massage

I went to a Spa at the weekend and intended to get a full body massage. The form had a box for cancer on it so I ticked CLL watch and wait. The staff would not do the massage as they were concerned they could ‘spread it’ by doing the massage! Any thoughts?

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

Hi Pastieman,

-

What you have encountered is a common misunderstanding of our CLL cancer (and most leukemias and lymphomas) vs solid cancers.

With blood cancers the cancer cells are already circulating throughout our bodies, in the blood and lymph system, so anything you or a therapist does cannot increase (or decrease) it further.

The only caution is if you have enlarged lymph nodes or spleen, a vigorous massage may cause some localized pain. Obviously if that happens, tell the therapist to reduce the intensity.

-

Len

[Hidden in reply to lankisterguy]

Thanks

[kitchengardener2 in reply to lankisterguy]

That's good to read. I love a massage but although I told the therapist where my raised lymph nodes were she was reluctant to even give me gentle massage. I used get real comfort from an occasional treat. I have a contact who administers Reiki and I was thinking about trying that.

[Stavrou1 in reply to lankisterguy]

That is interesting to hear . I went to a spa a few weeks ago , and I would of loved to have a massage , especially with so many pains . I was told not if your still on treatment!. We learn something every day !.

[cajunjeff]

On the one hand I think its is ignorance on their part, but its probably understandable and well intentioned ignorance.

I suppose the correct approach would be to try to explain it to them. For my part, if I want a massage in the future, I’ll probably just check the no box for cancer. There are lies and then there are white lies.

Frankly, I thought when I read the thread title that this was going to be one of those massage made my cll better by chasing the cll cells out of my nodes threads, not that massage made it worse.

[Hidden in reply to cajunjeff]

Thank you

[ViPOR in reply to cajunjeff]

Interesting assumption on their part..people do lymphatic massages to help the flow so I would check with your oncologist. I have one foot that is swollen somewhat and I just massaged it today..Exercise is good for swelling..I have 12 year hx.of aggressive Follicular NHL transformed into a bigger B cell ( more like DLBCL)..I am in your wonderful group from my start due to taking an Ibrutinib trial and so many CLL patients on it when I had it..I needed to hear about side effects ( had awful leg and feet cramping when taking it and was on it for 15 months then it failed me..and went onto 2 CAR T trials ( 3 year CR first and 6 months second and then on a VIPOR immune therapy trial ( Venetoclax, Ibrutinib, prednisone and Revmilid that has me in a 40 month CR presently..still always being monitored…Best wishes for your health!

[opal11uk]

Beauty Salons, Spas etc., have those forms as a protection for their staff and their businesses because their treatment is physical and can do harm, therefore the indemnity. They are also trained on their courses as to whom they can and cannot treat, they will not differentiate between cancers as to them cancer is cancer. The same applies to sunbeds and other equipment they may use. This applies to any professional that is administering treatment on customer or patient so its safeguarding both you and them.

[Hidden in reply to opal11uk]

Many thanks for the info. I thought as much!

[LeoPa in reply to opal11uk]

That was my first thought too.

[Gampo]

Hi, I had the same experience some years ago, the spa was scared to give me a massage once I ticked the box and considering we live in litigious times i certainly understood their caution. I checked with my oncologist and he said there was no problem with getting massages. Since then I simply leave that box unticked.

[Katie-LMHC-Artist]

I was told by a massage therapist that massage spreading cancer was an old belief years ago with massage therapists. Some massage therapists still have that belief. There are massage therapists that specialize in oncology massage if you can find one. Hope this helps!

[RSilver]

A massage therapist that I had seen said she was trained in providing a massage for cancer patients that assisted in lymphatic drainage.

Richard

[Katie-LMHC-Artist in reply to RSilver]

Great reply! Thank you. Some cancer centers have alternative practitioners connected to them. Some massage therapists donate their time to cancer centers and also have ways to contact them outside the center. You could also call a massage school to get names and resources. 🎄

[Newdawn Administrator]

I remember asking this very question early in my CLL journey and the responses were more mixed then. Understandably, massage therapists are not created equal but most shy away from massaging areas that seem visibly affected by cancer. This can be very applicable to us with lymphadenopathy and in truth I’d never have a deep tissue massage on those areas and it would have been too painful anyway. I did gently massage my own head, neck and jaw when my nodes were swollen and painful just for relief. I’d have been reluctant at that point to have a professional massage except for my feet and hands. I’d never let a masseur touch the spleen area.

Importantly, massage should be given with caution to people with reduced platelets due to the possibility of bruising.

I can’t have massage now due to severe spinal stenosis because it would be too easy to manipulate the spinal area wrongly.

I think a gentle massage by a skilled person could be very therapeutic but I’d still be avoiding obvious nodes that are swollen although arguably, moving the cells into the peripheral blood makes them easier to destroy!

This is the advice from Macmillan in the U.K.

macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf...

Newdawn

[joed1rt]

I hope not. I have been getting monthly massages for years and have had no ill side effects. I didn't let the massage therapist know about my CLL because I didn't think it mattered and I prefer to keep it private.

[Deilginis]

I’m delighted to read this. I’m SLL, on O&V and my nodes have shrunk massively. I’d told my therapist to avoid the stomach area and my spine (due to spine issue). She can presumably do no harm in the stomach area seeing as nodes are so reduced. Hurray. Last time I had a massage it was hands and feet only!!

[GoingDownFighting]

Hello - the cancer center i go to actually has a massage therapist on site that does massages for free during my IV of O treatment (neck, shoulders, hands and feet). I can also sign up for an all body massage (at a very reasonable price) at the same facility. They offer acupressure classes and acupuncture as well. Perhaps the cancer center you go to has something similar, or at least maybe they can direct you to a facility that does. I hope you find something!

GDF