IHM & Fainting

[Shandi]

Hi everyone, this morning I had a client who during an indian head massage, (only 15 mins into the treatment) said she felt like she was going to pass out. She then flopped to the side (luckily i was already alerted). Anyway i don't think she actually lost consciousness completely and within 5 mins she said she was fine. However, i did not continue treatment and just satand talked to her for a while until i felt she was back to normal. I was very scared and am still a bit shaky now, as i have never had anything like this happenduring a treatmentbefore (nor had i heard of it happening). During her consultation she told me that she used to faint as a child but had not done so for many years and she was just recovering from a cold. Anyway, i got straight onto google to see if this had happened to anyone else and came across this website [link=http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/310]http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/310[/link]
I thought it would be useful for other therapists to read this too, so that should it happen to you, you'll know what to do for the best. Forewarned is forearmed, so they say!

 

[Larin]

Hi Staranise
Thanks for that website, it was very useful.
When we trained we were taught that the area that we frictioned below the occiput needed to be done with care and that anyone that is pregnant or has low blood pressure should not have this area frictioned. Apparently our tutor was told by a paramedic on a course he had done in the past that it is a well known fact that this movement causes a drop in blood pressure. Hence the fainting no doubt.
I had a close shave with a client who was pregnant and even though I explained this to her she was happy for me to carry on gently. She still went very light headed with a gently friction so it can obviously be a very sensitive area. Luckily my lady was fine and realised what I had been trying to tell her all along!
Phew!
Ally