09/09/2024
Shoutout to the RMTBC for a great conference and especially Marcus Blumensaat who I think was the star of the show! Awesome to see a ‘mainstream’ conference be so nerdy and evidence based!
Marcus talking about changing patients’ beliefs got me thinking… again… about how much I’ve struggled with this over the years. Education is part of the CPGs, so I felt the need to educate everyone all the time.
I do think however, that massage is a bit different from other MSK professions, in that a lot of folks want temporary symptom relief, not there’s anything wrong with that. If they’ve lived with persistent pain for years, they’ve likely done all they can to learn and self-manage, and read all the books and papers.
When people say they want their scar tissue broken up, or their trigger points released, I would argue that MOST of the time they’re speaking metaphorically- using the best language they have to describe subjective symptoms. How else would you describe your own experience?? It would be inappropriate and condescending to educate unless you’re absolutely sure they’re being literal.
If they truly believe you can do things that defy the laws of physics, then that is a difficult conversation. How much success are clinicians actually having in challenging this? When I considered the possibility of metaphorical language to describe symptoms and/or a sensation they want to experience during treatment, it freed me from a great deal of professional angst.
