Question - Do you do a full medical history consultation with every new client??

So I've just been to have reflexology as my IBS is acting up again (too much Christmas pud lol!!) I haven't seen this lady before and she was recommended by a friend. She has her own home salon which was pleasant enough but very cluttered.

My problem is that as a new client to her all she asked me before starting the treatment was my name, DOB and why I was there today for treatment.

Maybe I'm being "anal" as I'm fairly new to the game but I do a full consultation with every new client and check for any changes to their health on following appointments. I go through all possible contra-indications in the medical history and also try and get an insight into their way of living with lifestyle questions. I believe that the more I can understand about how the client relaxes (or doesn't) etc helps me to better assess their indiviual needs and adapt the treatment to suit them.
Am I being too thorough??

I also give aftercare advice, you know regarding drinking water to flush through toxins etc, relaxing, the list goes on and on. I also tell the client if I found any problem areas or things they should be aware of and everything is recored on their record card. When she finished she just said try and relax and that was it she didn't say what if anything she had felt or found only asked me if I had any tender areas. When I said the top of the sole of my foot she said yep thats your stomach area - and that was it! Nothing as far as I'm aware was written on my card.

She was a very nice lady and the actual treatment was very nice, but I was concerned at the lack of info she actually wanted before she started.

Your thoughts please

Hi,being 100% honest here half the questions we cover when learning at college are just not relevant and cost effective to the whole treatment.

What I'm saying is when at college we probably could spend at least 20 mins for every client going through every God given question imaginable,i.e how much alcohol they consume a week Do they have children,oh the list goes ona and on.

Try to do as quick a consultation as possible,asking questions that really are relevant to the treatment concerned.

You will soon realise that many of the questions you were taught to ask are not necessary.However there are unfortunately therapists out there who just dont seem to ask anything.What I have listed is what I deem as important and I dont take short cuts just ask what I feel is important to the treatment.

It is important to find out about what the clients expectations of treatment,medications,operations,health status are prior to carrying out treatments but really this should take a few mins no more.When you're busy in a salon etc time is os an essence.

I usually give them aftercare as they are leaving as quite often they would have forgotten by the time the treatment is over.HTH

My consultation really only lasts less than 10 mins and I have specific questions that I ask depending on the treatment they are having, but yes I agree if you went into everything you would be there all day.

My problem really was that she didn't ask anything at all.

I ask clients to say yes/no to a list of medical conditions - heart problems/ embolism/diabetes etc but obivously not if doing a spray tan!! lol Surely if you don't go into detail and a client suffers a contra-action your insurance would mean diddlysquat.

Thanks for being honest though x

I know,it's scary,I have had several treatments and not been asked a thing,very scary indeed.As you say,totally invalidates your insurance should anything go wrong.

I have clients that tell me things,when I am carrying out treatment consultations that are downright scary and totally unprofessional.I.e no consultation whatsoever.

Yeah thats the prob isn't it. If I got any of her clients they would probably think "Oh my God she wants to know the ins and outs of a ducks bum!!" but I feel more secure if I have asked everything I know I should to cover myself and the insurance.

Also I know that clients only remember what they want, so I do an aftercare sheet (treatment specific) which gives info on the treatment and also lists the things they should do after their treatment and some contra-actions they may experience. I always talk this through with them and explain that they are positive effects of the treatment and should be no cause for concern and tell them to call me should they be worried about anything. So far no problems have come up - fingers and toes crossed.

It is very interesting though going to another therapist to see how they work.

Yes,I actually have a 101 questions when carrying out micro current treatments,some are very awkward asking and I have actually had clients question why they have to answer such questions.

But.....at the end of the day,I ask the questions that I have on my HUGE consultation form for the Bio Gold treatment and I am afraid that these questions have to be asked,I just give them an explanation as to why the questions are relevent to their treatment.

Everything else I try to minimise for speed and because a lot of the questions may not be relevant to the particular treatment the client is having.

Luckily most of my clients are regulars so,when they come through my door I just check nothing has changed since last time they were in.

Thanks for putting my mind to rest and for making me realise that I'm not just being very anal !!

I will continue to ask my questions, but maybe speed it up a bit heehee.

Cheers

No probs,others may give you advice but this is just mine xx

As a reflexologist myself, i don't tend to go through the whole medical history during a consultation as this can sometmes ruin the magic of reflexology. With reflex you can usually tell if the client has any problems health wise or emotionally from thier feet. Of course you cannot tell what the problem is, you can just feel blocked energy. So if the client has told you they suffer with headahes, IBS etc. they are less likely to believe that you have been able to tell from thier feet. Especially if the client has never had reflexology before.
When i do reflexology consultations, i only ask name, phone number, DOB, reasons for wanting the treatment and contra indications/allergies. Thier feet usually tell me the rest!!

I am an advanced reflexologist and I always do a thorough consultation on the clients first visit. I allow an extra half an hr for the first treatment for this. Thereafter I just ask the client if there has been any changes to their medication etc etc.
According to the FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists) which is the organisation that I belong to, even taster sessions should be given a consultation, otherwise insurance will be void if there is any comeback. Also they say that it is going against the code of ethics if a consultation isnt provided. When doing taster sessions myself I just have a pre-worded list of the Major CONTRA-INDICATIONS, and ask the client to look through the list and let me know if they suffer from any of the listed conta indications, then I ask them to sign it, and you are covered. Obviously the treatment would be refused if the client DID have any of the ailments on the list.
Personally I would not treat anyone with any major contra indications, and if I was in any doubt I would send them away and ask to provide me with a doctors letter, or I would ask if they would like me to write to their doctor asking if they are suitable to recieve the treatment.

Wow that was long winded !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope that helps xx

i was taught that a consultation should be about 10 mins and done for every new clients and you make a note of any changes when they return for a follow up

i design my own consultation leaflets and ask questions relevant to the treament

when i first began studying i found consultations quite daunting because i was concerned that i either didn't ask enough or spent to long asking to much.

i would be very concerned if i went for a treatment and no consultation was done. but saying that i remember when i went with a friend to a salon where she oftens gets her eyebrows waxed, there was no consultation done and my friend told the therapist that she had conjunctivitis! well the eyebrow was was still done which i was thought was just gross

i can't believe they still did an eyebrow shape even though she had an infectious disease!! ewww!!

I still don't think that a FULL medical history is required for reflexology, as long as you are clear about the reasons for treatment and contra-indications and allergies are checked. Obviously if your insurance company requires it then it is a different matter. Like i said before it can sometimes ruin the magic of reflexology.