Effects of massage therapy on cancer patients - Research Proposal Example

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Effects of massage Thearpy on Cancer Patients Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................3 Introduction..................................................................................................................................4 Literature Review..........................................................................................................................5 Research Question and Hypothesis...............................................................................................8 Design Methodology.....................................................................................................................8 Summary and Evaluation...............................................................................................................10 Dissemination................................................................................................................................11 References.....................................................................................................................................12 Abstract Currently, most hospitals are increasingly applying massage therapy to alleviate symptoms among cancer patients. An evidence from a randomized trial supports such a practice. Among the numerous studies regarding the relationship between message and cancer patients, none has covered massage therapy effects in a numerous number of patients (MacDonald, 2007). Nevertheless, therapeutic massage has impacted positive emotional and physical benefits to outweigh the impacts of treatments relating to cancer. The objective of the research study is to examine the effects of massage therapy on improving the quality of lifestyle among patients undertaking treatments for cancer problems. The method of collecting data will involve the use of pre/post assessment designs, the convenience, prospective sample pilot case study. This method will evaluate sleep quality, nausea, pain, quality if living and anxiety among cancer patients. The treatment under this study will constitute of a single treatment that will last for thirty minutes, every week for three successive weeks (Walton, 2010). The instruments for measuring the research outcomes are similar to those that past researchers used. Such outcome measures that researchers used in therapeutic massage studies will assist in measuring the quality of life, health status and assist in documenting reliability and validity. In a nutshell, the study focuses on proving that massage therapy has positive effects in improving the life and health of cancer patients. Massage therapy assists in ameliorating the cancer treatment through reducing the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. Introduction Massage refers to the manual manipulation of soft tissue, which include causing movement, holding and/or exerting minimal pressure to a person’s body. Consequently, massage therapy involves an exercise of massage conducted by an accredited expert with the aim of attaining positive well-being nd health in clients. As a separate related health and Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) exercise, massage therapy involves distinct massages, as well as, using numerous additional therapeutic modalities such as dry needling and cupping (MacDonald, 2007). Although experts administer and recommend massage therapy to numerous levels by patients and healthcare practitioners, this study proposes the need for a research to evaluate the safety and efficacy of massage therapy on cancer patients. There are tremendous massage therapy reviews that past researchers have carried out (Walton, 2010). More so, the study will involve the inclusion criteria and search strategies to examine both single and multiple massage therapies. Studying the effects of massage therapy on cancer patients is essential because it will outline the importance of touch to normal survival and development. Touching: the human implication of a person’s skin clarifies a crucial message involving a tactile stimulation. Moreover, this topic is suitable for examining the utilization of a professional touch as a tactic of relieving pain on cancer patients and other additional problems (Walton, 2010). In addition, the study at hand will examine the effective use of massage therapy, whether it would provide an inexpensive and a non-invasive adjunct to managing pain and additional symptoms that cancer patients experience. The research study will involve collecting data from hard to manage and related clinical circumstances. Most of the clinical settings offer massage therapies to assist in relieving muscular pins, aches, facilitating sleep and relaxation to cancer patients. It is out of this point that this research proposal outlines the importance of carrying out a study to investigate the effects of therapeutic massage in relieving symptoms in every cancer patient. There are numerous cancer patients seeking for massage therapy, while at the same time, have limited information regarding its effects (MacDonald, 2007). For instance, at least twenty percent of the cancer patients based in the United States of America search for massage therapy. Additionally, approximately seventy percent of the hospitals based in the United Kingdom offer message therapy services. In as much as the treatment guidelines like the “National Comprehensive Cancer Network” include massage, it is crucial to examine its effects in all refractory cancer pains. The research study at hand will aim at conducting distinct trials to attract a suggestion. For instance, the study will examine whether massage therapy can decrease pain and aches on cancer patients at different stages of illness (Walton, 2010). The largest research study experts conducted involved randomizing at least eighty-seven cancer patients in hospitals undertaking massage therapy and/or to organize on crossover intervals. Such a study showed that anxiety and pain decreased by at least forty percent during massage therapy where control sessions showed little or no change (Walton, 2010). The proposal outlines the necessity of investigating whether massage therapy is superior to control sessions in eradicating fatigue, nausea, anxiety and improving the well-being of a cancer patient. Literature Review The health providers and cancer patients encounter numerous essential decisions and issues to decide on in relation to cure and treat complex diseases such as cancer. The initial and most crucial priority involves getting the best cure for cancer. More so, other patients search for solutions to place cancer into a stable state, eradicate all applied treatments such as peripheral edema and eliminating the secondary effects of cancer. Many cancer patients develop numerous symptoms during the beginning days of the illness. In case the patient fails to detect this second killer disease at an early stage, she developes pain during later days of cancer, which is a crucial symptom. The pain related to cancer remains the most critical consideration among the modern oncology fields. Some past authors prove that an accurate assessment of a patient, as well as, the appropriate use of analgesic ladder helps people to manage at least eighty percent of pain related to cancer. Well, the past clinical reality in most hospitals portray a different angel indicating that cancer pain is a critical problem among patients. Most, if not all, the cancer patients nowadays use conventional medical treatments that modern oncology offers as a means to eradicate cancer. Consequently, an increasing number of cancer patients use Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) either alone or combine with a traditional treatment (MacDonald, 2007). Such efforts aim at relieving secondary symptoms and improving their quality of life. Massage therapy or MT is among the numerous forms of CAM that cancer patients use all over the entire world. In frequent times, the medical experts provide all cancer patients with conflicting and different information regarding massage therapy. As some providers of health care to patients promote MT, some believe that it is a contraindication (Walton, 2010). Well, at least twenty-six percent of cancer patients in America receives massage therapy from cancer centers regardless of the difference in its clinical advantages. L. Cobrin, in his finalization of modern database on the basis of effects of massage therapy on cancer patients, concluded: “The oncologist should feel comfortable discussing massage therapy with patients and be able to refer patients to a qualified massage therapist as appropriate.” Massage refers to the soft tissues manipulation through the use of hands with the aim of generating positive impacts on the way the various systems function in a human’s body. According to past reviews and research studies, massage therapy has shown numerous benefits to all cancer patients (MacDonald, 2007). This is through its control of cancer pain by eradicating posterior horns in the spinal cord and obstructing the additional movement of noxious stimuli/pain. In addition, massage therapy has positive effects on the mood of a cancer patient through lifting up the level of dopamine. The increased dopamine level decrease both the stress and anxiety level of a patient. The objective of carrying out this literature review is to benefit and offer scientifically rich information not only to massage practitioners, but also to health care providers, nurses and physicians (Moyer & Dryden, 2012). The scientific information relates to the safety and effectiveness of massage therapy as a crucial stage towards the road of treating a debilitating pathology such as cancer. In addition, this literature review aims at examining how effective MT is in reducing depression, anxiety and pain in all patients undertaking analgesic oncological health care. This review aims at sourcing several studies that evaluates the effectiveness and effects of massage therapy in order to manage clinical symptoms, medical conditions and health related problems (Davies, 2012). This will include some studies that report on the security of undertaking massage therapies. In addition, the research will also consider some studies that assessed the physiological impacts of massage therapies. Such studies are essential because they might offer support to additional future research and their application under a clinical environment. Research questions The questions under this review are: • Can MT decrease pain level in cancer patients undertaking palliative oncological health care? • Can therapeutic massage decrease the existence of depression in cancer patients undertaking palliative oncological health care? • Can MT or massage therapy lower down the anxiety level in cancer patients undertaking palliative oncological health care? Design or methodology The research will include secondary and primary studies like case studies/series, cross sectional studies, comparative studies (case controlled, cohort nd quasi-RCTs), RCTs and systematic reviews. Such studies will comprise of both the qualitative and quantitative studies. The study at hand will include all the reviews during the carrying out of the explicit and systematic search technique that is suitable for addressing the review questions (Cassileth, 2005). These reviews might present either the qualitative or/and quantitative summary, alongside the evaluation of the quality of methodology in the study whether in the presence or absence of critical appraisal variables. The study populations will include the research fields assessing the measurable effects of massage therapy on cancer patients relating to studies such as: • Special groups such as obstetrics and paediatrics (adolescents, infants and neonates) • Medical conditions and sick body systems reliable to allopathic principles • Physiological change • Exercise and sports • Clinical symptoms The research study will limit the participants only to human theme without restricting the on the bases of age. The interventions in the study will involve executing the massage therapies either solely or combining more than one (Moyer & Dryden, 2012). The method od collecting data will involve direct contact with the participant without supplementation or utilization of devices; equipments; tools such as dry needling or acupuncture; seeds; bands. The study will collect data through first hand materials and source information from the participants (Walton, 2010). More so, the study will include some manual therapy procedure that massage therapists use such as profound transverse friction, myofascial release and trigger point therapies. In case, the massage component in the study falls under a treatment era, and if it measures the impacts of massage therapy in the absence of confounding factors, this study will include disciplines like beauty therapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and myotherapy (Davies, 2012). The study will also include internal and anatomical massages like vaginal, rectal, ocular, prostate, cardiac and perineal. The primary reviewer will assist in implementing the search technique in this study. Subsequently, the study will screen the abstracts and titles that are available in the Endnote library with the aim of detecting the duplicate and irrelevant studies (MacDonald, 2007). The research will include any study that fails to state the exclusion criteria like the use of massage therapy devices. This will assist in reducing the chances of losing essential and valuable evidence in the study. The topic areas and study populations of this study will include participants portraying clinical symptoms and those undergoing medical conditions categorizing them into distinct subgroups (Moyer & Dryden, 2012). Initially, the study will name the subgroups depending on the significant population categories and allopathic medical areas of expertise. The additional participants in this study will be: • Those portraying clinical symptoms, but in the absence of established diagnoses • Healthy and well • With a medical diagnosis, but fails to into a significant population subgroup or allopathic medical expertise. A physiological study is the one that measures the physiological change after a massage therapy. More so, the study will use thirty-six subgroups to file the distinct participants under the included study (Davies, 2012). The subgroup under obstetrics will include a study of massage therapies in the postnatal, perinatal and antenatal periods. Summary and Evaluation The evidence under this research proposal shows a summary of the present research study on the use and effects of massage therapy on cancer patients. In addition, this review shows a strong evidence in support of massage therapy for vomiting, nausea, chronic illness management, stress, anxiety, pulmonary function and delay inception of muscle soreness (Cassileth, 2005). The proposal concludes and shows conclusive and consistent evidence that therapeutic massage is safe and effective. The implications of this research proposal indicate the need for additional quality research cases especially RCTs. The additional research should be sufficiently powered by strong methodological qualities. The future field study on the cost effectiveness, feasibility and prolonged effects of massage therapy are essential to define the span for massage therapies (Davies, 2012). The publications of focused and clear case studies are essential because they will enable the upcoming researchers elicit the promising research areas. Implications of carrying out the research proposal is to highlight the significance growth and volume of evidence related to massage. This it shows an increasing interest on how effective MT is in the therapeutic modality. Dissemination It would provide no sense to conduct a research and fail to share the findings with the respective beneficiaries. After this research, it is essential to distribute the findings through articles both in hand copies and over the internet (Cassileth, 2005). In addition, it is vital to present the findings at national clinical related conferences. In case the television hosts consider this research as the best, it is crucial to present it on TV. References Cassileth, B. R. (2005). PDQ integrative oncology: Complementary therapies in cancer care. Hamilton: BC Decker. Davies, P. S. (2012). Compact clinical guide to cancer pain management: An evidence-based approach for nurses. New York: Springer. Dryden, T., & Moyer, C. A. (2012). Massage therapy: Integrating research and practice. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. MacDonald, G. (2007). Medicine hands: Massage therapy for people with cancer. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press. Walton, T. (2010). Medical conditions and massage therapy: A decision tree approach. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Read More