Value of massage therapy for patients in a breast clinic.
This article examines interest in massage therapy and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with breast disease. Surveys were mailed to 63 patients who had a breast abnormality or a recent diagnosis of breast cancer and received complimentary massage therapy at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, from February to April 2005. Thirty-five patients responded (56% response rate). All participants felt that massage therapy was effective in helping them relax, and 34 felt that it was very or somewhat effective in reducing muscle tension. More than 75% reported that massage therapy was effective in reducing fatigue, creating a general feeling of wellness, and improving sleep quality and their ability to think clearly. Although this study was small, the findings show that massage therapy may help patients with breast disease relax and feel better overall.
Pruthi
Sandhya
S
Division of General Internal Medicine and the Breast Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. pruthi.sandhya@mayo.edu
Degnim
Amy C
AC
Bauer
Brent A
BA
DePompolo
Robert W
RW
Nayar
Veena
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008405:Massage; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*