A story about mammograms…
Can we talk about breast / chest health?
This fall I had my tenth mammogram . Since I have dense tissue I also always have to have an ultrasound. I always go to the same place, b/c I like the rad tech there. (Great providers make a difference!)
It was business as usual , but right before a holiday weekend I got the results. They wanted to do another set of tests, with possibly a biopsy at a different location. The first available appt was several weeks away.
Can we talk about what a patient's mental health is like during those long gaps while you wait?
When I finally went in for the follow up tests, the MD came in to give me results. She explained that the biopsy wouldn't be necessary because the issue was that the machines at my previous test weren't up to date enough to capture the clearest images. With the newer machines here, they could see that there was no concern.
!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean yay! Everything’s ok this time, but WHYYYYY ?
What does this have to do with massage ? Breast massage really helped me during this time. The work I received by caring massage practitioners in my practice helped to reduce the trauma and normalize these parts of my body. The discomfort of the exams was reduced by massage therapy and my nervous system also got a reset (or two, or three).
As I've received this work more frequently , I've really wondered why we don't regularly treat this region of the body with massage therapy.
I also know from my clinical experience that folks who are in acute recovery from top surgery can really benefit from chest work that includes manual lymph drainage, and later, may also need scar tissue work to prevent fascial adhesions that can limit range of motion.
There are so many benefits to breast/chest work including:
◦Perinatal support – massage can reduce pregnancy/ postpartum symptoms and support lactation
◦General breast / chest health (PMS and other concerns)
◦Body awareness / positivity / neutrality
If you are a client who is interested in breast / chest massage you can book a service dedicated to that or incorporate it in to your regular massage session.
If you are a massage therapist who would. like to take 4 hour Intro to Therapeutic Breast / Chest massage course for NYS / NCBTMB hours, email me at kiera@mamassage.org
