Massage therapy against pain in cancer treatments

Physiotherapist from Istanbul Gelisim University Lect. Çağıl Ertürk emphasized that pain is the most common and debilitating symptom among cancer patients and evaluated the results of Oxford University's research on ‘the effect of massage therapy on pain’.

Ertürk stating that massage can reduce pain perceptions of adult cancer patients up to 60 percent, said: “Massage by the physiotherapist appears to be useful in reducing pain and anxiety.”

 

Ertürk stated that after cancer treatment, effects such as fatigue, pain, neuropathy, lymphedema, sleeping difficulty, weight loss, cognitive dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and fear of recurrence may occur in the long term and added: “Cancer and its treatment are stressful and reduce the quality of life for cancer patients and their families. Pain is the most common and debilitating symptom among cancer patients. Pain affects 50 percent of patients receiving cancer treatment and 90 percent of patients with advanced cancer experience.”

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