Hepatitis C Support Group

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.

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Massage and HCV

bethann718
bethann718
Has anybody been told massages are bad for a person with Hepatitis C.
I went to a private home yesterday for a foot reading and to have a therapist massage my pains away. I have neuropathy and degenerative disc.
Theirs was no question on the screening info sheet about liver disease or hep C.
During the massage the question arose about my neuropathy which lead to me telling her I have Hep C.
She immediately stopped and said "they" the therapy school told her she couldn't work on anybody with Hepatitis C
It upset me pretty bad. As if we don't have to live with enough stigma stress.
People are really ignorant.
Thanks for listening.
vabuttafly
vabuttafly
I have never heard of this. It sounds like the massage therapist is uneducated about hep c. I dont know if a massage school would tell them that. I personally wouldnt have told her about my hep c. People all of a sudden put a stigma on you. Im sorry you had to go through that. It sounds like an embarrassing moment. Im sure it made you feel bad...
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
IGNORANCE SUCKS!

I would follow up with a letter pointing out that:

1. If she is that paranoid she needs to add the proper questions on her intake form,

and 2. I'd enclose some facts about how HCV is contracted with links to the CDC etc.
bethann718
bethann718
I apologize for saying that people are ignorant. I certainly did not mean that. I was extremely embarrassed. And hurt. And yes I am too trusting when it comes to telling the wrong person. Thanks for the "advise". I need all the help I can get :). Peace everybody.
Cloudguard
Cloudguard
Don't apologize Bet by and large people are grossly ignorant.
Trissa01
Trissa01
Sorry this happened to you. It sounds like misinformation. The only issue i can think of is breaks in skin integrity in both client & therapist.
Neither person should be practicing or receiving massage with cuts. Otherwise, how the heck could it be transmitted unless it's a ..umm....more intimate massage?
I'm sure you were too rattled to think to ask more questions. Very uncomfortable.
jansumner55
jansumner55
I,m having massage therapy for a car accident ...severe whiplash and back and shoulder injury .Massage therapist knows about the hep C has no problem ... plus he thinks it might even help the itchiness and pain from the hep so I guess I'm lucky Hes great !!!
Sorry you had to go thru that.. I wonder if the stigma is less in Canada?? I have not come across much at at all ..They did have a nationwide Tainted blood scandal campaign all about how people who got hepC from the tainted blood !!!
Trissa01
Trissa01
My chiro knows I ave hcv, and I've had massages for sports injuries. I think the student is suffering from misunderstanding or personal paranoia.
MLTTexas
MLTTexas
My granddaughter is a professional massage therapist, and has given me several massages. There's not enough education when it comes to Hep C. Thank God, my family, friends, and church family have never treated me as though I have a stigma. When people know that it's a blood-to-blood contact disease, most understand, but people are not being educated, in my opinion. I never hid my disease, except from ignorant employers. I explained it all to the people in my life from the start.
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
Do not apologize.

Ignorant does not mean stupid. Ignorant means "lacking the facts, knowledge or awareness" and this message therapist is in fact ignorant of how HCV is spread.
lovefall
lovefall
THIS IS THE STUFF THAT REALLY PISSES ME OFF!!

A STUDENT - "SCARED IS WHAT THE STUDENT WAS" - For Cris sake, why do you think we all have "stayed in the closet for so many years"

I got tired of being treated like I had the plague - so I kept quiet!!

I am so sorry you got treated that way - I know what it feels like, even had doc's change their "smile" to treating me like a using junkie,
never knowing how I got the disease or anything.
THIS JUST IRKS ME!!
Dont' let this discourage you.
SandyDo
SandyDo
The massage therapy I went to for years had HCV and knew that I did as well. I think your girl was just scared of it and used that excuse as a cop out. I'm sorry...I'm sure it was humiliating.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Bethan I wouldn't take offense. People who know nothing about hcv err on the side of caution, as one should. I think the stigma would be lessened if I stead of everyone complaining about Arica be significant fluii
deleted_user
deleted_user
I apologize for my incoherent post. I wish I remember what my point was. I think I wanted to say that so many people complain about the stigma yet never admit to having the virus. I certainly don't tell everyone I work with but I tell those I would tell about any other medical ailment. I think the hcv community has contributed to the stigma. Anyone old enough to remember the silence=death slogan that Axt Up used for aids?