Massage is an AWESOME way to help mitigate side effects from chemo. I use it daily during my bad week and then after my treatment the following week. This has been another life saver for me. This has also been one that I have had issues with sharing because the type of technique my husband and I use is very specific to my brand of oils. I will try to keep this broad though because I know massage in general can be so beneficial and using oils in conjunction with that adds more benefit.
As you can see by the picture I also have shown the technique I use with others because it's something that can be done at home by a family member, friend that wants to just help or whomever you know that is willing. The technique can easily be used in between professional massages, I would actually recommend that because a massage therapist is trained and able to hit areas that are problematic for those going through chemo and post surgical. I will get into that in a minute. The benefits from the technique I use is that it hits 4 problem areas most people have so while I use it for cancer right now, it has and is used with my hubby and kiddos also to help them.
The areas it helps to deal with are;
Stress Management - OK, so first off who DOESN'T have need for this in their life? Second, obviously dealing with all that you do having and treating cancer this one is key to keep under control. Stress leads to a "fight or flight" response with our bodies which is very hard on the body systems. Managing stress can help reduce illness, keep blood flow even instead of the shunting that happens during "fight or flight" taking away from organs not designed to help us in times of fear or danger. Living in an fight or flight mode also puts stress on the heart which doesn't help when you are using the meds they use during chemo that can effect heart rate and cause some "pump" issues. Hypertension from stress can also have negative effects on the body as a whole so making sure to take some time for yourself to let your body relax and return from that "fight or flight"/stress response is important.
Immune Support - This is a no brainer during chemo when your immunity is already compromised due to a lot of different factors. Most of us get exposed to so much just going out and about it's always good to be working on building that immune system. That's why probiotics are an important part of what I do daily. That coupled with the Cellular Complex, which also helps support immunity, exercise (ha, I bought a Fitbit to help motivate me to be more active), diet and using oils that help support immunity has REALLY helped me to stay healthy and strong though out the initial diagnosis, surgery and now chemo. Having this in the technique I use is just one part of a whole system to keep me fighting and ready to take on the next round.
Inflammatory Response - Almost everyone deals with inflammation but then to add surgeries and chemotherapy that destroys cells and in my case is delivered directly into my abdomen (other chemotherapies are done somewhat the same in that they are delivered directly into the effected area). Helping to decrease all inflammation allows for the healing process to move quicker. While I believe that our body does what it's supposed to, even with inflammation, too much of a "good thing" generally leads to issues, so helping the body to heal by allowing my blood flow to increase and less inflammation can be beneficial.
Homeostasis - Your body is always constantly attempting to keep itself in a balanced level of being. God beautifully designed that. At the end of this technique the use of Peppermint and Wild Orange is used to help stimulate and ground your mind back to a good place as a perfect end. Citrus oils are generally the main "go to" for issues that deal with supporting mood. Peppermint supports not only the mind but blood flow so as a completion oil it continues on what the light touch has been doing as it keeps that blood flow going after the technique is done.
My husband is SO wonderful and does this technique on the evening of treatments and we really try hard to get them in daily on my bad week. I have to admit that being it's such a light touch I always am amazed at how good I feel afterward.
While I have not been able to get to a massage therapist I do highly recommend doing so. Coupling it with a good chiropractor makes the benefits even greater. Massage therapy increases blood flow, and adding oils that support only enhance the experience. I generally, in the past, have chosen more balancing oils. My balancing oil of choice contains a blend of spruce needle//leaf, ho wood, frankincense resin, blue tansy flower, and blue chamomile flower essential oils in a fractionated coconut oil base. I love the calming, relaxing and balance I get from that blend. I dilute it down further in an Apricot oil base so that I can have it used on my entire body without getting too much essential oils all at once.
(Research article and abstract on aromatherapy and massage therapy use on women with breast cancer)
Massage therapy also can be used to target specific areas of pain, help break up adhesions from surgeries thus reducing stretching, tearing and pain from them. Obviously I have mentioned the blood flow increase but the touch itself is very therapeutic and stimulates the limbic system. A good massage therapist can help mitigate many issues that you have from chemo or the cancer itself. It definitely helps your body to heal itself using it's own natural methods. God has a wonderful and beautiful design to how we were created, our body has many methods to help itself achieve what it needs to stay in homeostasis.
There are many different types of massage therapy and asking which type may benefit you the most for whatever you may be dealing with may lead you to discover a different massage type that you may not have thought of.
I realize I mentioned the technique listed above, for those interested in learning more on that please feel free to contact me privately for more information. My e-mail is lifeontheurbanfarm(at)gmail(dot)com (I have to write it out to keep from "bots" or "spammers" just write out my email in the conventional form when emailing me).
Before trying ANY of the hacks I post PLEASE make sure that you discuss this with your healthcare provider to ensure they don't have concerns or objections due to a potential to interfere with your treatment. I have a very open and honest dialog with my whole team. Know that there are times that they have voiced concerns. I use research and common sense in what I do to help mitigate my treatment issues, they have all been approved and talked over with my team. I encourage others to do the same if they use these. Sometimes using tools such as Pub Med helps to bring researched based rationale into why I use the oils I do, and allows my team to make a researched based informed decision also.
Disclaimer: Please understand that this information is for educational purposes only. I am a mom, I am not a doctor, I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have learned in doing these types of projects and through my research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. Don’t take my word for it…you should always engage conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional to determine potential drug interactions and safety of use. Always when using essential oils for a medical condition or if on prescribed or over the counter drugs, seek advice from a medical professional (DR./PA/NP/Naturopath/pharmacist) on whether the oils will cause potential adverse reactions.
These practices are what work for me and my family, if you chose to take and use them I encourage you take my research and do some of your own prior to using the tips I give. While I do a lot of research when putting these posts out it generally fits into what I would do with and for my family. If you have specific issues, allergies or conditions these practices may not work or may be detrimental to what you are intending to do for yourself. Again, I encourage wisdom and discussions with your healthcare provider to determine safe use of all posts that I provide that can be used for health reasons
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