Breast Massage...

Breast massage. This phrase rarely evokes mild reactions from people. Clients are either immediately curious, or shocked and quite sure that it is not for them. Whatever your own response, breasts are body tissues with their own specific wellness needs, and they do reap benefits from regular massage (either through self-massage or from a therapist). While therapeutic breast massage will not be for all women, I wanted to share the principles behind it as an important part of breast care.              

A Cultural Discomfort with our Own Breasts. A quick search online for "breast massage" yields mixed results: therapeutic offerings for women with breast cancer peppered with pornographic videos. Another few searches through an online medical journal databse reveal that references to breast massage are only as post-operative treatments for women recovering from breast cancer. Like much of our modern medicine, breast care is limited to dealing with disease and does little for prevention and wellness. While this is our North American reality, I would argue that perhaps this is not necessarily the case worldwide. In fact, I can report anecdotally that the vast majority of the clients who have come into my office requesting breast massage have been women who are either immigrants to the US, or whose families are bicultural. In fact, some of my European clients (not all) have noted that breast massage is a regular part of a massage treatment in their home country.

In our culture, breasts are extremely sexualized, and any public display can be quite unsettling -- just think of the breastfeeding mother kicked off a Delta Airlines flight last year. Sometimes women feel - or are directly told - that their breasts are not their own: breasts are for our lovers, for our babies, for fashion. They are held up against often impossible, cultural ideals of shape, size, firmness and texture. They can be a source of pleasure and power for some, and a source of unwanted sexual attention and vulnerability for others. They are a deep source of shame for some maturing girls who either try desperately to enhance their small breasts or conversely roll their shoulders forward in attempt to hide their suddenly ample bosoms. They are squeezed into all sorts of restrictive garments, depending on the occasion. Many women's breasts are altered surgically and are left with scar tissue and pain - whether the surgery was for cosmetic reasons, or medical for biopsies and lumpectomies, or removed altogether. For all these complexities, many of us are uncomfortable with our own breasts. And despite the positive attention given to breast cancer education and research over the past few years, many of us are still hesitant to do monthly self-examinations - never sure of the difference between healthy breasts (with cysts and fibrous tissues), and more ominous signs. Afraid of confronting the dark specter of breast cancer, some women avoid their breasts all together.

A little more on breast tissue...Breasts are body tissues with their own wellness needs. The breasts have no muscle tissue, but rather are comprised of fat, glandular tissue and ligament support structures. This tissue is in a constant state of flux - even during our monthly cycles as our bodies prepare for potential pregnancies. Our breasts go through dramatic changes during pregnancy and lactation, more than doubling in size for some women. And, as we age and move toward and through menopause, our breasts also continue to change as the glandular tissue is replaced by collagen structures, and eventually by fatty tissue. During these shifts in the breast tissue, many women experience pain, tenderness or other discomforts, as well as develop benign conditions ranging from fibrous tissue to cysts.        

One key element to maintaining breast health is maintaining optimal circulation and lymph flow in our breast tissue. Not only do most of us limit this critical circulation from the constant use of restrictive garments, but most of our daily activities in our culture leave our bodies tight and constricted through the chest region (driving, computer and phone usage, etc.). The lymph system is an important part of our immune system - helping detoxify the body and distribute immune cells. And while other parts of our bodies use muscular contractions and movement to pump the lymph along, the breasts have no such option. Given this, any assistance with optimizing lymphatic movement and circulation in our breast tissues is an important part of breast wellness. Breast massage and stretching are a few important ways you can help counteract the impact of these constant restrictions on circulatory flow in your breasts.

Breast Massage. Breast massage can be performed by you or by a therapist. Below are just some of the major reasons women seek breast massage treatments (See Debra Curties for more) :                               

• reduction in congestion, edema and lymphedema

• help with becoming more comfortable with post-surgical changes

• education on self examination and self massage

• minimizing restrictions from surgical scars

• reduction of tenderness and congestion related to involution and benign breast conditions

• addressing own goals of becoming more comfortable with their breasts.

In a breast massage treatment, the therapist will work first to release some of the muscular restriction in the pectoral girdle, particularly to the pectoralis muscles. This is followed by a general circulation inducing strokes around the breasts (including over the breast bone and rib cage), and then very gentle kneading of breast tissue. Depending on the client's comfort level, one or both breasts are uncovered during the procedure, or both remain fully covered and the massage is performed through a sheet or lightweight clothing. At no time are the highly charged nipple and areola touched by the therapist. For some women who continue to be uncomfortable with the idea of having their breasts exposed or touched, another helpful option is to learn self-massage techniques from your therapist.

Safety and Comfort. Now, of course, some of you at this point are quite curious about breast massage, and others are a little bit shocked, and are quite certain this is not for you. Please know that breast massage is never a part of a regular massage. It must be requested by the client prior to each session, and requesting it one time does not establish a precedent that it will be part of all subsequent treatments. Your privacy and emotional safety are always the utmost priority in any session. Trust and clear communication must be established between the client and therapist.       

If you are interested in learning more about breast massage or self massage for your breasts, please let me know.