There has been a lot of advancement in modern medicine. Wither or not you believe in medications, there are some things you should know about how the chemical interactions that are happening within the body as they could affect your massage treatment. I have a list of the Top 5 Medications and what modifications need to be made. This article is not intended to persuade you to take, or not take, your medications. As your Registered Massage Therapist, that is outside of my scope of practice.
1. Analgesics:/Pain Killers (MacDonald, 2005, p. 122-123):
Purpose: to relieve pain, inflammation and fever. The body releases prostaglandins during the inflammatory process, causing vasodilation. Most analgesics inhibit this response (thereby decreasing inflammation), while at the same time shut down the pain receptors.
Treatment Modifications: since pain receptors are altered, you as a client will not be able to give accurate feedback about the treatment. If we work too deep, your body will be sore for a long time following your treatment. For that reason, I use lighter pressure for a treatment that will not challenge your tissues.
2. Antispasmodics/Muscle Relaxants (MacDonald, 2005, p. 126-127):
Purpose: to decrease muscle tone in skeletal muscles by subduing the nerve impulses from the brain/spinal cord to the motor pathways.
Treatment Modifications: since the muscles have been altered to be more relaxed than usual, they are considered hypotonic/weak. The massage treatment is focused more on maintaining range of motion and reducing muscle spasm, and avoiding overstretching the muscles.
3. Antibiotics (MacDonald, 2005, p. 124):
Purpose: to prevent the spread of a bacterial infection.
Treatment Modifications: there are no real considerations when it comes to a massage treatment. My main concern would be if you were experiencing a fever without any medications. Your body would be fighting the infection and a massage at that point would be too dangerous to perform. I would refer to a doctor for clearance for massage therapy, as a treatment could spread an infection.
4. Antianxiety Drugs (MacDonald, 2005, p. 123-124):
Purpose: to help maintain anxiety levels by inhibiting a transmitter in the central nervous system.
Treatment Modifications: while on anti-anxiety drugs, it is common to be drowsy and lethargic. The modifications are mainly with pressure, similar to analgesic medications. With or without these medications, massage therapy reduces anxiety and stress by decreasing the amount of energy needed to hold tension on the body, thereby relaxing your mind and body.
5. Anticoagulants (MacDonald, 2005, p. 124):
Purpose: to stop blood clots from forming. Anticoagulants restrict fibrin (which entangles blood cells and platelets, forming a clot) from producing.
Treatment Modifications: high doses of anticoagulants are at a higher risk for bruising, whereas lower doses there are no modifications. Monitoring pressure and receiving accurate feedback are the modifications to the treatment with anticoagulants.
If you are taking any of these medications, or any others, please notify me of the following things:
What are you taking and what is it treating?
How often do you take the medication(s)?
When was the last time you took the medication(s)?
These are just a few of the modifications that need to be made with common medications. As your Registered Massage Therapist, your safety is my priority. If you are taking any medications, it is important to notify me of them so I can take proper precautions.
What are your thoughts on medications? Do you agree or disagree with their uses?
Reference:
MacDonald, G. (2005). Massage for the Hospital Patient and Medically Frail Client. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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