| Regardless of how it is phrased or worded, one | | | | present will cause it to metastasis (break down |
| question which must always be asked of a | | | | and to spread or to increase its rate of growth). |
| potential massage therapist is the following, "Which | | | | Others, however, deny that claim as |
| health conditions would you consider preclusive of | | | | unsubstantiated and untrue. It is best to play it |
| massage therapy and why?" And the correct | | | | safe and not massage the tumor region or its |
| answer, whether stated in exactly those words | | | | surrounding soft tissues. |
| or different ones, should be, "There are certain | | | | Lymphedema (the buildup of lymph in soft tissue |
| health conditions which must rule out massage | | | | which leads to swelling of the limbs). Certain types |
| therapy and those are ..." And he or she must | | | | of massage therapy in patients who have had |
| name the following: | | | | their lymph nodes removed due to cancer may |
| Cancer. Massage therapy comes in different | | | | lead to lymphedema. |
| forms which affect the body differently. There | | | | Flu-like symptoms. Patients who are going through |
| are also many different types of cancers and | | | | chemotherapy can often develop symptoms |
| patients may be at different stages and receiving | | | | which look and feel like the flu after having been |
| different treatments. In some cases and certain | | | | treated to certain types of massage therapy. |
| types of massage therapy may lead to life | | | | Pain. Cancer patients frequently suffer a great |
| threatening results while in other cases with | | | | deal of pain and most massage therapy |
| another type of massage therapy the results | | | | techniques can result in some temporary pain |
| may be extraordinarily beneficial. Because of such | | | | immediately after the treatment. That may |
| complexity, it is essential to consult with the | | | | translate to added pain when too much of it is |
| medical provider who knows the particulars of the | | | | already present and that can be quite literally |
| case in question before proceeding with a | | | | unbearable. |
| massage therapy of any kind. | | | | Post-surgery. Shortly after surgery, the wound is |
| The potential risks involved in performing | | | | still in the process of healing visually on the |
| massage therapy on cancer patients do not | | | | surface of the skin as well as internally. Applying |
| inevitably discard the entire concept of massage | | | | pressure to the site may cause a series of risky |
| therapy but it does mean that extra caution must | | | | health problems such as reopening the incision, |
| be practiced and, perhaps, moderate to extreme | | | | trigger internal and/or external bleeding or blood |
| alteration of the treatment is in order. And the | | | | clotting, and so on. |
| health risks are the following: | | | | Skin conditions. Areas where the skin is infected, |
| Fractures of bones. Certain forms of cancer and | | | | inflamed or covered with rashes or sores should |
| their treatments weaken bones to the extent | | | | not be massaged as it can lead to worsening of |
| that they can easily break under pressure. | | | | the condition. |
| Bleeding. Many cancer patients have the tendency | | | | Even when taking into account all the risks which |
| to bleed easily. Deep tissue massage can cause | | | | have been mentioned above, massage therapy |
| dangerous internal bleeding. | | | | can still be very beneficial to most people in most |
| Spreading of cancerous tumors. There is an | | | | situations. Rather than discounting it completely |
| ongoing debate about the effects of massage | | | | due to specific concerns, I would advise consulting |
| therapy on tumors. Some claim that applying | | | | a physician. |
| vigorous pressure to the area where the tumor is | | | | |