Discover the benefits of massage for those who have or had  breast cancer.  Learn which types of massage are most beneficial.  And, learn how massage can possibly help prevent breast cancer.

7 Benefits of Massage for Patients with Breast Cancer 

• Nausea reduction in chemotherapy recipients.  Nausea is a major  and common side effect of chemotherapy, but a study out of  Sweden showed a significant reduction in that effect for women who had received 20-minute massages on five different occasions.

• Decreased anxiety.  While anxiety can be beneficial in the short term, allowing you to respond properly to an intense situation, anxiety that persists for a prolonged period of time can weaken the immune system.  Anxiety reduction, therefore, can be an important factor in recovering from cancer.  Various kinds of massage have all proven to be effective in lowering anxiety levels among breast cancer patients.

• Improved mood.  Depression is common among breast cancer patients, with estimates of occurrence ranging from almost 25% to as high as 46%, and those suffering this symptom reporting a negative impact on their quality of life.  Massage, however, has been found to be effective in combating depression in breast cancer patients.

• Reduced fatigue.  Fatigue, which many breast cancer patients experience after chemotherapy treatments, has also been shown to improve with massage.

• Better immune function.  A particularly valuable benefit of massage therapy for breast cancer patients and survivors is that it has been shown to increase both natural killer cells and lymphocytes, which are  white cells crucial to the immune system.  Natural killer cells, which are also part of our innate immune systems, “control several types of  tumors and microbial infections by limiting their spread and  subsequent tissue damage”.

• Pain relief.  Pain is a symptom present not only immediately following surgery but can be a chronic issue for breast cancer  survivors.  Nerve and tissue damage can result from the cancer as well as from the treatments for it.  Fortunately, massage therapy  can provide relief from a range of pain associated with breast cancer.

• Relaxation.  Relaxation may seem like an almost superficial benefit, compared with more urgent concerns like pain, nausea, and immune function, but “after a breast cancer diagnosis, feeling stressed and being less active than usual can contribute to muscle tension and discomfort”.  In addition, stress is known to slow wound healing.  Research suggests that “interventions to reduce the patient’s psychological stress level may improve wound repair and recovery following surgery”.  Massage, of course, is well-established as a stress-relieving therapy. 

Best Types of Massage for Patients with Breast Cancer

• Manual lymph drainage is designed to reduce the swelling that is characteristic of lymphedema and is a side effect of having cancerous lymph nodes removed during a mastectomy.  In addition, “the light, supportive touch of a lymphatic drainage massage therapist will help breast cancer survivors deal with anxiety, pain and difficulty of adjusting to life after treatment”. 

• Cross-friction massage may be effective in altering the tissue of a scar—specifically, reducing its height, itchiness, and pain, among other beneficial changes.  Though the evidence for the  efficacy of remodeling scar tissue using massage is preliminary at this juncture, it does show promise. 

• A common side effect of radiation therapy is fibrosis (excessive fibrous connective tissue) in and around the areas targeted by the  radiation, including muscles, fascia, organs and bones.  For breast cancer patients, this can include the armpit, neck, shoulder, and thoracic muscles and ribs.  Deep friction techniques have been shown to be effective in breaking down fibrotic tissues, relieving the pain and spasms that this radiation-induced fibrosis can cause. 

Preventative Care

• Beneficial for the reduction of pain and swelling of the breasts.  Have had people say:
  • "I feel so much better! I can lay on my stomach again!"

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Text or Call: 214-418-9818

All services can be performed at:  By Appointment Only

6400 Monahans Court, Plano, TX  75023

On-site - in your home/office with a $25 local surcharge, plus mileage fee.  
Any other agreed upon location (facility charge may apply, as well)

Travel and travel time are a consideration in pricing.  I am licensed in the state of Texas, and located just north of Dallas in Plano, Texas.  Servicing the local cities of Plano, Richardson, Allen, McKinney and Frisco.