With the support of palliative care and hospice a growing number of people are choosing the kinds of experiences they want at the end of life. Massage can offer moments of comfort, wellbeing, and beauty at a challenging time for patients and their loved ones, yet most of us are not prepared with the right skills or knowledge to offer this help. Palliative Touch: Massage for People at the End of Life is written for healthcare providers and complementary therapists who wish to provide safe, comforting touch for people with life-limiting illness, as well as anyone who might wish to support a dying client or loved one to live life to the fullest, right up until the end. Based on more than two decades of field and inpatient hospice experience, this book addresses topics from common end-of-life symptoms and the stages of dying to cultural issues and how these can impact end-of-life care. Readers are guided to engage with the material at whatever level might be appropriate for their needs, with practical tips in every chapter. Beautiful color photographs, actual case studies, and stories from therapists, caregivers, and patients bring this information to life.

*Highly Commended in the Popular Medicine category at the 2012 British Medical Association Book Awards* The simple sensation of touching someone's hand can have a powerful therapeutic effect. Hand massage is a positive and meaningful way of reaching out and providing comfort to those who are elderly, ill or nearing the end of life, and it can be particularly effective for people with dementia who may respond well to positive non-verbal interaction. This book offers inspiration for all caregivers looking for an alternative way to support and connect with a family member, friend or patient in their care. It teaches an easy 30 minute hand massage sequence and offers clear instructions and detailed illustrations to guide the reader through each step. Combining light massage strokes with focused awareness, and paying close attention to points on energy pathways, this book introduces a structured way of sharing touch that is grounded in Western and Eastern massage traditions. Gentle touch therapy is ideal for healthcare professionals and family members alike, and has been shown to have physical and emotional benefits for both the giver and the receiver.

This is an essential resource for learning massage in the acute care setting. As the need for massage in hospitals has grown, many massage therapists and massage students are developing their skills in this environment to broaden their practice and meet market demand. The text explores pressure adjustments, site restrictions, and positioning needs for hospital patients and medically frail clients. An easy-to-use conceptual format covers common medical devices and procedures, standard precautions, the relationship between pharmaceuticals and massage, charting, and collecting patient data. Illustrations demonstrate body mechanics, draping, room preparation, and more.

Massage has many physical and emotional benefits for patients in palliative care, from preventing pressure sores and lessening physical pain to creating a tangible connection between the massager and the massaged. In Dying in Good Hands, massage therapists and trainees will find the tools they need for massage at every stage of dying, with stroke sequences adjusted for the unique needs of palliative bodies. Medical professionals will learn how to use massage techniques on their patients and how to teach basic techniques to others. And family and friends, even those who have never massaged before, will discover tips to provide hands-on care and support for loved ones in their final moments. Topics include: - Basic massage strokes and full-body massage routines, - Massage treatments to aid the key areas of the respiratory system, digestion, and circulation, - How to deal with the last moments of life and make the last breath more comfortable, - Massage ideas for the physical and emotional needs of family, friends, and caregivers, - Options on where to die, including hospitals, hospices, and home, - Featuring real patient stories that showcase the power of massage in making the process of dying more comfortable.

The Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) was introduced by the American physician Stephen Typaldos (1957-2006). In this model all injuries and other conditions causing pain or disability are seen as arising from specific distortions of the connective tissue. This highly illustrated and very practical text and manual covers in detail the theoretical framework of the model, and approaches to manual therapy treatment based on an understanding of the FDM. The authors systematically cover all disorders likely to be encountered by the therapist, and provide comprehensive guidance about when it is appropriate to use FDM and how best to employ these approaches in treatment. The book is therefore of interest and value to all practitioners who want to understand the FDM and to incorporate its techniques into their therapeutic practice. This is also a comprehensive textbook and manual for anyone studying on FDM courses and for specific qualifications.

The field of oncology massage is maturing into a discipline with a deeper and deeper body of knowledge. The 3rd edition of Medicine Hands reflects this maturation. Every chapter contains updated information and insights into massaging people affected by cancer. New chapters have been added to cover each stage of the cancer experience: treatment, recovery, survivorship, side effects from the disease, and end of life. These new chapters and organizational structure will make it easier for the reader to find the information needed to plan the massage session for a given client. In addition, a new chapter has been added that focuses on the Pressure/Site/Positioning framework. This is the clinical framework around which the massage session is planned.

Fascia in Sport and Movement, Second edition is a multi-author book with contributions from 51 leading teachers and practitioners across the entire spectrum of bodywork and movement professions. It provides professionals from all bodywork and movement specialisms with the most up-to-date information they need for success in teaching, training, coaching, strengthening, tackling injury, reducing pain, and improving mobility. The new edition has 21 new chapters, and chapters from the first edition have been updated with new research. This book is an essential resource for all bodywork professionals - sports coaches, fitness trainers, yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, dance teachers and manual therapists. It explains and demonstrates how an understanding of the structure and function of fascia can inform and improve your clinical practice. The book's unique strength lies in the breadth of its coverage, the expertise of its authorship and the currency of its research and practice base.

**Selected for Doody's Core Titles® 2024 in Complementary & Integrative Health** Get a solid, global foundation of the therapies and evidence-based clinical applications of CAI. Fundamentals of Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, 6th Edition is filled with the most up-to-date information on scientific theory and research of holistic medicine from experts around the world. The 6th edition of this acclaimed text includes all new content on quantum biology and biofields in health and nursing, integrative mental health care, and homeopathic medicine. Its wide range of topics explores therapies most commonly seen in the U.S., such as energy medicine, mind-body therapies, and reflexology along with traditional medicine and practices from around the world. With detailed coverage of historic and contemporary applications, this text is a solid resource for all practitioners in the medical, health, and science fields! - Coverage of CAI therapies and systems includes those most commonly encountered or growing in popularity, so you can carefully evaluate each treatment. - An evidence-based approach focuses on treatments best supported by clinical trials and scientific evidence. - Observations from mechanisms of action to evidence of clinical efficacy answers questions of how, why, and when CAM therapies work. - A unique synthesis of information, including historical usage, cultural and social analysis, current basic science theory and research, and a wide range of clinical investigations and observations, makes this text a focused, authoritative resource. - Global coverage includes discussions of traditional healing arts from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. - Clinical guides for selecting therapies, and new advances for matching the appropriate therapy to the individual patient, enables you to offer and/or recommend individualized patient care. - Expert contributors include well-known writers such as Kevin Ergil, Patch Adams, Joseph Pizzorno, and Marc Micozzi. - A unique history of CAI traces CAM therapies from their beginnings to present day practices. - Suggested readings and references on the companion website list the best resources for further research and study.

Practitioners like you have been turning to Micozzi's comprehensive CAM text for the past 20 years. Filled with the most up-to-date information on scientific theory and research and updated contributions from world experts, Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 5th Edition gives you a solid foundation of the therapies and evidence-based clinical applications for CAM – and expands your global perspective with new and updated chapters on healing systems from around the world. Dive into interesting discussions on massage, manual therapies and bodywork, yoga, chiropractic, osteopathy, herbal medicine, aromatherapy and essential oils therapy, "nature cure," naturopathy and naturopathic medicine, and nutrition and hydration. With its wide range of topics, this 20th anniversary edition is your ideal CAM reference! • A broad perspective traces CAM therapies from their beginnings to present day practices. • Clinical guides for selecting therapies, and new advances for matching the appropriate therapy to the individual patient, enables you to offer and/or recommend individualized patient care. • Expert contributors include well-known writers such as Kevin Ergil, Patch Adams, Joseph Pizzorno, and Marc Micozzi himself. • A unique synthesis of information, including historical usage, cultural and social analysis, current basic science theory and research, and a wide range of clinical investigations and observations, makes this text a focused, authoritative resource. • Suggested readings and references in each chapter list the best resources for further research and study. • Coverage of CAM therapies and systems includes those most commonly encountered or growing in popularity, so you can carefully evaluate each treatment. • An evidence-based approach focuses on treatments best supported by clinical trials and scientific evidence. • Observations from mechanisms of action to evidence of clinical efficacy answers questions of how, why, and when CAM therapies work. • Global coverage includes discussions of traditional healing arts from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. • NEW! Updated chapters feature new content and topics, including: challenges in integrative medicine, legal issues, CAM in the community, psychometric evaluation, placebo effect, stress management, and much more! • NEW! Updated guides on common herbal remedies in clinical practice, East and Southeast Asia, and native North and South America deliver the latest information. • NEW! Revised chapters with new contributors offer fresh perspectives on these important and relevant topics. • EXPANDED! Basic science content and new theory and research studies cover a wide range of sciences such as biophysics, biology and ecology, ethnomedicine, psychometrics, neurosciences, and systems theory. • NEW! New and expanded global ethnomedical systems include new content on Shamanism and Neo-Shamanism, Central and North Asia, Southeast Asia, Nepal and Tibet, Hawaii and South Pacific, Alaska and Pacific Northwest, and contemporary global healthcare.

Massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and a variety of relaxation techniques are frequently used in hospices, supportive care settings and some hospitals. However, there are still gaps and limitations in the choices offered to patients. HEARTS (Hands-on, Empathy, Aromas, Relaxation, Textures, Sound) was devised to bridge this gap for complementary therapists, patients, carers and health care professionals. HEARTS can be used either on its own, or integrated with a conventional complementary therapy. It can also be used easily by health care workers (and carers) who are not qualified in any therapies. By discussing principles which may influence the effectiveness of touch and relaxation therapies, the book emphasises that there are 'easy' approaches that can be utilised when working with distressed and vulnerable patients. By developing an understanding of touch, aromas and the sound of the human voice, Combining Touch and Relaxation Skills for Cancer Care guides practitioners in helping their patients achieve a state of relaxation and calm as quickly and easily as possible.