The body of a woman is complex and amazing. Having such a complex system often means there are special needs for women that men would not require. For example, a woman may find herself having trouble conceiving, overwhelmed with pain from pregnancy, or facing the battle of breast cancer and may look to others for help. Massage therapy is the natural friend that many women lean on in such instances. It is a drug-free approach to difficult women’s issues and a way for women to de-stress. Stress is the common factor in many painful times and massage has been proven to help. In this report we will look at three topics (Infertility, Pregnancy and Breast Cancer) and see how each is helped with massage. We will dive into incredible statistics and studies that show the advantage of adding massage to such life events. Finally, we will take a glimpse into actual accounts from women who went through such life challenges and found massage therapy to helpful.
Let us begin with the rising topic of infertility. According to The National Vital Statistics Report, April 1999, “The peak childbearing years for women in the US are between the ages of 25 and 29. More women are having their first child later in life. In 1970, 11,704 women had their first child between the ages of 35-39. That number jumped to 44,427 in 1986. By 1997, the number leapt to 88,501. Little more than 2,400 women had their first born child between the ages of 40 and 44 in 1970. By 1986, the figure doubled to 4,419. Yet in 1997, more than 15,550 women in this demographic gave birth to their first child.” The number continues to rise as time goes on and the rise is matched by the number of fertility clinics. Women find themselves focusing on their career in their 20’s, working hard to reach different goals than their mothers may have had. Once women enter their 30’s their focus changes to children, but their body is already undergoing changes and they may have a harder time conceiving. In 1995 the US Department of Health and Human Services found that 6.1 million, 10% of married couples had impaired fecundity (either infertile or had problems conceiving or carrying a child to term) in 1995.
Massage Therapy helps with infertility through preconception massage or also known as fertility massage. Fertility massage combines cranial sacral work, pituitary stimulation, jaw release, acupressure points, castor oil packs, and reflexology to open, cleanse and balance the body in preparation for conceiving. It also breaks up adhesions in the pelvis girdle supporting optimal blood and nerve flow. Its use of meridian points, pelvic rocking, jaw release and reflexology are all included to support conception. But a major component of this type of work is stress relief. A recent study by Wasser, Sewall, and Soules in the journal of Fertility and Sterility suggested that psychosocial distress contributes significantly to the etiology of some forms of infertility. Negro-Vilar in the journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, reported that Environmental factors are often invoked as contributing to many cases of unexplained infertility. These are just two studies out of several that are now suggesting an apparent link between stress and infertility. Another major stress that a woman may go through in her lifetime is pregnancy. A woman’s body goes through tremendous changes during pregnancy, when rapid weight gain causes a change in her center of gravity and her posture. As her abdomen grows, the curve of her lower back increases and her knees rotate outwards. These changes put extra strain on the muscles of the hips and lower back. Because of these changes, pain tends to develop in the muscles of the neck and back and in load bearing joints in the hips. Walking becomes more difficult during pregnancy. Women develop a waddling gait which William Shakespeare called the “proud walk of pregnancy”. All of these conditions are more common in older mothers and women with less muscle tone.Major benefits from receiving massage during this time include: increasing blood circulation to the mother, the placenta and the baby, reducing muscular tension, improving mood, and promoting better sleep. But the many positive effects also come with the relief of anxiety, stress and depression. After a pregnancy massage women often report that their back pain, symphysis pubis pain, and neck and shoulder pain are greatly diminished. They also report that they sleep better for a day or two.
A study reported in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology evaluated massage’s effect on pregnant women. Researchers found that a 20-minute massage, twice a week resulted in reduced anxiety, improved mood, better sleep, less back pain and fewer complications during labor. Field,T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Hart, S., Theakston, H., Schanberg, S., KuhPrn, C. & Burman, I., Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy, Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 20, 31-38, 1999.
A pregnancy massage is typically done on a woman in her 2nd or 3rd trimester, but appropriate pregnancy massage that observes precautions and contraindications can be very beneficial to pregnant women in their 1st trimester. Pregnancy massage is done in a side-lying position with pillows supporting the woman around her body. Proper positioning is important for the comfort and safety of her and her child. Certain acupressure points on the body are avoided because they are believed to help induce labor. A knowledgeable therapist is important for this reason and should have certification in pregnancy massage.
Here is a list of common pregnancy massage myths:Myth #1Pregnancy is an illness Pregnancy is a natural adaptation of the female body that supports the gestation of a baby or babies. Myth #2Pregnancy massage is the same as massaging someone who is not pregnant. Pregnancy massage affects two or more people – mother and baby or babies! Excellent pregnancy massage requires modifying client positioning and massage techniques for both the mother’s and baby’s safety while focusing on the unique anatomical, physiological and emotional changes of pregnancy.
Myth #3You should only use a light touch or pressure with pregnancy massage. The goal of pregnancy massage is to stimulate a parasympathetic response of the mother’s autonomic nervous system – rest and relaxation – and to reduce the myofascial tension that may contribute to the common discomforts and pain syndromes of pregnancy. Like the rest of us, pregnant women have different pleasure/pain levels. Some pregnant women relax with and enjoy a deeper touch, while others prefer a more moderate or lighter touch. Skilled massage therapists establish good communication with their clients about their pressure and closely track their client’s responses during the session. Myth #4You should not massage or use reflexology on pregnant women’s feet, because they will go into labor. Pregnant women need and benefit from foot massage and reflexology when the massage therapist observes the contraindicated reflexive zones and acupressure points.
This information was taken from the Cortiva Institute. This can be a very stressful time for a woman and she benefits greatly from massage. But she is not the only one to benefit, it also helps her child. Pregnancy massage has been studied in the connection of reducing the risk of premature births. With the calming nature of massage it had been known to reduce the levels of stress hormones in the mother and thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful full-term pregnancy.
The Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C supported a study that found, “in addition to relaxing the mother, massage might bring into balance stress hormones including cortisol and norephinephrine. Elevated stress hormones can lead to complications during pregnancy including low birth weight and even miscarriage”. Each massage is different in its own way with clients having unique pain and tension. However, there are common discomforts and changes that link pregnant women together. With each session a therapist learns more about the woman’s specific needs and should address them carefully. Knowledgeable therapists look forward to the opportunity to ease away pain and stress during this time in a woman’s life and more research supports the positive connection.
We have looked at how massage can benefit women during times of pregnancy and trying to conceive, but it also can support women through a difficult battle. This is the battle of breast cancer. Statistics from the American Cancer Society regarding invasive cancers are extremely sobering. At some point, usually in later life, over one in three American women will be affected, and nearly one out of two men. Cancer Facts and Figures – 1998. American Cancer Society. 1998. The emotional and physical challenges of breast cancer can include relationship changes, muscle soreness, anxiety about the future, and a lowered self-image. Each woman handles the stress differently and may look to alternative health modalities to help ease her. Medications are not always enough for a person going through this painful time. Massage is a natural way for women to get back in touch with their bodies and give themselves the nurturing relief they need.
In Liverpool, England a Nurse researcher, Susie Wilkinson, of the Marie Curie Cancer Center studied the effects of a series of four weekly, full-body massages on the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. The most common sites of cancer in the participants were breast, lung, gynecological and head and neck. Fifty-six out of the 87 subjects had metastatic disease. Patients were referred to the project primarily for anxiety and tension, followed by pain and depression. Sixty-eight percent of the massage recipients returned their questionnaires. All of them said that relaxation was a positive result of massage. Aside from relaxation, 33 percent reported pain reduction, while 20 percent reported other physical benefits such as decreased edema, increased mobility, and improved skin condition. Wilkinson, S. Get The Massage. Nursing Times. 1996;92 (34): 61-64. More is on the way…Shannon Grant, LMT, Owner, The Art of Touch Therapeutic Massage Center
