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Posted on: January 25, 2013

As a massage therapist, you know that your hands can bring relief and comfort to your clients. However, massage therapy can also be used in a therapeutic sense for those who are battling serious illnesses. Massage is becoming a popular part of treatment for cancer fighters around the globe.
There are numerous reasons why massage can be an excellent choice for cancer patients. The medical community recommends massage as a complementary treatment. Massage should not take the place of traditional cancer treatments, but it can be used in combination with most treatment plans. Over half of the treatment centers of the National Cancer Institute offer massage therapy as an option to cancer patients, and numerous studies have found the benefits of massage for those who are fighting cancer.
There are few things in life as stressful as dealing with a chronic illness. When a patient is battling a disease, stress can keep the body from being able to fight properly. Stress also lowers the ability of the immune system to fight infection.
Massage therapy is the perfect compliment to cancer treatments because massage has been proven to relieve stress and increase relaxation. In addition, massage therapy by a trained practitioner can also decrease fatigue. Many forms of cancer cause pain in the body, and massage can be used to soothe sore and tired muscles.
When you have a cancer patient contact you for a massage, it is always a good idea to make sure that the patient has their doctor's approval. You should also ask the patient if there are any areas of the body that you need to avoid. When you are working with any massage patient, it is important to vary the amount of pressure based on the client's comfort level, and this is even more vital when dealing with cancer patients.

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