“Is it safe to massage a patient who is suffering from arthritis?”
My father suffers from extreme knee pain due to his arthritis. Is it safe to massage the inflamed region for pain relief?
2 Answers
I am sorry to hear that your father is having this difficulty Yes, it is permissible to massage if the correct technique is used If someone nor to have acute swelling and pain, then I might consider using ice as an adjunctive therapy Heat tends to be more effective for chronic pain There are topical anti-inflammatory medications that can be applied to the skin such as diclofenac gel Acetaminophen taken on a regular basis can also be effective In general, we avoid using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in elderly patients with knee arthritis because of the risks of side effects At times, cortisone injections can be helpful I hope this is of some benefit to you and I hope your father is feeling better
Yes it is safe, but it is unlikely to help the patient.
