Is Massage Therapy & Bodywork okay for my Cancer diagnosis?

A cancer diagnosis is scary. There’s no other way to say it. And the treatments can sometimes be as scary as the disease itself. Chemo, radiation, and surgeries can have intense side effects, some that last a lifetime. 

Many cancer patients experience

• nausea
• fatigue
• pain
• anxiety
• depression
• poor sleep

One aide in this incredibly difficult situation that many don’t think of, is massage therapy. While massage will not have an effect on the cancer itself, it can help to ease many of the problems associated with the treatments, such as those listed above.

Many people wonder if massage is safe for cancer patients and the answer is a resounding YES! In fact, special training in oncology massage prepares therapists to work with cancer patients at any stage. The Society for Oncology Massage (S4OM) defines oncology massage as “the modification of existing massage therapy techniques in order to safely work with complications of cancer and cancer treatment.” Light, relaxing massage is safe for people at all stages of cancer. In fact, massage has been shown to decrease nausea, fatigue, and pain, and improve anxiety, depression, and sleep. And while massage is considered safe, it is still important to seek out a massage therapist with oncology massage training to ensure they understand treatment protocols and contraindications that may be present depending on your specific case.

One concern that many people present with is ‘can massage spread cancer?’. The answer is no. Metastasis (spreading of cancer cells) is a complex process that requires changes in cellular DNA, and is not influenced by the increased lymphatic flow that may occur during a massage. 

So if you or someone you know is battling this horrible disease, massage therapy may be the answer to many of the unpleasant side effects of the disease and the treatments.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

What is Frozen Shoulder? How can you help me?

Frozen shoulder, also called Adhesive Capsulitis, is a condition characterized by thick bands of tissue (adhesions) forming around the shoulder joint. This can result in severe stiffness, loss of range of motion, and pain in the joint.

The most noticeable effect is the inability to move the shoulder, either on your own or with assistance. This isn’t just a pain in the shoulder that makes you hesitate or resist movement, but an actual inability to move the joint. About 2%-3% of the population experiences frozen shoulder at some point, with most being between the age of 40 and 60. While the cause of frozen shoulder is not quite understood, we do know that it often accompanies other conditions, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and Parkinson’s Disease. An injury to the shoulder and subsequent immobility can also put you at an increased risk of developing frozen shoulder. This is one reason, after a shoulder injury or surgery, passive and active range of motion exercises are recommended as part of rehabilitation.

There are typically 3 stages to frozen shoulder.

FREEZING

This is the early stage, typically characterized by an increase in pain and stiffness over a period of several weeks to months. As the pain increases, range of motion decreases.

FROZEN

This stage generally lasts somewhere around 6 months, and while the pain typically decreases, the stiffness and loss of range of motion only worsens. Even the most routine daily activities, like brushing your hair or reaching into a cabinet can be extremely difficult, if not impossible with the affected shoulder.

THAWING

Frozen shoulder doesn’t last permanently. Most people who experience frozen shoulder have a seemingly spontaneous recovery.The thawing stage is the slow progression back to normal range of motion and strength. It can last from 6 months to 2 years.

How can massage therapy help?

Along with the treatments, stretches, and exercises your doctor and physical therapist recommend, your massage therapist can apply a variety of techniques to help speed up your recovery. With manual massage and specific passive and active movements, we can break down those adhesions and help the “thawing” process.

Also, there’s something often referred to as pseudo-frozen shoulder. What this is, is an unconscious muscle guarding that mimics true frozen shoulder. There may be an underlying condition or injury within the shoulder that, instead of adhesions limiting your range, your nervous system reacts to movement in a protective manner, tightening the muscles around the shoulder to limit range of motion, even without you realizing it’s happening. Some studies suggest that even if you are experiencing true frozen shoulder, much of the loss of mobility may be attributed to muscle guarding instead of solely the fault of the adhesions. Part of your massage sessions will include guidance and relaxation techniques to retrain your nervous system to calm and allow the shoulder to move as much as possible.

So before you just suffer through with a frozen shoulder, book an appointment for a massage and see the difference it makes.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

Self-care between Massage Therapy visits

While massage therapy can have benefits that last days or weeks at a time, that doesn’t mean you can neglect your body every day in between appointments. To help the effects of your massage last longer and simply to feel better, you’ll need to practice some self-care. Massage therapy is not a luxury, nor is it selfish to receive. Daily self-care is no different.

So here’s 7 easy self-care tips you can start using today to get you through until your next massage appointment.

#1: Take breaks

Whether you’re working at a desk all day, standing in one spot, or doing hard manual labor, your body needs a break. Ideally, you’d want to take about 10 minutes for every hour of work, but I know not every work environment accommodates that sort of schedule, so take a break as often as possible. And I mean a real break. Don’t grab lunch at your desk while you keep working, or go from a computer screen to your phone screen scrolling through social media. A real break, one that’s going to benefit your body and mind, is one in which you do the opposite of your work. So if you sit at a desk all day, take a break by going outside for a 10 minute walk on nice days, or at least walk around the office and chat with coworkers about things that aren’t work related. If your job is more physically assertive, take a break by sitting back, kicking up your feet and closing your eyes for a few minutes. Whatever it is you do, give your mind and body a true rest from those tasks, or you won’t feel like you’ve had a break at all.

#2: Stretch

During that break, or even while you’re working, move your body and stretch! Focus on the areas that tend to bother you at the end of the day, even if they’re not hurting right at the moment. Incorporating some small stretches throughout the day will often prevent that pain you may be feeling by the time you’re ready to clock out.

#3: Self-Massage

Back massagers, foot baths, Thera Canes, and more…while there’s all kinds of specific tools designed to help you reach those hard to massage areas, a tennis ball can be just as good. You can use it for just about any area with only your bodyweight as leverage to get pressure. For example, try lying on your back on the floor, with the tennis ball placed under your back (if this is too much pressure, try leaning against a wall instead). You can use your feet to rock yourself left and right, up and down, letting the ball find different areas of tension. When you find a good spot, try to relax and breathe into it until that tension melts away.

While these tools don’t replace the skilled hands of a trained massage therapist, they can help to relieve the daily tension that can build up between appointments.

#4: Get Outside

Fresh air does a body good, and this is actually backed up by science. Research suggests that spending time outdoors helps you to clear your mind, improve your focus, and just feel happier. So whether it’s taking a break during work or making a day of it on a weekend, spend time outdoors.

#5: Meditate / Breathe

Meditation has been shown time and again to help reduce stress and ease tension in the body, but I know it seems like a daunting task for many. Meditation isn’t just about clearing your mind completely (that’s impossible for most of us), but is instead about focusing your mind on something. Some prefer guided meditation to keep them focused, and others enjoy just some quiet time breathing. Find what works for you. There’s no right or wrong about it. To start, try taking just 5 minutes somewhere quiet to breathe. Close your eyes and focus your attention on your body. What sensations do you feel? Focus on slowly relaxing each and every muscle from the top of your head all the way down to your toes. Making even a short exercise like this a normal part of your daily activities not only helps you relax, but it builds your body awareness – your ability to perceive where you are in space, and to recognize the sensations of your own body. This can, in turn help you recognize when your body is close to injury and prevent you from pushing too hard, or help you to isolate a problem area you may need work on. 

#6: Turn up the music

Music is good for the soul and can help to take your mind off daily stresses. Studies have shown that playing music causes dopamine, a feel-good chemical, to be released into the brain. This is the same chemical that’s released when we eat chocolate and fall in love. It’s pretty powerful stuff! So while you’re driving to and from work, crank up the tunes and rock out. If you can’t stand the music they play at work (if any), bring your own and put in some headphones. It’ll help you to concentrate and feel good all day. 

#7: Get plenty of sleep

Sleep is absolutely crucial to keeping your body in tip-top shape. If your sleep is suffering, everything else will suffer as well. Most adults need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night, but many people are far below that. Everyone’s needs are different, so you may be perfectly fine with less than that, or you may need more. The best way to determine this is to go without an alarm clock for at least 1 week and go to bed at the same time every night. This allows your body to fall into a rhythm of what it really needs instead of what it’s been forced to do for so long. You’ll soon see just how much sleep your body requires when you allow it to wake naturally.

And no, sleeping in on the weekends doesn’t make up for a week of lost sleep. Sleep deprivation (those who get less than the recommended 7 hours) can result in a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a decreased immune system. Not to mention the smaller side effects like loss of concentration, decreased productivity, and irritability. So if you want to feel good throughout your time between massage appointments, make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)