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August 24, 2004

Know When To Refer

Proponents of massage therapy sometimes imply that massage can fix all the worlds ills. But the reality is that a professional will be educated enough to know when to refer to a case to a more qualified professional.

A client presents with a sore shoulder due to exertion caused by starting a yoga regimen. Upon examination, I discover that the area is very sore, localized, hot and a little swollen on the anterior aspect of the joint. My suspicion is bursitis, but I'm not a doctor, so I don't know this for sure. I refer my client to an orthopedist.

If my suspicions are correct, then massage would have been a very unpleasant experience for the client and could have served to exacerbate the condition. Recognizing symptoms of certain conditions should be part of our training. Never are we to diagnose a condition, that would be beyond our scope of practice. However, it is important for massage therapists to familiarize themselves with many conditions of the body so they know when to refer their clients to qualified professionals.

Posted by linda at August 24, 2004 9:32 AM