a community of practitioners

Where do you go for resource information..

when presented with an unfamiliar illness by a client?

Do you have enough time to review an intake sheet to accumulate needed information prior to the start of a session?

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Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on October 7, 2009 at 5:15am

I first consult Ruth Werner's book, and if that doesn't have what I'm looking for, I look for information on the Internet, which only takes a minute or two most of the time.

For those who are self-employed, the burden is on us to allow ourselves enough time to perform an effective intake interview. For those who work for others, you should insist on being given enough time to do a thorough job....I know it is an issue at some places that MTs are abused in that manner. A therapist who works for me was formerly employed at a place where she was expected to be ready for the next client in ten minutes. Shame on employers who perpetuate that kind of thing because not only is it unfair to the therapist, it is also endangering the public when a therapist is not allowed the time to conduct the intake, and indeed the whole experience, in a professional manner.

In the event that you cannot find out about something you don't know about, I advise you to be on the safe side and don't do the massage until you have done your research, even if it means rescheduling the client. I will relate my own horror story with that:

When my clinic had only been open a couple of months, a woman came in who had written on the intake, "Stephen Johnson Syndrome." The therapist who was seeing her had never heard of it, and I personally was not there at the time (but I hadn't heard of it either). She asked the woman what that was, and the client casually tossed it off by saying it was a reaction to a prescription drug she had taken, but that she was over it now. The therapist proceeded to give her the deep tissue massage she wanted, and the next day, the woman was hospitalized with the doctor blaming it on the massage. SJS is indeed a reaction to a drug, that causes your skin to become compromised and it can literally come off in sheets. Since the skin is the body's most important immune defense, of course that leaves you open to all manner of risk for other things. The woman did recover and thank God didn't sue us, but it could have been worse.

Not long after this episode occurred, I mentioned it in a class I was teaching, and the following day one of the students brought in pictures of a four-year old child she had been babysitting who died as a result of this condition. It was terrible.

I am in the fortunate position of having a number of physicians who not only refer to us, but who are also clients, and I have called on them in the past as well, for information regarding something I was not familiar with. Whatever it takes, it is always better to be safe than sorry, even if it means not going through with the massage at the time.

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on November 2, 2009 at 9:31am

Yes Ruth Werner's Pathology book is a great resource. If it is more of Muscular issue I LOVE Janet Travell's Myofascial Trigger Point Pathology Books! Internet is good if it is a reliable source. I have read and viewed some information that is always accurate. So check your sources.

As for time to assess, I have my own private practice and make plenty of time before a session. Usually 15-20 mins. I have found a great way to include some of this time with a foot soak and salt scrub while the client chats away about their ailments, previous treatmens, etc.. Obviously, I can't do a postural analysis while they are soaking their feet ;)

Another Awesome books Is Pharmacology for the Massage Practice . It will help therapists not only understand what medications are doing, but whether or not the technique they are using will be beneficial.

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Permalink Reply by Crystal Dawn Suovanen on November 24, 2009 at 12:27pm

I am SO glad I joined Massage Professionals. Free advice. :D

I personally love Ruth Werner's book and reference to it relatively often. I really can't add any more that Laura or Gloria have already said besides constantly educating yourself on anything a client could walk in with.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Onofrio on November 29, 2009 at 3:13pm

I agree on the Ruth Werner book too!

I also have a smaller pathology section that I am constantly adding articles that I find on each condition as it applies to massage.

http://thebodyworker.com/pathology.htm

Like cancer and fibromyalgia are some of my largest sections to keep up to date on things. I actually will also be adding it to my other site where people can start adding their own resources for various diseases.

http://thebodyworker.com/medrxcancer.html

http://thebodyworker.com/massage_and_fibromyalgia.htm

Julie

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Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on November 29, 2009 at 10:44pm

I find the pathology book by Werner to be very basic - too basic even for my students. I prefer Pathology - by Porth. I believe it is actually a nursing manual. And of course there is always the very accessible Internet!
We are required by law to take quite an extensive Health History and interview before a massage session, If the intake questionnaire reveals problems I would do assessments to determine the extent of the problem, or I would look up an unknown pathology or an unknown medication to learn if there are any side effects. If in doubt about precautions, do a very light, general massage until you have more detailed knowledge of the condition.