Complementary therapies and relaxation

In this blog, our content channel editor Lucy talks about complementary therapies and relaxation techniques. It’s only natural that you may feel some stress or anxiety if you are dealing with cancer or care about someone who is. At times, the stress can become so overwhelming that you may not know how to deal with your emotions or be able to find a way to help relax your body and mind.

What are complementary therapies?
Complementary therapies are therapies sometimes used by people affected by cancer. They are often used alongside conventional medical treatments to help relieve symptoms or side effects of these treatments.

Complementary therapies may help you:

• cope with the stress of cancer and its treatment
• relax
• lift your spirits when you’re not feeling your best
• reduce anxiety and tension in the body
• feel less stress, tired and anxious
• sleep better
• improve your quality of life
• feel more in control.

The positive effects
Before joining Macmillan, I interned at Cancer Support Scotland, a charity that offers free complementary therapies to anybody affected by cancer, including family, friends and carers. I saw that people dealing with cancer felt the complementary therapies had a positive and uplifting effect on them.

The service users felt that an hour of therapy each week was very supportive and helped them to manage their stress. The therapy offered them something relaxing to look forward to and time out from the constant worry. Some patients received certain types of complementary therapy directly before their treatment, such as visualisation. This helped them to cope with their anxiety, by enabling them to re-apply the relaxation techniques in the waiting room and during treatment.

Many individuals told us that the complementary therapies were helpful in coping with treatment. They also found them supportive in coping with everyday life following their diagnosis.

Safety
Doctors don’t usually have a problem with their patients using complementary therapies. But some therapies, such as massage or aromatherapy, may not be suitable if you have a particular cancer or are having certain treatments.

Before using a complementary therapy, always talk to your cancer doctor or nurse first to check whether it could interact with your cancer treatment.

If you’re having a complementary therapy, it’s very important to tell the complementary therapist you have cancer.

Types of complementary therapy
Many hospitals and cancer support centres offer complementary therapies - so check what services are available at your hospital. There are different types of complementary therapy available and you may want to try a few to find out which you find the most relaxing.

• Massage therapy - There are different types of massage therapy. Some are soft and gentle, while others are more active. Your therapist will be able to adjust the pressure for your comfort. Cancer doctors and complementary therapists will usually advise you to try gentle massage.
• Reflexology - This is a technique where pressure is applied to specific areas of your feet that are believed to be connected to various organs, systems and nerves in the body. It has been used to try to improve symptoms related to cancer treatment, such as feeling sick, tension, pain and fatigue. No medical evidence shows that it’s effective when used in this way, but it can help people feel more relaxed and help deal with stress and anxiety.
• Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy is the use of natural oils, which are thought to be beneficial to your body and mind. The oils are massaged into the body but can also be used in baths and through diffusers. There is no medical evidence to show that aromatherapy helps with the symptoms of cancer or side effects of treatment. But many people find it a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Check with your doctor or nurse before having aromatherapy. Some types of oil are not suitable for certain cancers or treatments.
• Visualisation (mental imagery) - The therapist guides you through images created in your mind of a peaceful or happy place. This may be a memory of a place or time that has a special meaning to you and ideally evokes positive memories. You can then apply this relaxation technique to manage stress in difficult situations. Some studies have found that women having treatment for breast cancer have improved their mood using visualisation.

More information
You can read more about complementary therapies in our booklet Cancer and complementary therapies. It includes information about how to choose a complementary therapist and is a balanced guide to the complementary therapies used by people living with cancer. The booklet also includes a list of relevant organisations that offer complementary therapies in your area.

To see what else Macmillan's cancer information team has been blogging about, please visit our blog home page! You can subscribe to receive our blogs by email or RSS too.

We're with you every step of the way

The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.

Comments? Feel free to add them below (you need to be logged in).

Keep in touch Follow Macmillan’s cancer information team on Twitter @mac_cancerinfo