Massage Therapy for People with Cancer

240 pages paperback, approx 30 black & white photographs

Touch is vital to cancer patients' health and well-being and massage is a proven way to receive the benefits of touch. Medicine Hands teaches bodywork practitioners, oncology professionals, patients and family how massage can safely support patients as they receive treatment and during their recovery process.

As with the 1st edition, the focus of Medicine Hands is on the use of touch techniques to provide comfort and ameliorate the side effects of conventional cancer treatment. This new edition, with more than 60% new material and an additional 48 pages, presents brand-new information on the most recent research, massage for children with cancer, the use of bodywork techniques to strengthen the body during and after treatment, and the importance of gathering detailed information about a client's medical history.

Manual therapists such as massage practitioners, chiropractors and naturopaths will understand the issues that are of concern when embarking on work with a person being treated for cancer. At one time, metastasis was thought to be a reason not to massage people living with cancer. However, experience has now shown that the major factors affecting how massage is used are the types of treatment a person has received - chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. Medicine Hands clearly informs therapists how to adjust their massage techniques in order to give massage sessions in a safe, effective manner.

Oncology professionals will find Medicine Hands to be an important resource in advising their patients about the benefits and cautions in using massage as a complementary therapy.

Lay persons, too, will find Medicine Hands to be easily accessible to them as they explore ways to support themselves or loved ones through the rigors of cancer treatment.