Effects of shiatsu massage on relief of anxiety and side effect symptoms of patients receiving cancer chemotherapy

Abstract

Nine patients scheduled for cancer chemotherapy were grouped into two; the strong anxiety group and the weak anxiety group. The relaxation effects of shiatsu massage for these two groups of patients were compared using STAI anxiety score, physical and psychological relief of side effect symptoms, relaxation (RE) scale and skin temperature. The strong anxiety group showed decline in anxiety score after intervention, indicating slight relaxation effects. Both groups had big expectation for psychological relaxation effects of massage. Physical symptoms could not be relieved. In the weak anxiety group, shiatsu massage significantly increased RE score, showing relaxation effects. There was little change in peripheral skin temperature. Above results proved that shiatsu massage would relieve anxiety. It is desired to use shiatsu massage as well as attentive listening to relieve anxiety in the clinical settings.