It’s not just athletes, hockey, football, baseball, or soccer players who use massage therapy. People living with cancer also use it. Why? To relieve their symptoms of the disease, the side effects of their treatments or to reduce their anxiety.

Many studies tend to confirm the effectiveness of a massage adapted and provided by a well-trained massage therapist in people living with cancer.

What to expect

Of course, massage therapy does not “treat” cancer itself. However, it has been shown that massage therapy helps, relieves, and soothes people with cancer, both physically and emotionally. The massage thus improves their quality of life during their treatment. Studies have shown that massage therapy:

• Relieves sore muscles, muscle stiffness, and tension
• Reduces anxiety and stress
• Promotes relaxation and a feeling of well-being
• Improves circulation and stimulates immune defense
• Reduces nausea and headaches
• Relieves sleep disturbances and increases the quality of sleep
• Decrease edema (swelling of an organ or tissue)

Considering massage therapy?

If you are considering a massage therapy treatment, talk to your doctor or nurse. Be sure to tell your massage therapist that you have prostate cancer and tell her about the treatments you have received or are still receiving and the medications you are taking. This information allows the therapist to adjust the sessions and types of massage according to your state of health.

For example, if your bones are weakened because of your hormone therapy or your cancer has spread to the bone (bone metastases), avoid physical manipulation or deep pressure.

Please ensure that your massage therapist is certified by the Fédération québécoise des massothérapeutes and has received special training in massage in the field of oncology.

Enjoy!

Useful links to find a massage therapist in your area
Fédération québécoise des massothérapeutes
Quebec Cancer Foundation
Fondation Virage du CHUM
CanSupport MUCH
Association du cancer de l’Est du Québec
Fondation de la massothérapie

Take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease with our expert lectures, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you.

Do you have any questions or concerns? Above all, do not hesitate. Contact us at 1 855 899-2873 to discuss with a nurse specializing in uro-oncology. It’s simple and free, like all our services.

Pages of our site that might interest you
Want to know more? Just click on one of the links below.
Living with cancer
Managing side effects

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Written by PROCURE. © All rights reserved – 2020