Breast/Chest health is too often ignored until after a problem arises. It’s an area of the body with powerful associations that sometimes make individuals hesitant to seek care, despite the fact that the vast majority of them experience breast discomfort at some point. Whether it’s breast congestion, abnormalities such as lumps or cysts, diagnostic tests, or surgical procedures, any breast problem can create heightened anxiety and stress that can diminish overall health.
Seeking out an RMT trained in breast/chest massage can encourage:
- Increased circulation of blood and lymph
- Reduced congestion in breast tissue
- Relief from mastalgia (breast pain)
- Improved posture
- Restored range of motion in the upper body
These physical improvements may provide huge psychological and emotional benefits, especially for those recovering from breast disease and the aftermath of invasive treatments.
For specific information on top surgery rehabilitation
Improving Posture and Range of Motion
Therapeutic breast massage will loosen the tissues of the chest, shoulders, and neck, using a combination of massage techniques, movement, breathing, and stretching. Whether your breasts are healthy or compromised, every woman can benefit from this work, and it can be a powerful aid to healing after surgery or radiation therapy.
These procedures can leave uncomfortable scar tissue, adhesions, and muscle imbalances. Restricted movement, altered posture, and chronic pain often result. A skilled therapist can release restrictions, which in turn can reduce or eliminate pain and improve range of motion.
During your initial visit, your therapist will take time to go over your health history and goals for the session, assess your posture and range of motion, and answer any questions you may have.
Therapeutic breast massage involves little direct contact with breast tissue, and none at all with the nipple or areola. It requires active participation at times, as the therapist guides you through breathing and assisted stretching. Gentle pressure and movement are used to release tight connective tissue, adhesions, and contracted muscles in the chest and shoulder areas.
Techniques used may include swedish massage, myofascial release, trigger-point therapy, joint mobilization and manual lymphatic drainage. Specific scar work post surgery will encourage increased mobility overall.
It is important to know that massage therapy will not treat cancer itself but is a great complementary therapy for conventional treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
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