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Receiving soothing massages for eight weeks after the death of a loved one can provide much-needed consolation during an intense, stressful period of grieving, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. Hand and foot massages can help console bereaved people, Swedish researchers have found.

The study was comprised of 18 adults from 34 to 78 who'd recently lost a loved one to cancer.

They were offered a 25 minute foot or hand massage on a weekly basis for 8 weeks, and were allowed the choice of having them at work, home or in a hospital. Only three of the participants had previously received a soft tissue massage. “Details about the massage study were included in an information pack provided by the palliative care team when people's relatives died,” says lead author Dr Berit S Cronfalk from the Stockholms Sjukhem Foundation, a Swedish palliative care provider. “Soft tissue massage is gentle, but firm” explains Dr Cronfalk, who carried out the research with colleagues from the Karolinska Institutet. “This activates touch receptors which then release oxytocin, a hormone known for its positive effects on well-being and relaxation. “In this study the hand or foot massage was done with slow strokes, light pressure and circling movements using oil, lightly scented with citrus or hawthorn. “The relatives were then encouraged to relax for a further 30 minutes. “Baseline data was collected on the participants during a 60-minute interview before the program started and a further 60-minute interview was conducted a week after the massage program finished.

The interviews with the participants, which have been published in the Journal's annual complementary therapy issue, showed that they derived considerable benefits from the program. Nine participants chose foot massage, eight chose hand massage, and one had both types of massages. Only three had previously received a soft-tissue massage. A follow-up six to eight months after the study showed that 17 of the relatives had moved forward with their lives, but one had suffered further emotional problems after the death of another close family member. “All the people we spoke to used the word consolation” says Dr Cronfalk. “The massages provide physical touch and closeness and helped to diminish the feelings of empty space and loneliness that people felt. “”Study participants also told us that the massages helped them to balance the need to grieve and the need to adapt to life after the loss of their relative. Want to find out more about emotional health for your needs. categories: loss of a loved one, massage therapy aids grief, emotional health, massage therapy, death of a loved one, grief, loss

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