Podcast

A 60-ish year-old client with a history of surgery for aortic aneurysm insists—INSISTS—that his 21-year-old massage therapist work with him, in spite of his new onset severe leg pain.

What are the practitioner’s options in this literally life-or-death scenario?

This story, that looks cut-and-dried on the surface, is more complex than it appears. Plus, we get to talk about bulges in the aorta, bleeding ruptures, migrating devices, new surgical innovations, and much much more.

Listen in to find out how it all turns out.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-453-evar-failure-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client cancels her massage therapy appointment because she has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Her therapist is grateful but wants to know when it will be safe to work with the client again. Oh, by the way, the client also has strep throat and lupus. Does that make a difference? Find out on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-448-hand-foot-and-mouth-disease-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client with frequent nosebleeds works with a massage therapist on TMJ pain, and something unexpected happens: she goes from 3-4 bleeds a week, to about one. The therapist has referred her to get more information about her sinus health, which is a good idea. But is there anything else they can be doing?

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-442-episataxis-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A person with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus develops new back pain in her mid-upper left side. It feels like “it’s coming from under my ribs,” she says. First, it’s diagnosed as arthritis, but interventions don’t seem to make a difference. Finally, a year into this unremitting pain, a rheumatologist asks about her breathing and discovers she has developed a complication called pulmonary thrombosis, probably related to her autoimmune diseases. They start treatment and voilà, her back pain is gone.

This is a good example of a case in which massage therapy was definitely NOT the best choice.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-436-pulmonary-fibrosis-aberrant-matrix-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client uses fentanyl patches to manage chronic pain from a back injury. What kind of risk does this present to the therapist? And, if we’re not careful, the bigger risk might be to the client. Check it out on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” with Ruth Werner.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-430-fentanyl-patches-another-look-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client was recently treated for colon cancer—and it didn’t go well. She had surgical complications, a bout of sepsis, and more. She has substantial abdominal scar tissue, which is giving her a lot of pain. But after finding a massage therapist who is helping a lot, things are looking up . . . until she gets COVID. And now she’s having a long, slow recovery.

The highly educated MT wants a little more information about COVID-related clot risk before they go back to work. How can they determine when it is safe to proceed? We discuss all that on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-424-cancer-clots-and-covid-complicated-client-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth