Nancy Clare Murphy LMT, CLT

Oncology Massage, Certified Lymphedema Therapist - Woodbridge/New Haven, CT

It was not very long ago that it was thought that cancer patients should never receive massage for fear of spreading the disease. In fact, when I went to massage school that’s just what we were taught. But over the past twenty years or so, the thinking on all that has changed. Numerous studies have shown that with advanced, specialized training massage therapists can provide safe and effective therapeutic touch for those who are currently in treatment, and for those who have a history of cancer.

After taking a detailed medical history, gaining an understanding of the nature and location of the disease, and adhering to the massage therapy pressure scale protocol *, the many benefits of therapeutic massage can be shared with those who can benefit significantly from them.

In fact, many of the leading cancer centers in the U.S. today offer massage therapy for their cancer patients because they understand that while in treatment patients are being touched a lot, but not necessarily in a way that feels good to them. They know from the feedback patients give them that receiving a massage can make a real difference.

The “big five” symptoms that cancer patients report as most difficult for them are: pain, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Research studies have shown a significant reduction in all five symptoms in patients after receiving massage, providing relief that can last hours, days, or even weeks.

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