When a new client comes to see me for the first time, I have them complete a case history intake form. I understand that most people hate filling out these things because time is precious and it might seem that many questions are seemingly irrelevant. For example, if someone is coming to me because they are experiencing tight neck and shoulders, they might think they don’t need to mention that they also have a very contracted illiotibial band (the sides of the thigh muscles). Both massage and shiatsu affects the entire body so please be as thorough as you can in completing the paperwork.
In some cases as a therapist I can work reflexively. This means that it is possible to affect change by using specific techniques on parts of the body seemingly unrelated to the area of pain. For example, one time when I was experiencing tendonitis in my wrist, probably from repetitive strain injury from the work I do. I went to a classical acupuncturist (Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM). When he inserted needles close to my shin bone, the pain went away. As many of you know, I often incorporate shiatsu therapy in my treatment plans as this medical discipline is similarly based on the principles of TCM.
I want to know what are your aches and pains and, although I can often feel your areas of tension, I am not psychic. Someone once asked me whether I was a medical intuitive. There are some people that might have that gift but I am not one of them. If I knew exactly what ails you before our first meeting, I might have a God complex and be totally insufferable.
Back to the paperwork, there is certain information from the College of Massage Therapy of Ontario (CMTO), my regulating organisation, that I am legally expected to ask. Who is your family doctor and contact information for him or her? Also, I need to know the name and contact information for an emergency contact.
Other information that is also important is your occupation or what you do for a living. This is relevant because, if you work eight hours a day seated at a desk, this is going to impact your health, quite often the lower back. This, in turn, might also radiate down one or both of your legs. Desk work can also affect your neck, especially if you spent lots of time at a laptop or on you cell phone.
The information that you supply me is for my use only and is kept in the strictest confidence. If you need me to ahare your personal file with anyone else, such as other healthcare professionals, I would require your written permission. The technology used by my booking system ClinicSense is encrypted.
The information that I ask for is basic and often gives me insight into how to design a treatment program that is the most effective for treating you and getting optimum results.
