My wife is a certified massage therapist and has many hours of advanced massge therapy training; deep tissue, Swedish, Shiatsu, Pregnancy, Lymphatic, sports injuries, hot stone, etc. She mentioned that no one offers courses for dealing specifically with cancer issues but recommended that if you want to try massage therapy to get a note or release from your doctor first.
Most people, by the way, have neck problems from spending too many hours in front of a computer. That and the back are the main reasons people go in for massage.
I bought a TENS unit a while back and I have been experimenting with that as well.
It's too bad that there aren't massage therapy courses dealing specifically with cancer issues. It seems like it is such a needed area. There is a massage school where I live about a mile from my house and soemtimes it seems like every other person I meet in this town has been there--TONS of massage therapists around, but I haven't found any who have that specific training either.
I think it probably depends on what type of massage you get how important it is to check with your doctor. I may have mentioned this before but I occasionally got foot massages when I was going through rad and chemo. I figured it couldn't hurt because it was in a part of my body far from the part being treated and also from any internal organs that might have been affected by the chemo and it was wonderful to have my attention directed away from those other parts of my body to my feet. Also it seemed to "balance out" the sense of pressure on my head I had from being pinned down by that darn mask every day.
I can testifuy firsthand to neck problems from being in front of the computer! I thought it was so wonderful that I could swithc to teaching online since I would be disabled in terms of doing my job otherwise--no way could I teach three classes in the classroom, if I speak for about 1/2 an hour I get very hoarse still and am hoarse for the rest of the day.
But teaching online as much as I am has been really hard on my neck. if it isn't one thing it's another!
Most need for massage is stress related as well. The foot massage is actually what they call reflexology (she does that as well).
The doctors note would be for areas impacted by the radiation and/or surgery. Most massage therapists would want to be safe there.
According to my doctor laptops are the worst for ergonomics. I have seen some use a standard USB keyboards in lieu of the built in "chicklet" keyboard. Also using a mouse doesn't help much either (hard on the rotator cuff). I switched over to a trackball years ago - even for the laptop.
I also always use a headset when using the telephone and a bluetooth earpiece or speakerphone when using the cell.
Gary, yep, I have a laptop that I carry back and forth between the office and home. Time is tight right now, but I'm trying to get a regular keyboard I can hook up to at work and something I can put the laptop on which will elevate the laptop screen. We had a union person that was supposed to help with ergonomic concerns like this but she left for another job and I have to deal with other folks in computer support who realy could care less about ergonomics and can't seem to wrap their minds around why I'd need a keyboard when I have a laptop.
For the setup at home I'm saving for a nice large monitor I can plug the laptop into as well as a keyborad and my dear husband has promised to build me a shelf which will set it all up on my desk the way I need it --which means it probably won't be set up until this summer after the remaining 6 weeks of the semester since he is also an academic!
Meanwhile I have a good physical therapist....
I agree about geting doctor's approval before other kinds of massage (other than foot massage I mean), especialy to areas that have had surgery or radiation. I asked my ENT about the craniosacral and neck massgae before I went and he seemed to think it might help--especially the part where she works in my mouth and near the jaw.
You can probably get a useable workstation cheap at Ikea or even free through Craigslist in your area. I see free cumputer workstations all of the time. USB keyboards are around 10 bucks. Trackballs are more expensive - around 50 bucks and up. Logitech makes a very cool wireless one and well as a wireless keyboard but they are preium priced. Large LCD or TFT monitors have really dropped in price and that's another option for your laptop.
Hi, just thought I'd chime in about the foot massage. My daughter visited us the other day and suggested I give my husband a foot massage, that it may actually help with the nausea. I tried it, and although I am not sure if the nausea wasn't calming down on its own, but the therapeutic benefits of the foot massage were worth it no matter. He really enjoyed it thoroughly and I have been giving him a foot massage every night since. It relaxes him and makes him feel better for awhile, and it costs nothing. Every little thing helps!
Michele
Good Samaritan Hospital in Balitmore offers free massage to patients who have orthopeadic surgery. The woman is paid by the hospital and comes around to the rooms and offers her service.
I give GSH great reviews for this special effort. i had a hip replacement in Jan. I got the foot massage, and my wife did too (for a small fee).
it definately made us both feel better.
cu,
larryb
I am a Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, if you can't find a massage therapist, find a book or website with a reflexology chart. Work on those areas of your feet and hands for pain relief and relaxation, no need to be a pro.. get a little ball with probes (fantastik fingers) and it will really help.
My Dad gets physiotherapy at home once a week. All she really does on each visit is come for 20 mins and talk. She showed him the excersises on the first visit; and he does them each day, sometimes as often as 5 times a days. We would like to get message thereapy; or advise on what messages to do. He had bilateral ND.
The physio therapist said to message the neck in circular movements. The surgeon didn't give us any instructions on messaging; only when asked about the swelling in the cheaks; he said to message the face downard.
Good idea about the dr's note; I think it makes both the therapist and the patient feel more comfortable.
My Dad's neck is very stiff from the ND surgery. He can turn to one side pretty good; not the other as much. He can't lift his arms up very high.
I message his back daily with one of those little vibrating hand things; just because it feels nice. We don't want to do anything we shouldn't do to the neck shoulders and scar.
Thanks
LisaB
oops I meant to add to my post:
We can't find a licensed lymphatic massage therapist in Toronto. I don't even know if we need one. No one has said he has lymphadema and the swelling is down alot (it does go up and down a bit still); he's looking so much better.
So do you only need a lymphatic massage if you have lymphadema? or is that good for anyone who has had ND or rad to the neck?
Gary maybe you or your wife can answer that.
Thanks a bunch!
LisaB
LisaB, I am not Gary. However, I had enough swelling that I thought I looked like Elephant Man. A therapist showed me how to work on it and it was amazingly successful.
With two fingers, rub gently in a circular motion in one spot, then move slightly to another spot. I did this while reading, in the car, watching television, and the result was impressive. Just remember, do not press hard.
Hi Gary if possible; can you ask your wife to check out this list of Massage Therapist here in Toronto and let me know what she thinks; because they don't have MLD next to their names.
http://www.lymphontario.org/ Thanks
LisaB