Massage and Cancer
August 1, 2008 at 1:27 pm (Conditions, Massage)
This past week I stumbled upon an interesting website called Yedda.com. It is a free site where people can share their information and expertise. Just ask a question and someone else answers! And you can answer other people’s questions in your area of interest.
I did a quick search for massage-related questions and found this one from hotkit22f. The response I submitted is below.
Question submitted by hotkit22f:
Massage Problem
Why is it that massage tharapists require cancer patients to have a Dr’s note before they will give them a massage? I went to get a massage and was turned away when they found out that i have had cancer in the past and I didn’t have a Dr’s note.
My Answer:
Hotkit, I am so sorry that happened to you. I hope you have received a massage by now!
There is no reason to turn away a client who has been diagnosed with cancer in the past or who is currently receiving treatment for cancer. You should have been able to get a massage that day.
When I was in massage school, we were told by our instructors to not work on anyone who has cancer or anyone who is pregnant. They drilled it into our heads that a therapist had to be specially trained to work with those populations and that we shouldn’t work on them at all with out permission from the doctor. The instructors were very competent to teach and certainly well-meaning, but misinformed. The result was that most students became scared to touch anyone with a special condition.
The instructors had assumed that since massage increases blood and lymph circulation, it could therefore increase the chances of the cancer metastasizing. The current understanding is that massage should not increase the risk of metastatic cancer. The blood and lymph already flow through the body at a very fast clip. A massage is not going to increase the speed or distance covered by any particular cell in the stream.
Most people assume that “doctor knows best” and even “doctor knows everything.” Massage therapists do not want to put anyone at risk or be blamed for negative outcomes. So they may require an MD to sign off on the treatment. But the truth is that 99% of doctors have NOOO idea what massage is, what it does, and what the different types of massage are. Even fewer will know if massage is indicated or contraindicated for a certain condition.
The massage performed may vary depending on the type of cancer and the stage of development. At the very least, the therapist could have given you a light relaxation massage. A lighter pressure massage poses no more danger to the body than tossing and turning in bed or giving someone a hug. We certainly aren’t going to stop hugging people with cancer!
The obvious contraindication is massage on the tumor itself. Massaging the tumor could break it up and release cancer cells. (Who knows?! In five years we may realize that is wrong too!)
I am very fortunate to have a contract with the local university hospital to provide massage therapy to cancer patients WHILE they are receiving their dose of chemotherapy. It is quite a trick to maneuver around the wires and tubes, but it can be done! The patients are very appreciative. It really does bring some solace to the situation and soothes the worn out nerves.
About a year ago, during a routine massage on a healthy female client, I found a lump on her neck. I told her what I found and moved on to massage other areas. It turned out to be a malignant tumor and I am sad to say that she will not be with us much longer. I just visited her in hospice this week to provide one last massage.
One of the experts in this field is Tracy Walton. I defer to her on all points.
Look for future posts on The Massage Geek Blog on these topics:
- Massage Tutorial for MD’s
- Indications and Contraindications for Massage
- Massage and Nerves
Greg said,
August 16, 2008 at 8:44 am
The person that refused to give you a massage was doing the right thing. If someone is going to work with cancer patient there are a few things they need to know. Such as: proper positioning and staying away from the area where the cancer is located. It’s highly suggested that you ask for a letter from the doctor to provide massage to a patient. It’s the same if a person came in for a neck or back injury. The person who commented on this first does not seem to know the full details. My web site is included.
Massage Geek said,
August 16, 2008 at 10:50 am
Hi, Greg.
Thank you so much reading my blog and taking the time to comment.
You may want to read the post again more carefully and get the “full details.” The client says “…I have had cancer in the past.” S/he does not currently have cancer. There was no reason to turn him or her away.
Even for someone with cancer, I don’t know that a letter from a doctor would have much value. The letter would not provide any instruction for the therapist because doctors don’t know what therapists do. Also, a letter of this kind does not release the therapist from any liability. In fact such a letter may make things worse because the therapist may get a false sense of security and do something contraindicated. I would appreciate your insight on this.
And I agree, as I stated in the original post, that a massage therapist who works on someone who currently has cancer that they should adjust the session as necessary. But even if the therapist does not have the proper experience to make such adjustments, there is still nothing wrong with a light massage that is the equivalent of pressures that occur through the course of a normal day.
Given the prevalence of cancer in the US, this will continue to be an area of interest for massage therapists. Appropriate training should be included in all massage therapy curricula.
Mara said,
November 29, 2008 at 1:22 am
While I agree that this massage therapist did not have to turn away this patient, I do not agree that we should operate without a knowledge of a patient’s medical history. Even though they may not be in active treatment for cancer, there are still some issues that may exist that may be pertinent for an MT (e.g., did they have lymph nodes removed or irradiated?)
Also, I find your dismissal of a physician’s note a little short-sighted. No, the average physician may not know what we do, but a well-trained massage therapist should know what sort information s/he should obtain from a patient’s physician. This dialogue can be a prime opportunity to educate the medical community on the effectiveness and necessity of massage as part of the health care field.
Pum said,
April 8, 2009 at 6:34 am
very thought provoking thread, i have not thought much about the implications of providing massage to a person with cancer. A very interesting read, thank you.
denis said,
August 23, 2009 at 6:28 am
I would turn him away as well.
Tommy M. said,
October 8, 2009 at 8:44 pm
This falls under discrimination. If I have the AIDS virus can I be turned away for a massage? In any other situation the therapist would be sued for such a thing. So why do massage therapists get away with it?
My mom was turned away for having lung cancer. People should educate themselves a bit more on this topic. I am going to stop in for a massage and advise the therapist that I have the AIDS virus and see what they do.
This is why our Country is failing. People who truly need help can’t get it!
My two cents.
James said,
June 10, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I am a Certified Massage Therapist of 1 year at this time, but I have grown up in a house that was medically inclined. My mother is a Nurse Practitioner, my sister is a Unit Secretary, and I myself have had training in recognition of Cardiac Dysrythmias. I also live in CA. I have to say that I am quite glad that I have this particular background because, Californians are starting to see the medical portion of massage more then even 2 years ago.
Now that you know a little about who I am, I hope you can see at least some wisdom in what I say.
I agree that the person that posted the question Should Not have been turned away, but a doctors note would be an invaluable asset to the massage therapist working on them, because it would have informed them what kind of cancer it was, were it was located and the risk of recurrence/relapse. Plus the fact that, although a non-invasive treatment, massage can in fact push back into the system cancer cells in cancer patients, The poison of chemo treatments for current or recent cancer patients, dead cells from chemo treatments causing a clot or other complications. I will admit that many of the medical professionals don’t know enough, or even very much about the effects of massage, HOWEVER, it isn’t a substitute for “traditional” western medicine.
Massage has many many benefits, and Can in fact help with several conditions that are currently diagnosed through medications/pills, there are several things that massage can worsen or be completely ineffective on. I have a personal belief that massage therapists, And MDs should work hand in hand, because as much as people would like to categorize them into different fields, it is all about healing.
Now to Tommy M.
AIDS are contraindicated in the instance that there is an open wound, or blood source on the skin. There are steps that Therapist can take to still work with an AIDS infected client, However, if you are such a candidate you should go to your Dr, MD, medical provider, and ask them to inform you about the positives of massage for this condition, and for the possible complications.
As for your mother, I hope you don’t feel I am over stepping boundaries with this particular subject, but I want to help as best I can with this. Your mother should be able, even entitled to a massage, there are step any massage would Have to take in order for her to experience the benefits, and certain areas, and techniques that they would have to avoid. Its simply a matter of finding the Right massage therapist to do so.
I will be writing articles on both these subjects on my own site shortly.
In actuality I wanted to hold off on this response until I had done so, but I felt that to much time had past since this subject started and I didn’t want any more time to go by in the fear that it would be to late to be helpful.
This is the first time I have read on your site, and I must say that your information is quite good. I would like to talk more about your views.