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Cancer: 3 Truths About Oncology Massages and Healing Touch

By: Lake Forest Staff

April 2, 2019, 11:00 am - Categories: Fitness

Healing touch is a biofield therapy based on ancient Eastern healing practices. The practitioner uses a light, gentle touch, and/or makes sweeping hand motions near the patient’s body to restore and balance energy. During an oncology massage, the therapist gently applies pressure while kneading the patient’s muscles and joints. Find out how healing touch and oncology massages lessen the pain and anxiety caused by cancer as well as its associated treatments:

Relieves Pain
Researchers from Allina Health at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Minneapolis, reviewed data gathered from over 1,800 cancer patients who had received an alternative therapy in combination with traditional therapy at least once while hospitalized. These cancer patients reported an average of 47 percent decrease in their pain levels. Therapeutic body massage, reflexology, acupressure, and acupuncture were the most effective for reducing pain. Lung, bronchus, and trachea cancer patients reported the greatest reduction in pain.

Reduces Anxiety
Researchers from Allina Health at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Minneapolis, reviewed data gathered from over 1,800 cancer patients who had received an alternative therapy in combination with traditional therapy at least once while hospitalized. These cancer patients reported an average of 56 percent decline in their anxiety levels. Prostate cancer patients reported the greatest decrease in anxiety.

Low-risk Alternative
Bodywork is a safer and affordable solution to managing cancer-related pain or anxiety in an acute care setting; these alternative therapies may reduce the usage of high-risk and addictive opioid drugs which treat cancer-related pain.

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Reference:

https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-01-22-oncology-massage-and-healing-touch-are-natural-alternatives-for-pain-relief-in-cancer-patients.html