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Whats the difference and why?
Whats the difference between the MBLEX or whatever its called and the National Certification Exam? And why would one have to take one over the other or both? And after you take one or both of those exams why would you have to take a state exam after, if you do? And what are they certifying, and what do they mean?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sawana Grimmett on
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From what I have been told from previous instructors, the MBLEX is becoming more and more recognized and more stock is starting to be put in it than the NCBTMB. They are just additional tests apart from the training/testing you did at your massage school. Some states are requiring you to have completed and passed the NCBTMB on top of your school training before you can receive a license in that state. I am in AZ, and that is not a requirement just yet. So for me personally, taking the MBLEX or NCBTMB would just be additional marketing and credentials for me as a therapist. I have head that all states are eventually making the transition to require the NCBTMB or MBLEX prior to receiving your state license. This could be a rumor, but in my opinion - it's better to get it before it's required since you may eventually have to get it anyway. As far as a state exam, all state requirements vary, but I would recommend visiting your state's board website to find what your requirements would be. Good luck! :)
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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Who writes those exams?? I have a few questions for them...
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My perspective..Those exams are the very reason why our profession is where it is today. With a very short career span, only six years. And why we remain third tier providers only one notch up from a hot pack or tens unit in the back of some clinic, and treated like such....The schools teach for those tests...Change those tests, and we change our profession. .And I would like to explain that to those test writers. They dont get it.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Who writes those exams?? I have a few questions for them...
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Here is a perfect example on how those tests keep us down to a low level of sub competence.. Here is a typical test question... Your client is experiencing pain in the arm, wrist, and hand..You are pretty sure he has carpal tunnel syndrome. You should take the following action. I wont bother with all the choices..but the answer in our exam is this.. Suggest he see a doctor for diagnosis.... Now I suggest this question instead.. How do you tell the difference between real carpal tunnel and fake carpal tunnel? That question would profoundly change our profession. Schools would have to teach that. I had a client not that long ago that was scheduled for carpal tunnel surgery...I palpated her arm and immediately told her that she didnt have carpal tunnel..She had massively trigger extensors muscles in her forearm...not carpal tunnel...Very easy to distinguish. I taught her how to fix herself with an electric massager..Ive helped many a massage therapist that were ready to run to the doctors because they thought they had carpal tunnel.. She told me that the surgeon told her that the surgery might not work...Now trust me..If anyone really has carpal tunnel and that inflamed nerve is cut...Their pain will go away...That tells us that they are operating on people that dont really have carpal tunnel.. I worked with a hair stylist that got surgery for carpal tunnel...guess what...She still had her so called carpal tunnel after the surgery.. Because the trigger pointed pain in her extensors muscles were still there....And in an airport I met a Chiropractor that says he specializes in carpal tunnel and that the vast majority of his patients are healed and dont need surgery...he showed me what he did.. It was massage...Soft Tissue Release...he called it Active Release. It was massage well within the scope or our license....I had been doing soft tissue release for ten years before I met him...You pass that test...You become incompetent.... And even real carpal tunnel can be helped dramatically with good soft tissue work...I mean the only time you cant help someone is if they have had too much medical intervention like injections and so on or they are suing for money...Then they dont get well of course... We should be dominating this ache and pain industry...Im talking real here..I know what Im capable of doing...And it isnt that difficult ....Thats what I mean when new therapists ask me for advice, and I tell them to forget everything they learned in school...They look at me like Im crazy....Well that is debatable maybe?.....Is it possible that I have superior knowledge? Am I the only one on the planet that knows this? People pass those national certifications and think they are competent, yet are afraid to work on pregnant women.... Surely they can write an exam thats more real and empowering to our profession? It wouldnt be that hard...... If these tests dont change, our profession will never ever reach its maximum potential. Never..Our professional leadership needs to get real....Might as well just have us study for an algebra exam.. Just as effective.. Im outside the box looking in. .Because for me personally...Once any uderlying pathology is ruled out...Its soft tissue work all the way.
Gordon J. Wallis said:My perspective..Those exams are the very reason why our profession is where it is today. With a very short career span, only six years. And why we remain third tier providers only one notch up from a hot pack or tens unit in the back of some clinic, and treated like such....The schools teach for those tests...Change those tests, and we change our profession. .And I would like to explain that to those test writers. They dont get it.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Who writes those exams?? I have a few questions for them...
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http://www.mrtherapy.com/carpal_tunnel.html He doesn't mention the word trigger points. But these techniques trash trigger points.....At any rate...No need to run to the doctor if you think you have carpal tunnel...Im all for certification testing...But for god sakes make a test that means something...I read a statistic, not sure if its true, but wouldn't surprise me..That in California the typical cost for carpal tunnel after one has gone through all the wrong therapy that ends in surgery is $100,000.00. Properly educated massage therapists could easily handle a vast majority of that at a much much lower cost, and with faster and better results...That's the truth......HOW COME WE ARE NOT TAUGHT THAT? A while back a new massage therapist saw me rubbing my forearms..She said are you hurting there?..I said a little bit...She said.. You might want to go to the doctor and have that checked out ...You might have carpal tunnel. Truth remains hidden.. This thread is over.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Here is a perfect example on how those tests keep us down to a low level of sub competence.. Here is a typical test question... Your client is experiencing pain in the arm, wrist, and hand..You are pretty sure he has carpal tunnel syndrome. You should take the following action. I wont bother with all the choices..but the answer in our exam is this.. Suggest he see a doctor for diagnosis.... Now I suggest this question instead.. How do you tell the difference between real carpal tunnel and fake carpal tunnel? That question would profoundly change our profession. Schools would have to teach that. I had a client not that long ago that was scheduled for carpal tunnel surgery...I palpated her arm and immediately told her that she didnt have carpal tunnel..She had massively trigger extensors muscles in her forearm...not carpal tunnel...Very easy to distinguish. I taught her how to fix herself with an electric massager..Ive helped many a massage therapist that were ready to run to the doctors because they thought they had carpal tunnel.. She told me that the surgeon told her that the surgery might not work...Now trust me..If anyone really has carpal tunnel and that inflamed nerve is cut...Their pain will go away...That tells us that they are operating on people that dont really have carpal tunnel.. I worked with a hair stylist that got surgery for carpal tunnel...guess what...She still had her so called carpal tunnel after the surgery.. Because the trigger pointed pain in her extensors muscles were still there....And in an airport I met a Chiropractor that says he specializes in carpal tunnel and that the vast majority of his patients are healed and dont need surgery...he showed me what he did.. It was massage...Soft Tissue Release...he called it Active Release. It was massage well within the scope or our license....I had been doing soft tissue release for ten years before I met him...You pass that test...You become incompetent.... And even real carpal tunnel can be helped dramatically with good soft tissue work...I mean the only time you cant help someone is if they have had too much medical intervention like injections and so on or they are suing for money...Then they dont get well of course... We should be dominating this ache and pain industry...Im talking real here..I know what Im capable of doing...And it isnt that difficult ....Thats what I mean when new therapists ask me for advice, and I tell them to forget everything they learned in school...They look at me like Im crazy....Well that is debatable maybe?.....Is it possible that I have superior knowledge? Am I the only one on the planet that knows this? People pass those national certifications and think they are competent, yet are afraid to work on pregnant women.... Surely they can write an exam thats more real and empowering to our profession? It wouldnt be that hard...... If these tests dont change, our profession will never ever reach its maximum potential. Never..Our professional leadership needs to get real....Might as well just have us study for an algebra exam.. Just as effective.. Im outside the box looking in. .Because for me personally...Once any uderlying pathology is ruled out...Its soft tissue work all the way.
Gordon J. Wallis said:My perspective..Those exams are the very reason why our profession is where it is today. With a very short career span, only six years. And why we remain third tier providers only one notch up from a hot pack or tens unit in the back of some clinic, and treated like such....The schools teach for those tests...Change those tests, and we change our profession. .And I would like to explain that to those test writers. They dont get it.
Gordon J. Wallis said:Who writes those exams?? I have a few questions for them...
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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Thanks for the heartfelt commentary, Gordon. I don't have any answers for you at the moment, but your passion is really worthwhile.
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