Cinco Vidas

You’d think with all of our advanced technology and medicines, cancer patients wouldn’t have to experience high-level pain anymore. But according to a recent survey commissioned by the American Pain Foundation, many still are—with some being told by their physicians that they just have to tough it out.

“I see patients who are seriously under-medicated and do have pain,” says Colleen O’Neil, RN, breast cancer survivor, and peer counselor to cancer patients. “It makes me very frustrated. There are many approaches to pain control and they should all be considered in an effort to ease the suffering of cancer patients. People shouldn’t have to be in pain just because they have a cancer diagnosis.” (more…)

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice foot rub now and then? It’s soothing and relaxing, and can ease aching muscles and joints. However, according to recent studies, a certain type of foot massage—called reflexology—can do a lot more than that. Researchers from Michigan University found that reflexology was the most effective complementary therapy (when compared to scalp massage and self-initiated support) for breast-cancer survivors, reducing depression and anxiety, and increasing quality of life.

This isn’t the first time reflexology has been shown to benefit cancer patients. A British study found that compared to regular foot massage (in which reflexology pressure points weren’t stimulated), reflexology improved quality of life in 100% of the participants, compared to only 33% of the regular massage group. “Not only did the patients in this study enjoy the intervention,” said the researchers, “they were also ‘relaxed,’ ‘comforted,’ and achieved relief from some of their symptoms.” (more…)