Prednisone and Massage

One of the most often presented conditions that massage therapists encounter is chronic pain, making pain management and relief a chief goal of a massage session. Sometimes though, regular massage therapy may not be enough to relieve this kind of pain, and clients may rely on traditional Western medicine for help. The most common doctor-prescribed medications for chronic pain relief are steroids, particularly Prednisone, which is primarily used as an anti-inflammatory. Since this medication is so common, it is likely that many of your clients are taking it for pain relief. This makes it absolutely necessary for massage therapists to know and understand any and all possible contraindications with this drug.

Taking Prednisone for chronic pain may offer tremendous relief to your clients, but it is not without its share of side effects. Some of the most common side effects of this steroid include headaches, dizziness, fatigue and muscle weakness. These and other side effects are things that every massage therapist should be aware of so that they can adjust their massage accordingly, and provide the safest and most beneficial therapeutic treatment possible. Another important aspect of Prednisone to be aware of is its ability to inhibit calcium absorption, thus contributing to weak and fragile bones.

Due to the many possible side effects of this drug and, in order to ensure the client's safety, bodyworkers treating clients taking Prednisone should opt for light, gentle massage strokes in favor of deep muscle work. It is important for you and your client to stay in close contact with the client's physician so that he or she can monitor any developing conditions that may result from this medication.

Read more about the benefits and drawbacks of taking Prednisone for pain management, as well as the steroid's impact on massage, by reading this entire article here.

Aquatic Physical Therapy As an Add-On to Stroke Recovery

Water is life and can restore life. It has many therapeutic properties, which includes reviving the use of bodily functions lost due to a stroke. Commonly known as hydrotherapy, water has been used as far back as ancient Egyptian civilization to relieve pain and treat diseases by improving circulation.

Water therapy is known to treat stress, rheumatism, arthritis, burns, hemorrhoids, spasticity, musculoskeletal disorders, and stroke patients with paralysis. Rehabilitation of stroke patients through hydrotherapy will also help improve not only their tissue's health but also their joint health and movement, increase strength in weakened muscles, stretch spastic muscles, and uplift overall quality of life.

It is so effective that many hospitals and rehabilitation facilities have acquired machines for physical therapy that apply the use of water therapy.

Nowadays, you can go to spas that offer different forms of hydrotherapy to clients. Spas have specially-designed showers that implore massage techniques that focus on different muscle parts through the use of pressurized hot or cold water. There are some spas that have aromatherapy pools just like the ones used by the royalty of ancient times where special oils like lavender are added to aid in the treatment.

If you love swimming or simply being in the water, a trip to a hydrotherapy spa in your area would really be a fun way for you to spend time while you relieve yourself from pain and recover from your disability due to stroke. It would also be a great time to bond with your family and relax from all the stress you've been through.

Now, if you're looking for a more structured approach that you can use as part of your rehabilitation program, there are facilities that offer aquatic exercises specially meant for stroke patients. Aquatic exercise is another form of water therapy used for treatment of stroke patients and injured athletes, among others.

Aquatic exercises are actually a lot easier for stroke patients to do because the water's buoyancy allows them to move freely. Unlike exercising on land, activities like walking, balancing, stretching, aerobics, coordination, and strengthening can be done by stroke patients without fear and difficulty as the water supports them.

The book "Aquatic Exercise for Rehabilitation & Training" by Lori Brody and Paula Geigle, which also comes in DVD and VCD, is a great reference to aquatic exercises. It prescribes the right aquatic exercise programs stroke patients can use for their recovery. The book also thoroughly explains everything stroke patients and their therapists need to efficiently carry out a rehabilitation program that meets the stroke patient's abilities and limitations.

Hydrotherapy and aquatic physical exercises are great add ons to stroke treatment. It is an enjoyable way to recover from stroke, regain confidence, cultivate social skills, and invigorate family ties.

How To Write Fabulous Massage Brochures That Clients Will Love

I was in New Zealand teaching a group of Massage Therapists about a year or so ago. I was conducting a lecture about writing brochures for a massage business. I found that Massage Therapists had one thing in common that stopped them writing their massage brochures. It was definitely not a lack of intelligence or will power, it was not knowing 'how to get started' on writing their massage brochures. Not knowing how to get started on writing a massage brochure is not the same as not having the ability or capability. In fact creating your massage brochure is pretty easy. The secret to massage brochure writing? It's all about following a system.

Following a writing system when writing your massage brochure will cut down hours of 'writers block', frustration, feeling in adequate and overwhelmed. It's true; you can feel all these things when you start your massage brochure writing. So now, I'm going to teach you how to start feeling confident, satisfied and proud of your massage brochure writing. With practice you'll become a master at creating your own massage brochures.

Let's get started on the system of writing your massage brochure. Not just any old brochure, a fabulous massage brochure that clients will love.

Firstly, it's important for your massage brochure experience to be a positive one. Clear your mind and make a decision that you will not bring any past negative feelings "to the table" when you sit down and begin to write your brochure.

Your massage brochure needs to reflect utmost professionalism. In your experience as a massage therapist you'll know that people have loved your massage and wanted more. This needs to be reflected in your presentation. Only use the highest quality paper and the best printing service in town. You have a significantly higher chance of impressing potential massage clients them further with your skills in the marketing and business side of things as well. Whether you do Trigger Point massage, Swedish massage, Bowen therapy or deep tissue massage all massage therapy modalities need to be reflected in this way.

Secondly, you need to understand that potential massage therapy clients are not looking for the features of massage therapy such as "increased blood flow, increased muscle tone, improved oxygenation to the muscles" or "helps disperse lactic acid build up in the muscles." Yes, it's all great that massage therapy does that, but it's not what clients are looking for in your massage brochures.

Think of it this way. When you yourself are looking for a massage from a colleague, what is going through your mind at the time? Is it "I must get a massage so I can disperse the lactic acid in my muscles" or "this neck pain is really bad, I must get a massage to relieve it"? The latter of course! Well that's exactly what your potential massage clients are thinking too! When they pick up your massage brochure they are undoubtedly thinking about how they can get relief from something. And they will search for it in your massage brochure. So make it easy for them to make a decision to have your massage treatments by stating the benefits of your massage treatment straight away rather than the features in your massage brochure. (People start looking for massage therapy when the pain has become a problem and usually not before.)

Thirdly, always use 'easy to understand' language. We often forget that as massage therapists, our potential clients are seeking benefits in the form of relief from discomfort. What I mean by this is what is going through their minds is the language that we must use in our massage brochures. If they are thinking it, we must say it. That's why it's important for us to state in our massage brochures phrases like "my treatment will give you relief from neck pain, allowing you to move freely and without pain. After just a few of my massage treatments you'll be feeling more flexible and free again."

Just remember that with all massage brochures you must 'get into your clients head'. Speak plain language in your brochures and don't use your qualifications upfront as a strategy for attracting clients. Most of our massage therapy clients have no idea about massage or the school we went to or the hard work we did to become skillful at it. And that's ok! Right now our goal in writing massage brochures is to make it easy for them to decide to want to have massage with us and offer our massage therapy in a way that's easy for them.

What You Need to Know Before Using a Massage Chair for Back Pain Relief

Back pain is quite a nuisance and can impair your performance in work, school or any activity that you do. In common cases, this can be caused by muscle spasms and tightness. It can easily be relieved with a massage from a masseuse or one from your massage chairs at home.

However, this isn't the case all the time. There are situations in which having a massage to relieve back pain is contraindicated, especially getting one from a massage chair. There are times when a massage can make the condition worse than it already is. It is important that you know when to use a chair to relieve back pains and when it isn't advisable to do so. Here are some things that you need to know:

1. Don't get a massage when you have a fever - Though it's quite tempting to get a massage when you have a fever, especially when you feel your muscles aching, you should refrain from doing so. Fever is a natural defense mechanism of your body to isolate and ward off harmful microbes or foreign bodies which have entered your system. If you get a massage, you will increase the blood circulation, allowing the microbes to circulate further into your body.

2. Avoid massaging inflamed areas and those with mending bones - When there is muscle inflammation or commonly known as myositis, or other inflamed tissues, it is not advisable to provide a massage on the areas that are affected. This includes conditions like arthritis, phlebitis, etc. Broken bones also present the same case. Massaging an area where broken bones are located may cause them to break again.

However, if these conditions are localized in certain areas of the body, a massage around the area may be done as this can help improve blood circulation going to those areas and hasten the healing process. You should be wary when using a massage chair since it is designed to put pressure on an area of the body at a time. It may not be able to massage around the affected areas, unlike manual massage.

3. Chronic pain or cancer-related pain - If you're suffering from chronic back pain or back pain that persists even with massage or other treatments, it is advisable that you stop having a massage and try to relieve the symptom. Instead, see your physician as soon as possible. Chronic pain may be caused by serious conditions like cancer.

If you are diagnosed to have cancer, using your massage chair to relieve back pain is also contraindicated. Apart from blood circulation, massage can also help improve lymphatic circulation. Now, both blood and lymphatic circulation is an avenue for spreading cancer cells to other areas of the body. By stimulating these circulatory systems through a massage, you can also hasten the spread of cancer.

4. Osteoporosis - This is a condition where the bones become porous and brittle, and it is a common in elderly women. You should try to be careful or avoid having a massage to relieve back pain with this condition. Because of the fragile condition of the bones, it can easily break and cause bone fracture.

Parkinson's Disease and the Benefits of Massage Therapy

Bodywork therapy can provide tremendous relief to people suffering from a multitude of diseases, Parkinson's disease being one of them. Parkinson's disease, also called Parkinsonism, is a disorder of the central nervous system, and results in involuntary movements of the body. The disease results from the degeneration of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. Some symptoms include tremors, slow movement, rigidity, and poor balance. Since western medicine has yet to find a cure for Parkinson's disease, many people are turning to various forms of alternative treatment methods for relief, including massage therapy.

Although massage therapy is not to be considered a cure for Parkinson's disease, it can offer valuable therapeutic symptom relief. Many people suffering with this disease experience severe muscle pain and tightness, which can be alleviated with manual therapy. If you are already working with, or are thinking of working with a client who has Parkinson's disease, make certain you are aware of ALL medications they may be taking, as there may be serious massage contraindications present. Many medications prescribed for those with Parkinson's disease often have side effects that can deter certain forms of massage from being performed. It is also important when working with these clients that you maintain close contact with their physicians.

You may need to alter your normal massage session slightly to better accommodate your Parkinson's patient, but the results will prove worth the effort. Studies have shown that receiving regular massage treatments can reduce tremors and improve overall daily functioning, which is a huge triumph for someone with Parkinson's disease. Your clients will be grateful for helping them reduce their frustrating symptoms, making massage therapy an ideal form of treatment.

Rotator Cuff Physical Therapy Exercises - Heal Your Shoulder and Avoid Surgery

Rotator cuff physical therapy exercises can be all it takes to get your injured shoulder back to its original form. Why jump into a painful shoulder surgery when it's possible to fix your shoulder with proven exercises that can get rid of the pain and strengthen the injured area.

Stretching is an important part of a complete shoulder recovery plan. It plays a valuable role since it helps to improve the mobility in the shoulder and will help to prevent further injuries. Be patient because stretching can take a few days to see progress. Your rotator cuff physical therapy exercises should include some good stretching techniques. Isolated stretching should be done throughout the day for the best results.

One effective technique is the posterior stretch. This stretch concentrates on the back of the shoulder. Place your arm with the injured shoulder across the body and pull the elbow towards the body till you can feel a stretching sensation in the upper part of the back. When you can feel the stretching, hold it for five seconds. Rest and repeat two more times.

After you've been stretching the shoulder for a while, it will be time to move onto strengthening it. At first, your rotator cuff physical therapy exercises won't require any weight since the natural resistance of the body will be enough to start seeing improvements. As you progress, small weights can be used in your exercise routine. The shoulder has the ability to heal quickly after it's been strengthened.

Professional Liability Insurance For Therapists

The profession of therapy demands personal interaction with people on a day-to-day basis and therapists face situations daily where you are open to the possibility of charges of wrongdoing. Your clients could hold you responsible for damages they have received, resulting from an alleged negligent act, error, omission or malpractice arising out of your professional capacity as a therapist.

In the unfortunate event that such an allegation is made, a Professional Liability policy will provide coverage for defense costs and expenses and any subsequent damages awards making this type of insurance essential for all healthcare professionals.

For those therapists that are employed by a Healthcare Service provider, the Professional Liability coverage placed by their employers will provide coverage for those incidents arising while the therapist is acting within the scope of their duties performed on behalf of the employing entity.

In addition to the coverage provided by an employers Professional Liability policy, it is also advisable for Therapists to consider purchasing an individual Professional Liability policy for the following reasons:

Do I have enough coverage?

Today's astronomical malpractice awards can quickly exceed coverage limits. If you, as an individual, are named in a malpractice lawsuit and your legal costs and settlement or judgment exceeds the limits under your employer's policy, you may be required to make up the difference. An individual policy will provide additional coverage up to the limits selected (typically $1,000,000 per claim / $3,000,000 annual aggregate).

Am I covered when I am off-duty?

Many policies cover you only when you're working. That means you could be financially liable for contract work performed after hours, Good Samaritan assistance, volunteer activities or even casual advice to a friend or neighbor. Individual policies usually provide protection to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Is my coverage shared with others?

If you're covered by an employer's policy, your liability limits may be shared by other defendants. Shared limits decrease your individual protection and increase your personal financial liability. Even worse, in some states you could be found liable for the financial responsibility of others. An individual Professional Liability policy provides 100% personal protection with no shared limits.

Does your employer-provided insurance include license protection?

In addition to being named in a malpractice lawsuit, one of the most serious risks that healthcare professionals face is the suspension or withdrawal of their license - without which you lose your ability to work. Employers rarely provide license protection, and in fact, may even be the source of the complaint. An individual policy will usually provide coverage for your defense of disciplinary charges arising out of covered medical or non-medical incidents.

To illustrate how therapists can be vulnerable to Professional Liability claims, the following is a summary of a recent claim filed alleging a negligent act, error or omission against a physical therapist:

Richey v. Turocy

The lawsuit was brought against the hospital, defendant orthopedic surgeon and the physical therapist. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant's physical therapy treatment caused a subsequent heart attack. The defendant hospital maintained that the defendant physical therapist was experienced, properly trained and should not be expected to make a referral outside the scope of the therapy. The verdict was rendered in favor of all defendants.

Reduce Your Risk with this Liability Checklist

As you begin each workday, your main goal is to provide the best possible care to your patients. But in this litigious society, you also have to make sure that none of your actions leave you vulnerable to a lawsuit. A quick reference of basic risk management guidelines may help to ease your concerns and no matter what field you work in, these basic tips can go a long way toward keeping you from being sued.

Know your job

Always ask yourself if the care you're about to give is within your scope of practice. If you have any doubts, consult your employer. Your employer has written standards of practice, based on your State practice act, your professional organization's guidelines, and your facility's policies and procedures.

Stay up-to-date.

Be sure you're competent to perform your job. Keep your certification current. Make sure you receive timely, adequate training on new equipment and never use equipment you haven't been trained on. If you feel your skills are insufficient in a particular area, ask about additional training.

Maintain your professionalism.

A patient is less likely to sue a healthcare provider she likes, so be sure to act professionally. Always treat the patient with respect. If possible, speak to her directly and maintain eye contact. Listen attentively and don't interrupt. Ask the patient if she has any questions: If her concerns fall outside of your scope of practice, contact the appropriate healthcare provider to come and see the patient.

Document, document, document.

It's become a risk management cliche, but it's true: If you didn't document it, you didn't do it. If you fail to write down that you did a thorough assessment or provided the patient with a particular treatment, it could become your word against hers in a lawsuit. Be sure to document the status of the patient before and after treatment, how receptive she was to patient education, and your response to any concerns she had.

Chart any telephone conversations you have with the patient, family, or other healthcare professionals about the case. Document, too, any time the patient cancels treatment or fails to keep an appointment. If she repeatedly misses appointments, make a notation of your attempts to contact her to discuss the problem. Make sure all of your entries in the patient's chart are legible and easy to comprehend.

Protect patient confidentiality.

Discuss the patient's care only with the appropriate personnel. Never talk about a patient in a public place, such as an elevator or cafeteria. If you have to fax patient information, make sure the recipient is standing by to receive the transmission so no one else reads it.