Cellulitis

[Pompal 09.]

I called to confirm my appointment with a client this evening and she informed me she is taking antibiotics for a cellulitis outbreak on her face. Do you think I should reschedule the massage or just skip the face? Obviously if she has a fever at all I will just reschedule. What do you think?
Peace,
Jen

 

[Jason King]

this is from A Massage Therapists Guide to Pathology third edition

Cellulitis in Brief

What is it?
Cellulitis is a streptococcus infection that kills skin cells, leading to painful inflammation of the skin. It usually occurs on the face or lower leg.

How is it recognized?
This condition is marked by redness and tenderness at the initial site of infection, along with fever, headache, malaise, and other signs of systemic infection.

Is massage indicated or contraindicated?
This is a bacterial infection that can invade both the lymph and circulatory system. This is a condition involving skin damage, a highly coneforum.xxxious bacterial infection, and the risk of blood poisioning if the infection should spread into the circulatory system. It systemically contraindicates massage until all signs of infection have passed.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Ok, nuff said.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Bobby Peef]

you're welcome.

i had a situation as a student recently. a woman told me she had cellulitis and was taking antibiotics. she assured me her doctor told her she was no longer coneforum.xxxious, however a significant portion (more than 50%) of her arm was covered with raised pink (inflamed) tissue. she unwrapped her arm for the session. she also requested that her arm not be left out of her full body massage.

i did not have my medical dictionary with me, and our class had not been through the pathology section yet. i thought... cellulitis, inflammation of the cells... ok. and proceeded with the massage. well, when we get into pathology in class, get the fresh books, open it up almost in the front (page 6) the section on cellulitis. and of course i felt REALLY bad and super ignorant.

LESSON LEARNED: always take my medical dictionary and pathology book with me to every session. if something comes up that i am not familiar with, i can look it up right away and make the appropriate decision.

http://www.amazon.com/Massage-Therapists-Guide-Pathology-Diagnostic/dp/0781754895
here's a link where you can find the same book from amazon. looks like they even have used ones starting around $25.