Student Case Study: Open Heart Surgery Case Study

The Effects of Massage Post Open-heart Surgery

Case report study

Jesse Smith-Shearer

Abstract:

Massage intervention may effectively treat post-surgical and injury related pain. Can a student-therapist use postural analysis and massage therapy to reduce pain felt by a 76-year-old woman post-open heart surgery? Previous case studies of standard treatment post open-heart surgery fail to include postural analysis when determining adequate treatment for the patient. The 84-measurement neurosomatic postural analysis reveals the uncommonly seen distortions that many patients and medical professionals overlook. The student-therapist and his patient commenced treatment at the Center for Neurosomatic Studies twice per week for five weeks, on Tuesday and Friday for 60-90-minute treatment sessions. Relief of the patient’s post-surgical pain was achieved on the seventh treatment when the patient reported a 0 out of 10 pain level on the VA Scale. These results indicate that further research needs to be done on the effects of massage therapy with neurosomatic postural analysis for treating pain post-surgical intervention.

Key Words:

Post open-heart surgery, Post-surgical pain, Neurosomatic postural analysis, Massage therapy