Massage and Wellbeing: Supporting Comfort Through Cancer, Menopause, Pregnancy and Stress

Life brings different physical and emotional challenges, from managing everyday stress to navigating pregnancy, menopause and serious health conditions.

During these periods, relaxation, physical comfort and appropriate supportive care play important roles in overall wellbeing.

Massage therapy uses therapeutic touch and soft-tissue techniques to address muscular discomfort and create opportunities for relaxation. Beyond traditional spa treatments, massage is also used in clinical and supportive care settings.

Research has identified benefits of massage across several populations. A meta-analysis by Moyer et al. (2004) found that massage treatments were associated with reductions in state anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate.

The role of massage differs according to individual health circumstances. Understanding these differences helps clients and wellness providers make informed decisions.

This article explores massage in four areas: cancer care, menopause, pregnancy and stress management.

1. Massage and Cancer: Supporting Comfort During Treatment and Recovery

Cancer and its treatments can create substantial physical and emotional challenges.

Pain, fatigue, anxiety, and changes in everyday functioning are among the experiences addressed through supportive cancer care.

Oncology massage is a specialised form of massage adapted to the medical circumstances of people living with cancer.

Massage as Part of Supportive Cancer Care

The Society for Integrative Oncology–ASCO guideline (2022) recommends massage for pain in palliative or hospice care settings.

This recommendation establishes a specific role for massage in supportive oncology care, rather than cancer treatment itself.

Appropriately delivered oncology massage focuses on comfort, individual needs and treatment-related precautions.

Why Specialised Training Matters

Cancer treatments can affect skin integrity, blood clotting, bone strength and physical sensitivity.

Massage therapists working with oncology clients need to consider surgery, radiation therapy, medical devices, lymphoedema and other treatment-related complications.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) identifies safety considerations associated with massage, particularly for people with certain medical conditions.

Oncology massage should be provided by a suitably trained practitioner in consultation with the individual's healthcare team.

Massage does not treat cancer or replace oncology care.

2. Massage and Menopause: Supporting Relaxation Through Change

Menopause is a natural biological transition associated with changes in reproductive hormones.

Symptoms differ between individuals and include hot flushes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, fatigue, and muscular or joint discomfort.

The Australasian Menopause Society provides evidence-based information about menopause and the range of symptoms experienced during this transition.

Massage and Relaxation

Massage provides a dedicated opportunity for relaxation and muscular comfort.

The Moyer et al. (2004) meta-analysis found reductions in state anxiety and certain cardiovascular measures following massage treatment.

These findings support massage as a general relaxation practice. They do not establish massage as a treatment for hormonal changes, hot flushes or other menopause-specific medical symptoms.

Prioritising Wellbeing During Menopause

Menopause often coincides with professional, family and personal responsibilities.

Scheduling massage creates dedicated time for relaxation and self-care.

Massage can sit alongside appropriate medical care, physical activity, sleep practices and other wellbeing activities.

Women experiencing persistent or disruptive menopausal symptoms should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

3. Massage During Pregnancy: Supporting Comfort and Relaxation

Pregnancy brings significant changes to posture, weight distribution and physical comfort.

Back and leg discomfort, fatigue and sleep disturbances are common experiences during pregnancy.

Pregnancy massage adapts massage techniques and positioning to the needs of pregnant clients.

Research on Pregnancy Massage

A systematic review by Mueller and Grunwald (2021) examined randomised controlled trials of relaxation massage during pregnancy and identified benefits across several physical and psychological outcomes.

A separate systematic review and meta-analysis by Hall et al. (2020) reported reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms among pregnant participants receiving massage, while also identifying limitations in the available evidence.

These findings support massage as a complementary relaxation and comfort practice during pregnancy.

Pregnancy Massage Safety

Pregnancy massage requires modifications to positioning, pressure and treatment techniques.

Australia's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby guidance recommends consulting a doctor or midwife and choosing a practitioner with appropriate pregnancy massage training.

Individual medical circumstances and pregnancy complications must be considered before treatment.

4. Massage and Stress: Encouraging Relaxation and Recovery

Stress affects both physical and emotional wellbeing.

During demanding periods, people commonly experience muscular tension, difficulty relaxing and changes in sleep.

Massage is widely used as a complementary relaxation practice.

What Research Shows

The Moyer et al. (2004) meta-analysis identified reductions in state anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate following individual massage treatments.

These findings provide a research basis for massage as a short-term relaxation intervention.

However, claims about massage dramatically lowering cortisol require caution.

A quantitative review by Moyer et al. (2011) found that massage did not consistently produce statistically significant reductions in cortisol compared with control conditions.

The benefits of massage should therefore be described through established findings rather than exaggerated claims about stress hormones.

5. Integrating Massage With Other Wellness Services

Massage is one of several services used to support relaxation and physical comfort.

Wellness centres also offer modalities such as float therapy, mindfulness and gentle movement.

Each service provides a different experience.

Massage involves therapeutic touch and soft-tissue techniques, while float therapy reduces external sensory stimulation.

A Floatation-REST study by Feinstein et al. (2018) reported reductions in state anxiety and muscle tension alongside increased relaxation among participants with high anxiety sensitivity.

These findings provide evidence for the relaxation effects of floating in the studied population.

They do not establish that combining massage and floating produces superior outcomes.

For clients with cancer, pregnancy complications or other medical conditions, each service requires its own suitability and safety assessment.

Final Thoughts

Massage plays different roles across cancer care, menopause, pregnancy and stress management.

Clinical guidance supports oncology massage for specific pain-management circumstances, while pregnancy research identifies benefits relating to comfort and psychological wellbeing. Broader massage research also demonstrates short-term reductions in anxiety and certain physiological measures associated with relaxation.

For menopause, massage provides a general relaxation option, although menopause-specific medical benefits require stronger evidence.

These distinctions are important for both clients and wellness providers.

By communicating established benefits accurately and respecting individual health needs, wellness centres can offer massage as part of a responsible, client-centred approach to wellbeing.