Arthritis findings

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Arthritis - I have several clients that have this problem. There are quite a few things to take into consideration when dealing with this pathology”Is the client on any medication?What type of arthritis is it?Are the under a doctor’s care?Are there any other conditions that may affect treatment (I.e. high blood pressure, skin conditions, heart problems, ect…)From here you can choose the best course of treatment. Below I have listed three of the treatments I like best because of the results I get. The reason for three is most of the people who have come to me with this condition are older and due to other conditions the therapist needs choices.Hot Stone Therapy - The stones seem to distribute heat differently than a heating pad. I feel it also has to do with the weight of the stone and the light, but firm pressure it applies. This is a 50-60 minute massage. I have found this to return 90-100% of ROM back to affected area. This massage raises circulation enough to turn the clients cheeks pink, therefore, I would not recommend it for anyone with hypertension.Swedish Massage - This is done for 50 minutes on the full body. I use a water based lotion so that during the massage I can add Polar Lotion (a cryotherapy product by Biotone) to the affected area. I have found this to be safe with people with hypertension. I have also found this to return 85-95% ROM back to the affected area.Paraffin By Numbers- I take the paraffin in a coffee cup and paint it on 3-5 layers thick over the affected area. For the client the pain dissipates almost instantly. I put a sheet over them for 10-15 minutes and peel it off, I then work the area for 15-30 minutes with local Swedish massage restoring 95-100% ROM Back to the affected area.This loosens the muscles affected areas, reduces swelling, promotes circulation and gives the client a more positive body image. Byproducts of this are pain relief and stress reduction. Again returning a better quality of life to the client. Also note that those with hypertension, reviewed massage had aided in keeping it under control.

 

[Pamela]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to post this.