It’s perfectly understandable that many people’s perception of having a massage leans towards the “it’s a luxury” end of the scale. Whilst a lot of our clients visit us at The Massage Hub for a treat, some turn to massage and other touch therapies when they are undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions.

Whilst there is no medical evidence that massage is a cure for cancer, it’s widely recognised by Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support that massage can play a vital role in treatment programmes.

Massage for people with cancer might help them to relax and cope with:

• stress
• anxiety
• headaches
• pain

At Tonic Day Spa, our massage therapists have been trained in oncology massage by The Amethyst Trust Training. Set up in 2010, The Amethyst Trust Training aims to meet the needs of people who have experienced cancer and are seeking massage, relaxation and pampering therapies in spas and salons throughout the UK.

We can adapt our range of massage treatments to suit the client and their health needs, using the techniques we’ve learned from The Amethyst Trust combined with our own vast, collective experience.

It’s always recommended that you seek advice from your doctor or consultant before undertaking any form of touch therapy.

During your touch therapy, it is important to avoid massage in certain areas. This includes:

• areas that are directly over a tumour or any lymph nodes (glands) affected by cancer
• areas that are bruised or sensitive
• areas being treated with radiotherapy, during treatment and for a few weeks after it finishes
• the area around intravenous catheters (such as central lines) and pain relief patches
• areas affected by blood clots, poor circulation, or varicose veins.

It is also important to be particularly gentle if:

• the cancer has spread to your bones
• you have a low platelet count (platelets are cells that help the blood to clot).
• If you usually bleed or bruise easily, or if you have cancer in your bones, speak to your cancer doctor before having massage therapy. (Source: Macmillan Cancer Support).

At your first appointment we’ll take the time to discover your medical history and recommend a treatment that fits in with your medical treatment plan. If you are sensitive to taking your clothes off because of your condition, we can work round this. We also have massages where you don’t have to lay on your stomach, such as the hydrotherm massage, where you sit face up, and are supported by cushions of warm water as your therapist works on your body.

Once a client has told us of their preferences, we can adapt things like pressure and positioning to suit. The last thing that any massage therapist wants is an uncomfortable client – so be sure to speak up if something doesn’t feel comfortable during a treatment.

If your doctor or consultant doesn’t endorse massage therapy, we can look at reflexology, reiki, or aromatherapy, all of which can have a positive effect on mental health, stress, and anxiety.

If you’d like to book an oncology massage with one of our experienced team members, please call Lisa or Vicky on 01543 450799.