi-site randomized clinical trial, included 380 patients with advanced cancer, 90% of those patients residing in Hospice Care.
The patients were given six 30 minute massage sessions or simple touch sessions, for those contraindicated for massage pressure, over a two week period.
The primary outcome of the study showed “immediate and sustained” change in pain while the secondary outcome revealed “immediate” change in mood.
Immediate change was also found in heart and respiratory rates including a sustained change in quality of life and over all symptom distress.
The final conclusion for this study reveals Massage Therapy may have “immediately beneficial effects” on pain and mood among patients with advanced cancer including the potential benefits of attention and simple touch that should be considered for this part of our population.
This comes as no surprise to the Massage Therapist. We see these benefits on a daily basis. I enjoy finding research and sharing it with others, making it harder for those who think that massage is a luxury with rare benefits.
Massage Therapy is becoming a form of holistic healing that is being sought by more and more people for all of the benefits above.
We as Massage Therapist have the opportunity to educate and share these benefits with all sections of the population. Our field gives us the chance to help some of the most needy on this earth and we have the unique power to give to people without losing anything.
This is the gift of every Massage Therapist so be encouraged in this knowledge as you meet each client who has sought you out.
“Choose each day to be blissful and complete, a whole person well cared for by you”
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Sunday, 30. August 2009
It always feels good hearing about the resarch. I would just love to get a big stack of it and go on a crusade of “I told you so”.
Sunday, 6. September 2009
I was always convinced that massage was benficial to cancer patients, even though an instructor of mine did not personally perform massages on cancer patients. His thought was that it could facilitate the spread of the disease. If only for pain and improvement in the quality of life the benefits are crucial!
Monday, 7. September 2009
You have made an excellent point. I have found no viable studies to support the spread of cancer cells through the body by way of massage therapy. As holistic health care providers we have a responsibility to stay up to date on all of the latest research, then we can all go on the crusade of “I told you so”.
Tuesday, 24. November 2009
I also love hearing about research on this matter. My mother had breast cancer and she was actually told NOT to receive massages. Strange. I wrote a blog on this situation and the actual benefits of what massage can provide for cancer patients.
Thanks again for sharing and reiterating this valuable info!
Tiffany
Tuesday, 24. November 2009
Tiffany,
Thanks for your comment. It is a sad fact that the majority of Doctors do not recommend alternative therapies and massage falls in that category. I was even told by a teacher during my training that we were not to massage patients with cancer. Our books said only those undergoing chemo-therapy were contraindicated for massage. Since leaving school I have researched many studies supporting the use of massage for cancer patients. I follow the facts and the supported treatments and no where have I found that massage is not beneficial for this disease, in fact the support is clearly on the side of massage and all of it’s benefits.
Namaste