Easing Mind, Body

With complementary care

Therapeutic treatments, cannabis relieve cancer side effects.

While far from a spa, the chemotherapy room at Christus St. Vincent Regional Cancer Center provides a small piece of luxury.

John “Obie” Oberhausen approaches each patient receiving chemo and asks if they would like a foot massage. The massage therapist uses his oncology massage training to provide a little bit of comfort and a few moments of smiles amid a disheartening scene.

“When you’ve got somebody sitting there, rubbing your feet and telling you stories, you’re not thinking about your treatment the same way,” Oberhausen said.

As cancer patients cope with emotional and physical side effects, some try massage therapy treatments, acupuncture and cannabis products to ease anxiety and soothe their body as it battles cancer.

Oberhausen said massage therapy is one way to alleviate symptoms from cancer treatment, such as nausea, fatigue and anxiety. He and three other massage therapists give free foot massages to patients in the chemotherapy room as well as treatments designed for cancer patients at the Christus St. Vincent Holistic Health and Wellness Center.

“Oncology massage is really about being aware of these different ways that people are fragile,” Oberhausen said, adding that it’s also about providing them with a compassionate touch and the benefits of massage therapy despite this frailty.

He said he commonly aids patients suffering from neuropathy, a numbness or a feeling of pins and needles in their hands or feet. Anxiety, though, is the main symptom he addresses; sometimes nurses call him to help lower a patient’s blood pressure.

“Massage is somebody touching them without sticking needles and doing tests and things like that,” Oberhausen said. “It’s a chance that while you’re getting treatment, you’re also getting the comfort of it.”

While some people refuse his offers to rub their feet, Oberhausen said most who accept are relieved of at least some of their neuropathy. Even if someone doesn’t think it’ll be beneficial to them, Oberhausen said there’s no harm in trying.