Massage therapy and cancer: at the time of diagnosis

By Janet Penny, RMT

A diagnosis of cancer can stop you in your tracks.

There is usually a lead-up to the diagnosis – tests, rounds of medical appointments
and a feeling that something just isn’t right.  Still, there can be no preparation for hearing
that you have cancer.

In the days and weeks that follow the diagnosis your body and mind react with a range of emotions. There is information to be gathered and sorted out as well as treatment decisions to be made.  Along with this is often worry about the future, how your family will be affected, whether or not you can work and the impact on your income.

A stressed body works less efficiently than it should.  Tight muscles, stiff joints, shallow breathing and poor sleep are all hallmarks of a body under duress.  Massage therapy provides a time to stop, allowing your body to restore some of its natural energy.

Improved energy is invaluable when making decisions, recovering from a round of chemotherapy and getting back into the social and recreational activities you love.

Rest is not a luxury, it is a necessity for your body and mind to function optimally.

Be well.