Massage therapy in oncology: giving yourself a moment of respite

Massage therapy in oncology: giving yourself a moment of respite
Massage therapy in oncology: giving yourself a moment of respite

Cancer be you

Cancer requires specific care and appropriate medical monitoring, but all alternative practices that help ease the mind and reduce daily stress play a vital role in the lives of those suffering. Specialized massage therapy treatments are one of them.

Published on October 4, 2024 by Cécile Moreschi

@BV:Specialized massage reduces everyday tensions – Photo Adobe Stock

The news reached Johanne Latulippe, an experienced massage therapist who works for the Palliacco organization and also provides her services to the oncology and palliative care department of Rivière-Rouge hospital.

Ms. Latulippe reveals that the basic training to become a massage therapist in Quebec requires 400 hours of training, to which must be added an additional 300 hours of specialized courses to work in the field of oncology: “We go through all kinds of subjects. You also have to take a look at yourself, in relation to being around very sick people, to see if you are capable of doing that. » In her work, she is constantly confronted with death, illness and its repercussions on those close to the person suffering from cancer.

She adds that some massage therapists “risk massaging people who have cancer, but there are still important things to know and target based on current treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy. »

Cancer be you

Ms. Latulippe explains that care must be particularly adjusted in the case of breast cancer: “Some women need to have lymph nodes removed and this case requires us to adapt our massage gesture, at the risk of creating lymphedema. The lymphatic drainage technique helps avoid this complication, but not all massage therapists are familiar with it. »

She adds that it is not so much the announcement of a diagnosis that massages must be adapted, but rather with the treatments that will follow: “Chemotherapy, for example, causes a lot of damage to internal tissues and it is necessary in this case to offer more superficial massages.

Benefits for the sick

During a massage, people living with cancer experience a break in their routine: “It’s a moment that belongs to the person, a time for themselves. This moment of rest and relaxation helps you forget about the illness for a little while. In addition, patients confide a lot. Our listening is precious. »

However, it can happen that the receipt of care changes depending on the progression of the disease and the periods: “We forget that the first week after chemotherapy treatment, because people are often in bad shape and do not want to to touch. It is best to provide care before treatment or the second week after. »

Still too few practitioners

Ms. Latulippe deplores the fact that training is still private in Quebec, and therefore not affordable. She goes on to relate that, for the 10 years she has been working in a hospital environment, the service has constantly had to be increased because of the incessant demand for massage therapy care. Additionally, even though patients and field workers like nurses and attendants appreciate its services, “massage therapists are not yet well accepted in hospitals. We do not have a regulated order like surgeons or other practitioners. »

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