Case Study of Client diagnosed with Arthritis

My client is a 63 year old female who retired 2 years ago. She came to me for treatment as she has pain in her left wrist due to arthritis, diagnosed 10 years ago. Upon completing a treatment card with the client I discovered her arthritis came about from a work related injury resulting in removal of  some bone in the left wrist.

She also has a history of having a minor stroke 8 years ago which hasn’t left any visible affects. She takes aspirin to help control the density of the blood and other medication to avoid clotting. The patient also has a descent history of high blood pressure which is currently being controlled by her GP, for which no medication has been prescribed as yet due to  tests still being carried out. While talking with my client I could ascertain a nervous disposition being present which upon the discussion of the issue I discovered it to be chronic anxiety.

The treatment discussed and greed upon was to involve a hot compress on the affected area on the left wrist and a gentle hand massage to improve movement and release pain. Before starting any treatment started I consulted with the patient’s doctor who confirmed that aromatherapy treatment would not negatively effect her condition and could have beneficial results. For the hot compress I  decided upon using myrrh essential oil as a base note for its warming effects helping with arthritis.

I also decided upon Rosemary oil as a middle note for its anti-rheumatic qualities being ideal in a hot compress. Finally Eucalyptus oil was decided for helping with arthritis due to its analgesic properties. In considering the hand massage I decided upon Ylang Ylang oil as a base note for its hypotensive properties to help with high blood pressure issues and as a sedative on the nervous system to reduce anxiety. I also used Sweet Marjoram oil as a middle note due to being able to counteract anxiety, insomnia and nervous tension. Finally I decided upon Lemon oil as a top note to help with my patient’s mental fatigue and constant worry, using sweet almond oil to mix the oils for massage. A Patch test was conducted on the patient before commencing the treatment and no allergic reaction was noted.

I prepared the treatment room with candles, low lighting and burning lavender incense, adequately adjusting the room temperature to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. I asked my patient sit in a comfortable armchair, adequate for use in treatment, and requested she rolled up her sleeve to have adequate access to the affected wrist and hand area. I turned on some relaxing music and suggested she concentrated on her steady breathing while I washed my hands and prepared the  hot compress. I boiled some water and filled a glass bowl where I added 3 drops of Myrrh, 3 drops of Rosemary and 2 drops of Eucalyptus. Then a cotton cloth, big enough to cover the effected area on my patient’s wrist, was added to the water ensuring it was completely soaked in the water. Using rubber gloves to remove the towel I applied it to my client’s wrist, checking the heat was ok, covering it with a plastic wrap and a towel to contain the heat. After 15 minutes I removed the compress, gently massaging the wrist and joint to aid movement. I then proceeded to the hand massage where I added 1 drop of Ylang Ylang, used sparingly as it could cause headaches, 2 drops of Sweet Marjoram and 1 drop of Lemon oil to 5ml of Sweet Almond oil. After mixing the oils. I ensured my patient was happy with the aroma before starting the next stage of the treatment.

The short hand massage on the left hand was conducted by first placing a towel covered pillow underneath the patient’s arm and then using an effleurage movement over the palm, back of hand and fingers to spread the oil over the skin aiding it’s absorption. After making a few circular movements on the back of the hand I concentrated on the fingers, gently manipulating them in firstly in a clockwise and then anti-clockwise direction. This was repeated 3 times over all fingers on the left hand. By supporting the lower arm I could turn the hand gently to massage the palm using again small circular movements and continuing with a gentle effleurage movement up the forearm returning back to the hand. This was repeated 3 times before concluding the massage by placing a towel over the hand and forearm and ask my client to remain seated while I washed my hands to remove negative energy. My client could notice less pain in the arthritis affected wrist and a general feeling of relax. I advised that the treatment should be repeated over a regular intervals to obtain a lasting effect. I also advised to drink plenty of water and try to rest during the evening without washing the hand until the following day. I feel the treatment was successful and would definitely be beneficial after undergoing continuing sessions.

Find a professional Massage Therapist