Massage Therapists

I’ll never forget walking into the hospital that day.

He didn’t appear to be himself, and he didn’t act like himself.

He was too young for this to happen, and I was too little to grasp what was going on.

Years later, he told me about how he was experiencing chest pain at home and feared something was amiss, so he got in his car and drove to the hospital.

He lost the use of his arms halfway there and had to steer with his knees.

My father suffered a heart attack when he was in his forties. When I teach a First Aid course, I tell this anecdote.

You wouldn’t imagine a healthy 30-year-old man, much alone one with two young sons and a wife, would have a heart attack.  Thankfully, he lived, but he had a cardiac problem a few years later.  We had to alter our habits, our eating habits, and our way of life. He didn’t know how to recognize what was going on that day, let alone admit it was a heart attack.

What are your thoughts? Could you see if it happened in your clinic or to a member of your family?

Differentiating Chest Pain In Your Massage Therapy Clinic

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it. This is something that we as healthcare providers must be able to detect, which isn’t always simple.

Someone who is experiencing a heart attack is adamant about not admitting it. At this point, their death is staring them in the face, and comprehending that something serious is wrong isn’t easy; in fact, most individuals will utterly reject that they are experiencing a heart attack.

That day, my father refused to recognize that things could have been far worse. If things had gone any further on the way to the hospital, it would have been fatal.

When he lost control of his arms, he thankfully did not drive off the road.

To determine whether someone is experiencing a heart attack, indigestion, or if anything muscular is wrong, we must first recognize the distinctions in pain.

It’s probably not a heart attack if your patient has momentary chest discomfort as a result of bending or inhaling deeply while you’re doing your usual examination before a therapy.

Some people believe it is or begins as, dyspepsia. If it’s a heart attack, on the other hand, it’ll become worse over time. I’ve seen it characterized as “an elephant sitting on my chest” when someone is experiencing a heart attack.

Signs And Symptoms For Massage Therapists To Recognize

Women and men will have slightly different experiences. My father indicated that he was experiencing discomfort in both arms. It will usually start in the left arm and spread up the neck and into the jaw. When it comes to guys, these indications are rather common.

Low back pain is a common complaint among women. Soft indications, which are a little tougher to pick up on but just as crucial to comprehend and read because they might go unnoticed, can also be seen in women.

Some of them include stomach discomfort, flu symptoms, and chest pain which varies depending on how active you are. These signs and symptoms are also typical among diabetics and the elderly.

There are a few more warning indicators that are rarely discussed (at least in basic First Aid courses).

Here are a few additional things you could notice: breathing problems, intense sweating, a slower or quicker pulse than usual, pale blue skin around the face, nausea, and vomiting

While you won’t observe all of these indicators every time, they may certainly help you figure out what’s going on with someone or how serious their illness is.

What Massage Therapists Can Do To Help

As Robert indicated, the first thing we need to do is dial 911.

Keep your cool!

When you dial 9-1-1, the operator will ask you for certain information, and the calmer you are, the better!

They require your address, which is the most important piece of information since, without it, they won’t be able to serve you.

They’ll also want your phone number to call you back. They’ll need this to phone you back and acquire additional information, or to assist search and rescue workers in finding you. It’s also so that if you need assistance, they can guide you through the process.

They will also strive to get as much information as possible about the patient. Age, sex, physical condition, amount of discomfort, suffering, and surroundings are all important details for the arriving crew to know before they arrive.

The best thing we can do for the patient after that call is to get them into a position that offers them the most comfort. This is usually done while seated and leaning forward, but proceed with whichever position they feel is the most comfortable.

Now, I understand that most clinics will not have this on hand, but providing them with some aspirin will assist. And it must be Asprin, not Tylenol or Ibuprofen Aspirin.

It operates as a blood thinner, which means it can help ease heart stress and prevent clots.

All too often, this goes unnoticed or individuals refuse to confess it, so they don’t seek assistance. Unfortunately, this can be deadly since it causes cardiac arrest and needs CPR.

You’ll be able to aid and prevent things from reaching that stage if you can notice and be aware of what’s going on with your patients. Understanding what’s going on with a person depends on being able to distinguish and differentiate the pain they’re in.

Knowing that the indications and symptoms of an emergency might differ between men and women can help you recognize when one is occurring. Remember, this is the only time you may inquire about erectile dysfunction medications!