Massage

Massage involves rubbing or kneading soft tissues of the body. Your skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are soft tissues. Massage can be used at the same time as medical care to help reduce pain and improve recovery. It can also reduce stress and anxiety.

Is it safe for me?

Anyone can receive a massage.  However, techniques may need to be adapted for patients with heart, lung, blood, and other chronic conditions.  Check with your care team if you have a serious chronic illness to see how your massage therapist can safely treat you.

Plan for it

Massage can be done by trained massage therapists, some nurses, or friends and family members. There may be special instructions that caregivers may need to follow to adapt massage for your health needs. Your care team can advise you and your caregivers about any restrictions.

Look for a massage therapist who is licensed or certified and who has experience with your condition.

Practice doing it

If you are a caregiver, remember that even simple hand holding or light pressure on the back of the hands, lower arms or back may reduce pain and stress.

When performing massage:

• Create a warm and relaxing environment for massage.
• Use a lubricant such as mineral or baby oil, cocoa butter or lotion, unless your health care provider tells you not to do so.
• Warm the lubricant in your hands.
• Ask if you can remove clothing from the area to be massaged.
• Avoid positions that are uncomfortable for your loved one and regularly ask if what you are doing is uncomfortable. Stop if it is.
• Avoid bony areas of the body

How to do massage:

• Massage the area of pain or tension and surrounding tissues above and below the affected area, remembering not to massage incisions.
• Massage firmly, slowly and rhythmically, without producing pain.
• Use heavier pressure on upward strokes (toward the heart) and lighter pressure on downward strokes.

Need help or have questions?

If you have questions about this resource or any medical condition, always talk to your healthcare professional.