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HIV/AIDs and Massage Therapy: Western and Eastern
Traditional Chinese Medicine Approaches.
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| HIV-Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Uncopyrighted photo, obtained via internet open source |
A client comes into your office for massage therapy and discloses to you that they have HIV or AIDS. What does a massage therapist do when presented with a client with HIV or AIDS?
Let’s start with the basics. What is HIV/AIDS? Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) gradually destroys the immune system by attacking and destroying a type of white blood cell called a CD4 cell. CD4 cells play a major role in protecting the body from infection. T cells originate in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus. In the thymus, T cells multiply and differentiate into Helper, regulatory, or Cytotoxic T cells or become memory T cells. HIV virus attaches itself to a Helper T-cell and fuses with it. It then takes control of the cell’s DNA, makes copies of itself inside the cell, and finally releases more HIV virus into the blood. HIV will continue to multiply and spread throughout the body. The amount of HIV cells circulating in the body is detected via a blood test to count the number of CD4 Helper T Cells with HIV viral DNA.
There are three stages to an HIV infection; Stage 1, Acute
infection, Stage 2 Clinical Latent infection, and Stage 3, Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Stage 1: Acute HIV infection. Within 2 to 4 weeks after
infection with HIV, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness.
This is the body’s natural response to HIV infection. Stage 1 fly-like symptoms
can include: fever chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat,
fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers. These symptoms can last
anywhere from a few days to several weeks. However, some people do not have any
symptoms at all during this early stage of HIV infection.
Stage 2: Clinical Latency. In this stage, the virus still
multiplies, but at very low levels. People in this stage may not feel sick or
have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection. Without HIV
treatment, people can stay in this HIV latent clinical stage for 10 or 15 years
some move through this stage faster.
Stage 3: AIDS. Anyone with an HIV infection and not on HIV treatment, eventually, the virus will weaken the body’s immune system and progress to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This is the late stage of HIV infection. Symptoms of AIDS can include: rapid weight loss, recurring fever or profuse night sweats, extreme and unexplained tiredness, prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck. Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week. Other symptoms may include: sores of the mouth, anus or genitals; pneumonia; red, brown, pink or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids; memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders. Many of the severe symptoms and illnesses of HIV disease come from the opportunistic infections that occur because the body’s immune system has been damaged.
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| [HIV/AIDS Signs and Symptoms. uncopyrighted photo obtained via internet open source] |
As a massage therapist, it is helpful to know how HIV /AIDS
is treated by western medicine as it may affect the approach you use on your
clients. The goal of treatment is to limit or decrease the HIV viral load. HIV
medicine should be taken every day, exactly as prescribed, it can achieve an
undetectable viral load. An undetectable viral load means there is effectively
no risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners. However, if viral load is
detectable, then HIV can be transmitted sexually during this stage, even with
no symptoms. Treatment for HIV is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART
involves taking a combination of IV medicine (called an HIV treatment regimen
every day). ART is recommended for everyone who has an HIV infection, whether
they have symptoms or not and irrespective of how long they have been infected.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevents the virus from
multiplying, which reduces the amount of HIV in the body. This gives the immune
system a chance to produce more CD4 Helper T cells. Although antiretroviral
therapy cannot completely remove HIV from the body, it keeps the immune system
strong enough to combat the infections and some HIV-related concerns. The aim
of antiretroviral therapy is to reduce the amount of HIV in the blood to very-low
levels. Viral suppression occurs when the count reaches fewer than 200 copies
of the virus per milliliter(mL) of blood.
ART drugs can have adverse effects and newer drugs tend to
cause fewer and less severe side effects. Some possible side effects of
antiretroviral therapy include: headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea,
fatigue, difficulty sleeping, a dry mouth, a rash, dizziness, and pain.
Massage Indications/Contraindications:
Massage Indications: for patients with HIV/AIDS symptoms massage
can help to decrease pain by providing relief from; cramping, body tension,
muscle spasm, and inflammation. Massage therapy in general also increases blood
flow, thus naturally assist in removing toxins as it increases oxygen to the
affected areas of the body.
Massage Contraindications: None. Other than following
established Bloodborne Pathogen Guidelines established by the OSHA, massage
therapy is not contraindicated in clients with HIV/AIDS.
Universal Precautions for Massage Therapy of HIV/AIDS
clients:
HIV is transmitted through contact with fluids during sexual
activity, sharing needles, breastfeed, or contact with blood. Casual physical
contact presents very little, if any, risk of exposure to the HIV virus, making
massage therapy safe for the practitioner, so long as they follow basic safety
precautions long established in the profession and in accordance with state and
local laws.
So how do I proceed as a massage therapist when working with
my HIV/AIDS clients?
Don’t touch open sores, cuts or scrapes on HIV/AIDS clients.
Avoid working over rashes or any other
condition where the skin is broken. Cover any open sores on your own hands or
use vinyl gloves in the event you have a large cut or sore on your own hands.
However, latex gloves are not effective for blood borne pathogen protection
during massage, as the oils commonly used may break down the latex.
What is the most likely symptom of HIV/AIDS that I will encounter in my massage therapy practice?
You will most likely encounter a client who has AIDS experiencing purple blotches as raised patches over their bodies. This is not a rash; it is called Kaposi's Sarcoma. It is a cancer of the blood capillaries throughout the body, that manifests as purple spots or brown blotches under the skin. It is not contagious and there are no other precautions to take, other than Universal Precautions, when massaging a client with this condition.
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| [Kaposi's Sarcoma in AIDS patient. uncopyrighted image obtained on internet open source] |
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Treatments for HIV/AIDS:
So, what does the TCM Eastern world have to say about
HIV/AIDS? Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used since the early 1980s in
the US to treat HIV/AIDS conditions such as headache, fatigue, aching muscles,
sore throat, swollen lymph glands, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Short-term
benefits sucha as increased energy level, improved sense of well-being, weight gain
and decreased stress levels are also experienced by many who use acupuncture
and herbal therapy. Compared to current treatments offered by Western Medicine,
acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are reported to be less costly, less
toxic and have fewer negative side effects.
Acupuncture for HIV/AIDS treatment: Acupuncture has been
shown to raise levels of endorphins, antibodies and white blood cell levels,
such as CD4 T cell levels; thereby, increasing the body’s level of immunity in
HIV/AIDS clients.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs for HIV/AIDS treatment: Chinese
herbs with antiviral and immune-enhancing characteristics can improve the
quality of life for many patients by reducing the potency of the HIV/AIDS virus, strengthening the immune
system, treating opportunistic infections and reducing the side effects of
western antiretroviral medication.
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| [Schisandraceae, dried, uncopyrighted photo obtained via internet open source] |
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| [Schisandraceae plant. uncopyrighted photo obtained via internet open source] |
Chinese Herb Schisandraceae: widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for 2,000 years, has shown promise in treating HIV/AIDS, according to a 20-year-long study led by the Kunning Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Notably, several derivatives of the herb’s lignin, which is the compound extracted from the leaves and stems of the woody vine plant, have strong anti-HIV properties and low toxicity, according to Sun Hondona, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences who led the research.
Since 2004, China has treated more than 27,000 sufferers of
HIV/AIDS with TCM treatment. Studies found that with a combination of
mainstream antiretroviral therapy and TCM treatment, the patients benefitted in
particular by experiencing boosted immunity.
Bottom Line:
HIV/AIDS infection treatment has come a long way. People experiencing HIV or AIDS can live long high quality lives with treatment from Western and Eastern Traditional Chinese Medicine. Massage therapy can play a vital role in maintaining a good quality of life in people experiencing HIV/AIDS. Approach your client with loving kindness knowing that you are able to improve their lives through the healing benefits of massage therapy!
References:
1. National Institutes of Health, https://hivinfo.nih.gov, accessed 20 September 2020
2. HIV Testing Info, https://www.helpstopthevirus.com, accessed 20 September 2020
3. HIV AIDS Treatment Guidelines, Clinical Info, https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines, accessed 20 September 2020
4. Reference: Side Effects of ART, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324013#side-effects, accessed 7 January 2021
5. Kunning Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, https://english.kib.cas.cn, accessed 20 September 2020
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