Mr. Stevens agrees to continue using Ativan for anxiety but at a lower dose to avoid drowsiness. However, he and his wife are also wondering about the risks and benefits of massage.
Dr. Parker is familiar with research suggesting that massage may help reduce anxiety and pain in people with cancer (1, 2). He believes it's reasonable to try massage as a complementary approach because Mr. Stevens’s symptoms are not as well controlled as he'd like, despite repeated refinements of the medication regimen.
© 2016 University of Washington | School of Nursing | L&IT Learning Technologies | Palliative Care Training Center | National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1R21NR010896-02A2.
