Lupus

[nestprop]

Hey all -- I did a search on this topic, but didn't turn up much. I've been doing a little research on this disease and wondered if any of you have any insight for me. Is it a condition that is contraindicated for massage? (due the the possiblity of blood clots), or is it something that benefits from massage?? A client's wife has lupus and he said that she'd had massage therapy before and really enjoyed it. There's a possiblity she'll be coming to see me and I want to be prepared. Any experiences/knowledge would be very helpful!! Thanks in advance!

Wendy

 

[phillia]

Lupus

Hi Wendy:

I'm only an MT student, but I do have the book, "A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology" by Ruth Werner, and it states, "When lupus is in a state of acute flare, circulatory massage could examassageplanetate symptoms. When the condition is in remission, bodywork of any kind could be very helpful to reduce pain and anxiety and to help maintain flexibility."

I *also* have lupus (SLE), so my opinion varies just a bit from hers. Lupus can affect MANY different things. Mine is considered relatively mild, and mostly affects my joints, and connective tissues (i.e. pain), along with fatigue and sometimes skin rashes. For ME, I LOVE getting a massage when "flaring". It REALLY helps with my pain levels, and is one of the FEW things that does! On the other hand, lupus can also be MUCH more serious, and affect kidneys, heart, lungs, etc. In that case, I would certainly err on the side of caution, and possibly even get approval from her doctor.

Hope this helps some!

Grace and peace,

Karissa
http://www.jessfarms.com

 

[farnoush]

Figured I would see what I could find for you on the net.

Is Massage Therapy Advisable for Lupus Patients?

http://www.doctorndtv.com/FAQ/detailfaq.asp?id=7780

CEU online offers a course "Lupus and Massage" (3.0)
http://www.ceuonline.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=menu&menu_id=81

I can see why you were having difficulties finding much.
HTH,

 

[London lady!]

I have a client who has a mild form of lupus, and she loves massage!! She also sees the physio in my office, and she says the combination of the two has really helped her pain level, and fatigue. She stopped going to the gym 2 years ago because she was in too much pain, but she recently started to work out again, every second day.
But, every body is different, so talking to the doctor of your client's wife would be good.

 

[Emily W]

Thanks guys! From what I found online during research, I figured it was kinda dependant on the client. Thanks for the info and links! Your help is much appreciated!!

 

[HOSS]

bumping this thread!

I just received a call from a potential client who has lupus. She is currently flaring but says that massage is one of the only things that helps when she is in a lot of discomfort.

I googled lupus & massage and found the following, just wanted to add it to the thread:

http://www.lupus.org/education/faq.html --there is a question about massage & lupus on this highly informative, loooong page

 

[spider367]

HI all

One of my clients coming today has Lupus....she gets flareups & you can notice when she's worse with the red patches/rashes she gets on her face. I know that she gets very tired/fatigued & the steroid drug she has to take -prednisolone knocks her around a bit & also has made her put on weight particularly around the face/puffiness etc. She also cannot go out in the sun much like she used to or it flares her skin up.

Cheers
OZ