Lymph Massage or Ordinary Massage during radiation

Azz
Azz Member Posts: 25
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

My radiation oncologist has told me NOT to have any kind of massage while I'm going through radiation. I had planned to work with my terrific MLM therapist through the treatments. Does this make any sense to you? Did any of you have massage during radiation? Or are  you having it now as you are being treated?

The scars on my breast and armpit feel like lumps of coal and I want to massage and try to break them down... when I walk around the house without a bra on my "surgery" breast feels as though there's a rock in it... kind of bumps along as I walk and it hurts. I am in such a negative place right now because the treatments and information I'm getting just don't seem rational - it's as though there is a standard course of treatment and once you're on the treadmill you go through the same process as everyone else no matter what your personal case may require.

Oh well, I guess I should go to bed - I'm so cranky. By the way, has anyone read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell- quite an eye opener regarding cancer research and the vested interests of big pharma and other industries.... I'm sure this book is contributing to my increased scepticism.

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  • Tg5471530
    Tg5471530 Member Posts: 111
    edited January 2011

    I am in the middle of Rads and also experience the "rock hard" feeling at my in scars on my breast and armpit area.  I also have going to PT for a frozen shoulder from the surgery.  I asked my pt therapist a few wks ago if I could get a massage at the holistic center in the hospital.  She just ok'ed me for one this past wk.  13 Rads into it.  But I am not sure if the delay was because of my frozen shoulder or because of my Rads.  But you might want to mention it to your RO or Rads nurse.  Some Rads protocol have differnent rules.  good luck!

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited January 2011

    Azz, when women are dealing with lymphedema before/during rads, their lymphedema therapists usually recommend compression garments (or special lymphedema wrapping of the arm) during that time, but no lymphedema massage to any area affected by the rads (chest/breast/axilla). The reason is that even that kitten-petting-gentle massage can compromise the skin, which becomes tender and fragile during treatment. If an arm is affected by lymphedema, then some therapists will continue to treat the arm only (though that is not especially effective) and wait until rads is over and the skin well healed before doing anything else. Any massage in the radiation field that was firm enough to break up scars or fibrosis would definitely have to wait.

    Waiting to heal is so hard!Frown And there's no way around it that I've found. Just keep reminding yourself that rads DOES end, and then you can begin to take back some control of your life.Smile

    Very gentle hugs,
    Binney

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  • Azz
    Azz Member Posts: 25
    edited January 2011

    Hi Binney... Thanks for the "very gentle hugs".

    Radiation ends tomorrow - thank goodness. I almost quit half way through and then decided that was just stupid. I sure didn't react well to the procedure - very painful, lots of swelling, redness and pimples too - YUK!  So far no signs of lymphedema and will resume massage next week. I'm going to ask about a compression garments for skiing and flying etc just to help prevent any future problems. Now onto the next problem - aromatase inhibitors - have written about that elsewhere. Cheers and thanks.

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