● Refer employees who have had blood or body fluid exposures to a physician who is familiar with bloodborne pathogen exposures. ● Reduce exposure to latex as much as possible by providing non-latex gloves or powder-free, low protein gloves. ● Stop using ozone generators. ● Move gloves and sharps containers closer to the practitioner during procedures. What DIAOM employees can do: ● Report all blood exposures. ● As soon as possible after a blood exposure, see a physician who is familiar with bloodborne pathogen exposures. ● When using gloves, wear non-latex gloves whenever possible. There have not been significant scientific research studies conducted and many reviews of research findings indicate bias and flawed research procedures One report, published in 2015 in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, notes that it could help with acne, herpes zoster, and pain management (WebMD, 2016). It included reports from Australian and Chinese researchers who reviewed 135 studies on cupping and concluded that cupping therapy may be effective when people also get other treatments, like acupuncture medications, for the diseases and conditions below: ● Herpes zoster. ● Acne. ● Facial paralysis. ● Cervical osteoarthritis. But those researchers noted many of the studies they reviewed could have been biased and that better clinical studies are needed. The British Cupping Society[2016] says that cupping therapy is used in the UK to treat: ● Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia. ● Rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. ● Get the Hepatitis B vaccination. What does the research show? ● Fertility and gynecological disorders. ● Skin problems such as eczema and acne. ● High blood pressure. ● Migraines. ● Anxiety and depression. ● Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma. Biotensegrity massage therapy Tensegrity is an architectural concept developed by Buckminster Fuller. It is based on the characteristic property of a stable three- dimensional structure consisting of members under tension that are contiguous and members under compression that are not (Medical Dictionary, 2012). Biotensegrity, though not new, is becoming more popular and applies this principle to the human body’s muscular-skeletal relationships based on the forces of tension provided by muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia, pulling on structure, bones and joints, that help keep the body both stable and efficient in mass and movement (Medical Dictionary, 2012). Biotensegrity explains: ● Bodies work as tensegrity structures and our bones do not directly pass loads to each other. ● Forces primarily flow through our muscles and fascial structures and not in a continuous compression manner through our bones. ● Our bones do not directly touch each other, and are actually “floating” in the tension structure created by our fascial network. ● Biotensegrity represents a significant conceptual shift from the common sense view that our bones are the load bearing structures in our bodies like the framing of a house (SunSpiral, 2010).
● Varicose veins. It is important to note that there is not sufficient research evidence to support these claims. The National Institute of Health has reviewed the practice of cupping and came to the following conclusions: ● No serious adverse effects were reported in the studies. ● The quality and quantity of research on cupping therapy appears to be improved during the past fifty years in China, and majority of studies show potential benefit herpes zoster and other diseases. ● There is some evidence suggesting that any therapeutic benefit from cupping may be the result of a placebo effect, but the concluded that cupping could be effective in treating the pain and disability associated with chronic neck pain and chronic low-back pain in the short term [WebMD,2016]. ● Cupping is considered generally safe for healthy people when performed by a trained health professional; however, bruising, soreness, burns, discomfort, and skin infections are possible. ● Cupping should not be performed on people with underlying health conditions, as more serious side effects can occur. ● People considering cupping should not delay conventional treatment for their condition or use cupping in place of conventional treatment. ● Further rigorously designed research trials in relevant conditions are warranted to support their use in practice. (National Institute of Health, 2016) Recommendations The massage and bodywork practitioner will need specialized training and practice before proceeding with cupping therapy. Before implementing cupping, and all modalities of therapy, it is important to discuss the risks and benefits with the client and include this information on the informed consent forms. If the client is unsure of whether they should proceed with cupping, a shared decision making process might be in order. Topics to cover in the decision making process include: ● Options for standard treatments for the condition. ● Conditions that may indicate cupping.
● The risks and benefits of cupping. ● The form of cupping to be used. ● Possible side effects. ● Expected outcomes. ● The number of treatments required.
Twenty years ago, Dr. Stephen Levin, an orthopedic surgeon started applying tensegrity concepts to biology. He looked at bones as a system of continuous compressions members, like the beams and rafters of a house, which results in force calculations predicting the shearing and crushing of bones under regular daily loads (Sharkley, 2015). He points out that only through the transmission of forces in the tensional members of our bodies, the muscles and connective tissue, that we can account for our ability to perform simple everyday tasks (Sharkley, 2015). The biotensegrity model rejects the idea that the skeleton is the framework for the soft tissues and the limbs are not a simple collection of rigid body segments held together by soft tissues (Sharkley, 2015). These segments are interconnected by non- linear connectors like cartilage, joint capsules and ligaments, which are integrated within the active motor system that includes the muscles and tendons (Sharkley, 2015). Biotensegrity massage therapy involves manual manipulation of soft tissues that incorporates muscles, connective tissue or fascia, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It is used to treat the problems associated with strains and overuse issues that result in pain. The principles of biotensegrity require a whole body, whole person approach as in the following example of the common problems caused by rounded shoulders: ● In this case, excessive compression is being exerted anteriorly while excessive tension is experienced posteriorly.
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Book Code: MLA1224
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