Arm Massage for Lymph Node Dissection Pain

People undergo lymph node dissection for many reasons: for diagnostic purposes, for cancer staging, or as part of the surgical treatment of cancer. Women suffering from breast cancer, if they are to undergo surgery, usually undergo lymph node dissection at one point.

Unfortunately, lymph node dissection can be painful, proving to be another cause for worry for someone who is already suffering from breast cancer. The discomfort right after lymph node dissection surgery may cause a person to have limitation of arm mobility, reduced arm function, or even lymphedema. It is therefore important for someone to have effective pain relief and to be able to move their arms with minimal discomfort.

Many post-operative patients massage their arms or ask others to give them massage therapy. Because of reported relief after massage therapy, a study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of arm massage as a modality that provides natural pain relief for patients who have just undergone lymph node dissection.

Details of the study:

• The study was done to determine the effectiveness of arm massage done by a loved one on a patient who has just undergone lymph node dissection.
• Information was collected from the patients before the surgery, within one day after the dissection, within ten to fourteen days after the dissection, and lastly, four months after the dissection.
• There were 59 women from ages 21 up to 78 who participated in the study. They all had to undergo lymph node dissection and had a loved one with them after the surgery.
• The patients were randomly assigned to groups. One group was to undergo arm massage while the other group will undergo only the usual post-op care.
• The group who was assigned to do arm massage was taught how to perform it properly. The patients’ loved ones were taught proper arm massage. They then performed the arm massage on the patients after their surgery.
• Pain after the surgery and closeness/ support felt by the patients was evaluated to determine the usefulness of massage done by a loved one.

Read the results of the arm massage study here.