Professional Practice: Blog 7
By Simon Marks
What does it mean to be a massage therapist and a multi-disciplinary healthcare provider?
Multi-disciplinary healthcare is something that is starting to be considered more frequently in all areas of healthcare. Massage is one of these areas and in order for us to provide the best treatment for clients. To do this we need to work with and understand other healthcare providers so that referrals and advice can be exchanged. Because we are is still trying to build the professional image of the massage industry both in the public eye and healthcare community, this is even more important for us to do in order to build trust and respect for our scope of treatment. I will talk about these issues and ways in which we can build this multi-disciplinary way of treatment.
Multi-disciplinary practice is something that is needed in healthcare because no one therapist can cater for all the needs of a client. Healthcare professionals need to understand their scope of practice and that of other healthcare providers. This can be done by numerous methods one being as simple as reading over the scope of practice documents provided by there representative department. Another which is more effective and beneficial to becoming a multi- disciplinary healthcare provider is to work with and build relationships with other healthcare areas. This allows you to work together to provide the best outcome for an individual, and hopefully help to gain respect for massage therapists. If we do this then hopefully networking will become more common place between massage and other healthcare providers. At the moment this doesn’t happen enough, and a reason for this is that medical and therapeutic sides of massage in NZ are not very well known. For this reason we need to be proactive in pushing toward becoming more multi-disciplinary.
Multi-disciplinary structure would be the best way to run public healthcare but there are things that prevent or make it difficult to do. One is the fact that each area of the healthcare system, not only has different techniques and procedures, but they can think of health of the body and mind etc in a different way too. This means that not only do different areas have to understand the techniques, but they need to understand the reasons they work. They may never have been taught or thought in this way, so it is understandable that they would have reservations referring on in this situation. Especially if they have ideas on the problem although not really being in there scope of practice. The multi-disciplinary approach would be to refer to another healthcare provider that would be better suited to the task.
All areas of healthcare need to be open towards understanding others areas of the healthcare system and be aware of there strengths and weaknesses for it to work. But we as massage therapist need to be proactive and prove our skills and areas of expertise to the other healthcare professions. I don’t think are aware of our skills and for this reason we haven’t yet gained their overall respect as healthcare providers. We can do this by keeping in touch with people up the chain of any mishaps, improvements or conditions of our clients to build trust and relations, knowing what we are good at and marketing to these groups, and creating a consensus on ideas by doing and presenting research to prove our ideas and theories. Doing this will help to bring us closer to the level of other healthcare providers.
Although there is a consensus that a multi-disciplinary healthcare system would be the most beneficial and effective structure for the public health system to run. There are problems that arise when it comes to understandings in techniques and angles of treatment between the different areas of the healthcare system. It would be the most beneficial for us as massage therapists, because it would help us find our place and gain respect as healthcare providers. For this reason I think we should be the proactive ones in building relationships towards the other established healthcare providers.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Professional Practice Blog 6
Professional Practice Blog 6
By Simon Marks
How does professional development, reflective practice & supervision act to support professional practice?
Professional development, reflective practice & supervision all act to support increased levels of professional practice in many ways. They do this by giving us the ability to be aware of areas in our practice that are lacking and developing our skills to better cope with them. I will go through some of the techniques and strategies that can be used, to make us more efficient in our practices by helping us to detect areas that are in need of development.
The main objective of going through reflective practices and working on our professional development is to give us the tools to provide a better service for our clients. This is done by teaching to be more aware of how we react in situations mentally, emotionally and physically and how we influence others through our practice. A good technique to use is the spiral model of reflective practice. It starts by practicing or going through your normal working procedures. You then select a area of trouble or area that is not running as smoothly as others, (the use of client feed back forms could be used to find a place to start). The next step is to describe the problem and how you have reacted to the situation it is best to write this down. You then need to reflect on what you have written and assess how you acted and think of other ways in which you could have better reacted. This can be done with the help of a supervisor, as they can give you different angles and perspectives on the situation you may not have thought of. To get ideas on how to best respond to the situation you need to research in to any gaps in your understanding of how to deal with the situation. Once you have a good understanding of this, you need to make a plan of how to change your bad habits to better cope with the problem in the future and apply them in your practice. The final step is to then monitor your progress to determine whether or not the plan is improving your over all service to your clients.
Reflective practice is a good way to improve the quality of your practice another way to maintain a good level of professional practice is to work on your professional development. One way to do this is by joining MNZ and participating in there professional development policy. This insures that you are keeping up with current procedures and always improving your skills, it also enables you to network with other therapists so you can bounce ideas off them. Another option is to do this off your own back by networking with other therapists and enrolling in courses, refreshers and seminars to keep up with changing techniques, research and trends.
To keep your professional development on track and give your practice focus allowing you to define yourself in the massage community. You need to consider where you see yourself in the future and what you want to contribute to the massage industry in the long run. If this isn’t done then your practice may become very broad and scattered. Where as it could be best to decide a certain area in the industry that suits your interests and focus in and specialise your skills around it, giving you an edge for that particular market.
I believe professional development, reflective practice & supervision influences your level of professional practice a lot. In order to maintain a good quality of practice they have to be constantly looked at. Especially in the massage industry as it is growing and advancing all the time. Although I don’t think it would suit me personally to join MNZ and participate in there professional development polity as I feel it’s a bit restricted in its choices and many of them I am not interested in doing. I think it is a good start and will help to increase the level of professional development in the industry. This is needed as many therapist already practicing don’t seem very motivated to raise there skill levels and training.
By Simon Marks
How does professional development, reflective practice & supervision act to support professional practice?
Professional development, reflective practice & supervision all act to support increased levels of professional practice in many ways. They do this by giving us the ability to be aware of areas in our practice that are lacking and developing our skills to better cope with them. I will go through some of the techniques and strategies that can be used, to make us more efficient in our practices by helping us to detect areas that are in need of development.
The main objective of going through reflective practices and working on our professional development is to give us the tools to provide a better service for our clients. This is done by teaching to be more aware of how we react in situations mentally, emotionally and physically and how we influence others through our practice. A good technique to use is the spiral model of reflective practice. It starts by practicing or going through your normal working procedures. You then select a area of trouble or area that is not running as smoothly as others, (the use of client feed back forms could be used to find a place to start). The next step is to describe the problem and how you have reacted to the situation it is best to write this down. You then need to reflect on what you have written and assess how you acted and think of other ways in which you could have better reacted. This can be done with the help of a supervisor, as they can give you different angles and perspectives on the situation you may not have thought of. To get ideas on how to best respond to the situation you need to research in to any gaps in your understanding of how to deal with the situation. Once you have a good understanding of this, you need to make a plan of how to change your bad habits to better cope with the problem in the future and apply them in your practice. The final step is to then monitor your progress to determine whether or not the plan is improving your over all service to your clients.
Reflective practice is a good way to improve the quality of your practice another way to maintain a good level of professional practice is to work on your professional development. One way to do this is by joining MNZ and participating in there professional development policy. This insures that you are keeping up with current procedures and always improving your skills, it also enables you to network with other therapists so you can bounce ideas off them. Another option is to do this off your own back by networking with other therapists and enrolling in courses, refreshers and seminars to keep up with changing techniques, research and trends.
To keep your professional development on track and give your practice focus allowing you to define yourself in the massage community. You need to consider where you see yourself in the future and what you want to contribute to the massage industry in the long run. If this isn’t done then your practice may become very broad and scattered. Where as it could be best to decide a certain area in the industry that suits your interests and focus in and specialise your skills around it, giving you an edge for that particular market.
I believe professional development, reflective practice & supervision influences your level of professional practice a lot. In order to maintain a good quality of practice they have to be constantly looked at. Especially in the massage industry as it is growing and advancing all the time. Although I don’t think it would suit me personally to join MNZ and participate in there professional development polity as I feel it’s a bit restricted in its choices and many of them I am not interested in doing. I think it is a good start and will help to increase the level of professional development in the industry. This is needed as many therapist already practicing don’t seem very motivated to raise there skill levels and training.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Professional Practice – Legalities Blog 6
Simon Marks
How can I as an individual massage therapist influence the development of government policy & laws that are supportive of the profession?
As it stands therapeutic massage isn’t regulated within a scope of practice. There are many reasons for this. Among them is the fact it is still a growing profession and there is no true representative for the industry. I believe it will be up to current therapists and those that are training to be proactive in defining our scope of practice and policy / laws to support our profession. I will talk about some of the ways in which we can influence these developments, as well as some of the current acts that massage therapy is already working under.
Although there are no laws and regulations that have been made specifically for the massage community the flowing acts are relevant to massage and must be abided by in our practice.
Privacy Act 1993
Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995
Consumer Guarantees Act 1993
Medicines Act 1981
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003
Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001
Local Body Requirements
Occupational Health and Safety requirements
In order for there to be policies and laws to support and guide our scope of practice, we need to understand how bills and acts are created in order to influence them. Parliament has overall authority creation of laws and dissolution, but we can influence the legislative process that creates them. The legislative process is not a quick or easy process to go through. Meaning a lot of time and effort would need to be put into creating them, although Massage New Zealand and other individuals are attempting to move towards this, there is a lot more support needed. The main way that we and the massage community can contribute and quicken the process is to get involved, and support any movement in this direction.
Ways in which we can influence the legislative process are by lobbying for the bills that are put forward to parliament. As this requires there to be bills to have already put forward this would be a very slow process if it happened at all. The way for us to make a really difference, would be to work on the concepts for bills that will support our profession. To do this we would need to work together to define our scope of practice and look at what we would need to support it.
The legislative process consists of seven steps in order to pass an act they are as follows
1. The creation of a concept or idea – This can be from anyone and they have to go to most relevant MP to the area the bill will be for. A bill draft is created and it is presented to parliament
2. First reading – There is general discussion of the bill and it is either thrown out or taken to the next stage
3. Select committee - Thirteen committees of MPs all in different areas of interest discuss issues within the bill and any changes to the bill are made.
4. Second reading – Bill is debated in parliament more intensely with each principle and clauses debated and voted through.
5. Third reading – The bill is finalised to become an act of parliament.
6. The bill is written into a act of parliament
7. Then becomes Common law and individual lawyers with individual cases have to go through the details in court to apply the laws.
Lobbying can be done by the public (us), corporate and social movements (us) at the concept, select committee, second and third reading to present there points for and against. This is where we can make the difference especially in numbers.
The task of developing government policies & laws that support the massage profession will take a lot of time and effort. I believe there will need to be more involvement and support from the massage community, in order to kick start the process though. As the industry grows its scope will become more defined, this will hopefully make our task easier to accomplish, as at the present moment I feel our scope is too vast to define.
Simon Marks
How can I as an individual massage therapist influence the development of government policy & laws that are supportive of the profession?
As it stands therapeutic massage isn’t regulated within a scope of practice. There are many reasons for this. Among them is the fact it is still a growing profession and there is no true representative for the industry. I believe it will be up to current therapists and those that are training to be proactive in defining our scope of practice and policy / laws to support our profession. I will talk about some of the ways in which we can influence these developments, as well as some of the current acts that massage therapy is already working under.
Although there are no laws and regulations that have been made specifically for the massage community the flowing acts are relevant to massage and must be abided by in our practice.
Privacy Act 1993
Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995
Consumer Guarantees Act 1993
Medicines Act 1981
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003
Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001
Local Body Requirements
Occupational Health and Safety requirements
In order for there to be policies and laws to support and guide our scope of practice, we need to understand how bills and acts are created in order to influence them. Parliament has overall authority creation of laws and dissolution, but we can influence the legislative process that creates them. The legislative process is not a quick or easy process to go through. Meaning a lot of time and effort would need to be put into creating them, although Massage New Zealand and other individuals are attempting to move towards this, there is a lot more support needed. The main way that we and the massage community can contribute and quicken the process is to get involved, and support any movement in this direction.
Ways in which we can influence the legislative process are by lobbying for the bills that are put forward to parliament. As this requires there to be bills to have already put forward this would be a very slow process if it happened at all. The way for us to make a really difference, would be to work on the concepts for bills that will support our profession. To do this we would need to work together to define our scope of practice and look at what we would need to support it.
The legislative process consists of seven steps in order to pass an act they are as follows
1. The creation of a concept or idea – This can be from anyone and they have to go to most relevant MP to the area the bill will be for. A bill draft is created and it is presented to parliament
2. First reading – There is general discussion of the bill and it is either thrown out or taken to the next stage
3. Select committee - Thirteen committees of MPs all in different areas of interest discuss issues within the bill and any changes to the bill are made.
4. Second reading – Bill is debated in parliament more intensely with each principle and clauses debated and voted through.
5. Third reading – The bill is finalised to become an act of parliament.
6. The bill is written into a act of parliament
7. Then becomes Common law and individual lawyers with individual cases have to go through the details in court to apply the laws.
Lobbying can be done by the public (us), corporate and social movements (us) at the concept, select committee, second and third reading to present there points for and against. This is where we can make the difference especially in numbers.
The task of developing government policies & laws that support the massage profession will take a lot of time and effort. I believe there will need to be more involvement and support from the massage community, in order to kick start the process though. As the industry grows its scope will become more defined, this will hopefully make our task easier to accomplish, as at the present moment I feel our scope is too vast to define.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Professional Practice - Sustainablilty Blog 4
Professional Practice – Blog 4 Sustainability
By Simon Marks
Student Number: 99003928
I believe sustainability is an important part of running a massage business. The three areas that a business needs to look at to call themselves sustainable are environmental, social and economic. I will talk about some of the reasons why sustainability is important when running a business and how someone in the massage profession can be sustainable in their business.
Sustainability is related to the quality of life in a community whether the economic, social and environmental systems that make up the community are providing a healthy, productive, meaningful life for all community residents, present and future (M. Hart 1998-2006). Businesses including the massage industry can have an effect on these things. With out taking these in to account the business is likely to fail or may not run smoothly. I believe that in massage the economic and social aspects are imperial to a successful business. Economic because without sustainable economic running the business would fail due to money lose and/or bankruptcy as economic sustainability can simply be interpreted as how companies stay in business (D Doane & A MacGillivray). Socially sustainability is huge as it is such a customer based profession. If a massage business had bad relationships with customers and the community then the business would surely suffer, through lack of clients.
Ways in which you can change the running of your business to become sustainable
Environmental:
• using environmentally friendly washing products (For linen/table)
• electricity use (using thermostats on heaters / limiting the use of dryers)
• Insulating the room used for massage to minimize need for heating
• Storing client information on computers instead of paper so as to keep paper usage down
Social
• Joining MNZ and working to guide lines to insure the public are getting a safe and regulated service
• Working in with other therapists by referring clients if others can treat them more appropriately
• Promoting health living to clients and other workers
• Looking after yourself so you can work to your potential
• not undercutting your business community
• not poaching other similar businesses clients
• Providing clear guide lines and systems in the work place
Economic
• Combine the aspects of both social and economic to become an economically sustainable businesses
• Businesses can incorporate triple-bottom line reporting into there financial reports this is now done by many large companies and could possibly become compulsory in the future as governments are becoming more aware of the need for it
• Use cash flow charts to show incomings and out goings to insure they balance of profit is created
There are benefits in working with some of the above ideas and becoming sustainable in a massage business.
• leads to improved service and processes
• saves on raw materials and energy, reducing production costs
• increases competitiveness through the use of new and improved technologies
• reduces the need for more environmental regulation
• reduces risk from on- and off-site treatment, storage and disposal of toxic wastes
• improves the health and safety of employees
• improves staff morale, leading to better productivity
• improves a company’s public image
• reduces the cost of increasingly expensive end-of-pipe solutions
(Queensland Government, 2008)
The importance of becoming sustainable in business in the past was not a priority and businesses were free to run there business without the need to worry about the impact they are having on the society, environment and other businesses around them. Time has shown that this can not last, as we are on a finite planet and are removing resources as if it were linear in design. Also people are more aware of the problems that arise if thing are not run I a sustainable way. They will soon frown upon businesses that don’t move with the times resulting in poor business. This is now more readily known and accepted and sustainable concepts will therefore get used more and more by business owners.
I believe sustainability is an important thing to consider when starting or running a business as there soon will be no place for businesses that don’t comply with the rules and guidelines of sustainability. I believe that people will come to see the benefits in lifestyle and financial gains both to businesses and consumers. This will prompt others too conform and we can start living in a world that has a long term future.
D, Doane & A, MacGillivray. (2001). The Business of staying in business. Retrieved 25/09/2009.
http://www.projectsigma.co.uk/RnDStreams/RD_economic_sustain.pdf
M, Hart. (1993). Guide to Sustainable Community Indicators. New Society Publishers. Gabriola Island, BC.
Queensland Government. (2008). Environmental Management – Cleaner Production. Retrieved 25/09/2009
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/sustainability/industry/cleaner_production
By Simon Marks
Student Number: 99003928
I believe sustainability is an important part of running a massage business. The three areas that a business needs to look at to call themselves sustainable are environmental, social and economic. I will talk about some of the reasons why sustainability is important when running a business and how someone in the massage profession can be sustainable in their business.
Sustainability is related to the quality of life in a community whether the economic, social and environmental systems that make up the community are providing a healthy, productive, meaningful life for all community residents, present and future (M. Hart 1998-2006). Businesses including the massage industry can have an effect on these things. With out taking these in to account the business is likely to fail or may not run smoothly. I believe that in massage the economic and social aspects are imperial to a successful business. Economic because without sustainable economic running the business would fail due to money lose and/or bankruptcy as economic sustainability can simply be interpreted as how companies stay in business (D Doane & A MacGillivray). Socially sustainability is huge as it is such a customer based profession. If a massage business had bad relationships with customers and the community then the business would surely suffer, through lack of clients.
Ways in which you can change the running of your business to become sustainable
Environmental:
• using environmentally friendly washing products (For linen/table)
• electricity use (using thermostats on heaters / limiting the use of dryers)
• Insulating the room used for massage to minimize need for heating
• Storing client information on computers instead of paper so as to keep paper usage down
Social
• Joining MNZ and working to guide lines to insure the public are getting a safe and regulated service
• Working in with other therapists by referring clients if others can treat them more appropriately
• Promoting health living to clients and other workers
• Looking after yourself so you can work to your potential
• not undercutting your business community
• not poaching other similar businesses clients
• Providing clear guide lines and systems in the work place
Economic
• Combine the aspects of both social and economic to become an economically sustainable businesses
• Businesses can incorporate triple-bottom line reporting into there financial reports this is now done by many large companies and could possibly become compulsory in the future as governments are becoming more aware of the need for it
• Use cash flow charts to show incomings and out goings to insure they balance of profit is created
There are benefits in working with some of the above ideas and becoming sustainable in a massage business.
• leads to improved service and processes
• saves on raw materials and energy, reducing production costs
• increases competitiveness through the use of new and improved technologies
• reduces the need for more environmental regulation
• reduces risk from on- and off-site treatment, storage and disposal of toxic wastes
• improves the health and safety of employees
• improves staff morale, leading to better productivity
• improves a company’s public image
• reduces the cost of increasingly expensive end-of-pipe solutions
(Queensland Government, 2008)
The importance of becoming sustainable in business in the past was not a priority and businesses were free to run there business without the need to worry about the impact they are having on the society, environment and other businesses around them. Time has shown that this can not last, as we are on a finite planet and are removing resources as if it were linear in design. Also people are more aware of the problems that arise if thing are not run I a sustainable way. They will soon frown upon businesses that don’t move with the times resulting in poor business. This is now more readily known and accepted and sustainable concepts will therefore get used more and more by business owners.
I believe sustainability is an important thing to consider when starting or running a business as there soon will be no place for businesses that don’t comply with the rules and guidelines of sustainability. I believe that people will come to see the benefits in lifestyle and financial gains both to businesses and consumers. This will prompt others too conform and we can start living in a world that has a long term future.
D, Doane & A, MacGillivray. (2001). The Business of staying in business. Retrieved 25/09/2009.
http://www.projectsigma.co.uk/RnDStreams/RD_economic_sustain.pdf
M, Hart. (1993). Guide to Sustainable Community Indicators. New Society Publishers. Gabriola Island, BC.
Queensland Government. (2008). Environmental Management – Cleaner Production. Retrieved 25/09/2009
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/sustainability/industry/cleaner_production
Monday, September 14, 2009
Pathology Blog 3 – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Pathology Blog 3 – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Simon Marks
Due Date: Monday 14th Oct
Description – Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that causes abdominal discomfort or pain that is related to gastrointestinal dysfunction. It is a three part complex that characterizes irritable bowel syndrome, the first being abnormal bowel movements, the second hypersensitivity of the visceral sensory system and thirdly abnormal processing of the central nervous system. It is usually a combination of one or more of these complexes that causes the symptoms in an individual.
(Springerlink, 2007) (E medicine, 2009)
Etiology Although the condition is common, it has no known cause, and is diagnosed through a pattern of symptoms rather than by specific tests. IBS may often follow after an infection or stressful event suffered by the person, and lactose intolerance can increase the likelihood of developing the condition, but often there will be no known trigger. (Wikipedia, 2009)
Incidence -incidence of irritable bowel syndrome in the USA is 1-2% of the population per year. (E medicine, 2009)
Prevalence – The percentage of the population of Western civilisation with IBS symptoms is between 10 and 15% in most studies 2001.
(Digestion, 2001). With an estimated prevalence of 12% in Canada 2009. (CPF, 2009)
Signs and symptoms
Lethargy
Gastroesophageal reflux
Fibromyalgia
Abdominal pain and or discomfort,
Bloating
Abnormal bowel movements constipation or diarrhea sometimes alternating
A feeling of incomplete evacuation of bowels
Can suffer from depression chronic fatigue headaches back pain
Heart burn
Weakness
(Wikipedia, 2009) (K, Premkumar, 2000)
Diagnostic It is recommended that people suffering constipation older than 50 years should undergo a screening colonoscopy, check for parasitic infection, lactose intolerance, and celiac disease as they need to be considered as a causes of the pain and symptoms (CPF, 2009)
There are three main methods of symptom diagnosis; they are the Rome I Criteria, the Rome II Process, Kruis Criteria and the Manning Criteria. The six manning criteria below are the most common. (Wikipedia, 2009)
The Manning Criteria are:
1. Onset of pain linked to more frequent bowel movements
2. Looser stools associated with onset of pain
3. Pain relieved by passage of stool
4. Noticeable abdominal bloating
5. Sensation of incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time
6. Diarrhea with mucus more than 25% of the time
(Wikipedia, 2009)
Indications and contraindications
• There is no evidence that any drug is effective in alleviating IBS, although individual symptoms may respond to specific agents. Treatment trials are confounded by a placebo effect as high as 71%.
• Ingested peppermint oil relaxes intestinal smooth muscle cells to improve symptoms.
• Herbal formulas ease symptoms with minimal side affects.
• Acupuncture
• Stress relief and management techniques
• Cognitive-behavioural therapy
• Hypnotherapy
• Mind body therapies including- biofeedback therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, relaxation, and stress management.
• Probiotics (living organisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, can help relieve symptoms
• Fibre intake helps the symptoms of constipation
• Dietary changes
For massage
• Relaxation massage as the condition can be brought on and symptoms increased with high stress levels.
• Progressive muscle relaxation techniques
• Stress relief and management techniques
• Massage to the stomach is advised for constipation, but to be avoided if they have diarrhea symptoms.
• If symptoms are severe consult their physician before treatment
(CPF, 2009) (CMAJ, 1999) (k, Premkumar, 2000)
Reference list
CMAJ. 27 July (1999). Recommendations for the management of irritable bowel syndrome in family practice retrieved 13/09/2009
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/2/154
CPF. 2nd February (2009). Complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. 14/09.2009
http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/content/full/55/2/143
Dr. Premkumar, K. (2000). Pathology A to Z: A handbook for massage therapists (2nd Ed.). Canada: Van Pub Books
E-medicine. 9th August (2009). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Retrieved 13/09/2009
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/180389-overview
Prof. Stefan Müller-Lissner. (2001). Digestion - Epidemiological Aspects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Europe and North America. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ProduktNr=223838&Ausgabe=227607&ArtikelNr=48862
Springer link 23 May, (2007). New concepts of irritable bowel syndrome. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f612h61560855g5k/
Wikipedia, 9th September (2009). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome
Simon Marks
Due Date: Monday 14th Oct
Description – Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that causes abdominal discomfort or pain that is related to gastrointestinal dysfunction. It is a three part complex that characterizes irritable bowel syndrome, the first being abnormal bowel movements, the second hypersensitivity of the visceral sensory system and thirdly abnormal processing of the central nervous system. It is usually a combination of one or more of these complexes that causes the symptoms in an individual.
(Springerlink, 2007) (E medicine, 2009)
Etiology Although the condition is common, it has no known cause, and is diagnosed through a pattern of symptoms rather than by specific tests. IBS may often follow after an infection or stressful event suffered by the person, and lactose intolerance can increase the likelihood of developing the condition, but often there will be no known trigger. (Wikipedia, 2009)
Incidence -incidence of irritable bowel syndrome in the USA is 1-2% of the population per year. (E medicine, 2009)
Prevalence – The percentage of the population of Western civilisation with IBS symptoms is between 10 and 15% in most studies 2001.
(Digestion, 2001). With an estimated prevalence of 12% in Canada 2009. (CPF, 2009)
Signs and symptoms
Lethargy
Gastroesophageal reflux
Fibromyalgia
Abdominal pain and or discomfort,
Bloating
Abnormal bowel movements constipation or diarrhea sometimes alternating
A feeling of incomplete evacuation of bowels
Can suffer from depression chronic fatigue headaches back pain
Heart burn
Weakness
(Wikipedia, 2009) (K, Premkumar, 2000)
Diagnostic It is recommended that people suffering constipation older than 50 years should undergo a screening colonoscopy, check for parasitic infection, lactose intolerance, and celiac disease as they need to be considered as a causes of the pain and symptoms (CPF, 2009)
There are three main methods of symptom diagnosis; they are the Rome I Criteria, the Rome II Process, Kruis Criteria and the Manning Criteria. The six manning criteria below are the most common. (Wikipedia, 2009)
The Manning Criteria are:
1. Onset of pain linked to more frequent bowel movements
2. Looser stools associated with onset of pain
3. Pain relieved by passage of stool
4. Noticeable abdominal bloating
5. Sensation of incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time
6. Diarrhea with mucus more than 25% of the time
(Wikipedia, 2009)
Indications and contraindications
• There is no evidence that any drug is effective in alleviating IBS, although individual symptoms may respond to specific agents. Treatment trials are confounded by a placebo effect as high as 71%.
• Ingested peppermint oil relaxes intestinal smooth muscle cells to improve symptoms.
• Herbal formulas ease symptoms with minimal side affects.
• Acupuncture
• Stress relief and management techniques
• Cognitive-behavioural therapy
• Hypnotherapy
• Mind body therapies including- biofeedback therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, relaxation, and stress management.
• Probiotics (living organisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, can help relieve symptoms
• Fibre intake helps the symptoms of constipation
• Dietary changes
For massage
• Relaxation massage as the condition can be brought on and symptoms increased with high stress levels.
• Progressive muscle relaxation techniques
• Stress relief and management techniques
• Massage to the stomach is advised for constipation, but to be avoided if they have diarrhea symptoms.
• If symptoms are severe consult their physician before treatment
(CPF, 2009) (CMAJ, 1999) (k, Premkumar, 2000)
Reference list
CMAJ. 27 July (1999). Recommendations for the management of irritable bowel syndrome in family practice retrieved 13/09/2009
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/2/154
CPF. 2nd February (2009). Complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. 14/09.2009
http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/content/full/55/2/143
Dr. Premkumar, K. (2000). Pathology A to Z: A handbook for massage therapists (2nd Ed.). Canada: Van Pub Books
E-medicine. 9th August (2009). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Retrieved 13/09/2009
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/180389-overview
Prof. Stefan Müller-Lissner. (2001). Digestion - Epidemiological Aspects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Europe and North America. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ProduktNr=223838&Ausgabe=227607&ArtikelNr=48862
Springer link 23 May, (2007). New concepts of irritable bowel syndrome. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f612h61560855g5k/
Wikipedia, 9th September (2009). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Retrieved 14/09.2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Treaty of Waitangi Blog 2
Treaty of Waitangi Blog 2
By Simon Marks
Integrating a Treaty framework and Hauora values into my practice as a massage therapist.
I have used the treaty framework and Hauora values to identify the need for us as massage therapists to look into the different needs of individuals when practicing. I have done this by taking the main points of the Treaty of Waitangi articles and bringing them into our scope as massage therapists.
Article 1: Governance
In terms of governance we as massage therapists have to take into account the preferences of the Māori community in terms of cultural beliefs and practices, also what they believe to be Tapu (associated with risk) and Noa (associated with safety). Our practice as it stands has no formal set of guide lines to follow when working with the Māori community, so we individually need to make an effort to understand there needs as best we can. We can do this by learning about Maori history and understanding our cultural differences and incorporating it into our policies and practice.
Article 2: Authority
In our policies and practice we need to include grounds on which our relationship with the client allows them to maintain an authority to speak openly and to help in the direction of the massage process. This is not to say we as practitioners should not have an influence, but that there should be a partnership to provide the best possible outcome for the client.
Article 3 Equity
We need to insure that every client gets the best quality and most suited treatment for them as an individual. This means that we need to work with and respect each person and their intricacies to understand their issues and problems as an individual, to provide them with the best service we can. This means being aware not to just treat a symptom but the person themselves, as everyone is different, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually. Ethnicity can play a large part in treatment as certain social practices can be quite different. For instance in Maori culture it is not polite or is not acceptable to touch someone around the head as it is Tapu, sitting leaning on tables and using pillow as pollsters is also frowned upon because they are associated with the head that is Tapu.
Article 4 Respect
Respect of the clients’ ideas, wants and needs has to be a top priority in and around your interaction with them. This needs to be across the board no matter what the reasons for them are (cultural, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually). It is not our job to decide whether there reasoning is just or not. We should take them on board and work with and around them. The three P’s can be used for this partnership, protection, and participation.
Partnership – Refers to the respect of the client’s beliefs and authority of their wants, needs and ideas, in relation to treatment so that you work as a partnership that works to provide the best service and care for the client.
Protection – Is of the client themselves physically as well as there individual needs, wants and ideas
Participation – It is their right that they get the treatment they want or need and that they are not mis treated due to their wants, needs or ideas.
When looking into the four articles and how they refer to the massage scope, it really brings up points that need to be looked at in any kind of human interaction, Not just when working with different cultures, it could be just different personalities. There are also no limits to the scope it can relate to; it really can just be used as a way to give people fair and equal treatment. The downfall when used in the treaty of Waitangi was that it was not used correctly, as it did not create fair and equal treatment in terms of – access to tea o Maori
- Environmental protection
- Healthy lifestyles
- Leadership
- Participation in society
- Autonomy (Durie, 1998).
References
Bachelor of Midwifery/Diploma in Massage Therapy; Treaty Workshop. May 18th 2009
Durie, M (1998). Whaiora; Maori health development (pp.69-74). Auckland, New Zealand; Oxford University Press.
My own thoughts
By Simon Marks
Integrating a Treaty framework and Hauora values into my practice as a massage therapist.
I have used the treaty framework and Hauora values to identify the need for us as massage therapists to look into the different needs of individuals when practicing. I have done this by taking the main points of the Treaty of Waitangi articles and bringing them into our scope as massage therapists.
Article 1: Governance
In terms of governance we as massage therapists have to take into account the preferences of the Māori community in terms of cultural beliefs and practices, also what they believe to be Tapu (associated with risk) and Noa (associated with safety). Our practice as it stands has no formal set of guide lines to follow when working with the Māori community, so we individually need to make an effort to understand there needs as best we can. We can do this by learning about Maori history and understanding our cultural differences and incorporating it into our policies and practice.
Article 2: Authority
In our policies and practice we need to include grounds on which our relationship with the client allows them to maintain an authority to speak openly and to help in the direction of the massage process. This is not to say we as practitioners should not have an influence, but that there should be a partnership to provide the best possible outcome for the client.
Article 3 Equity
We need to insure that every client gets the best quality and most suited treatment for them as an individual. This means that we need to work with and respect each person and their intricacies to understand their issues and problems as an individual, to provide them with the best service we can. This means being aware not to just treat a symptom but the person themselves, as everyone is different, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually. Ethnicity can play a large part in treatment as certain social practices can be quite different. For instance in Maori culture it is not polite or is not acceptable to touch someone around the head as it is Tapu, sitting leaning on tables and using pillow as pollsters is also frowned upon because they are associated with the head that is Tapu.
Article 4 Respect
Respect of the clients’ ideas, wants and needs has to be a top priority in and around your interaction with them. This needs to be across the board no matter what the reasons for them are (cultural, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually). It is not our job to decide whether there reasoning is just or not. We should take them on board and work with and around them. The three P’s can be used for this partnership, protection, and participation.
Partnership – Refers to the respect of the client’s beliefs and authority of their wants, needs and ideas, in relation to treatment so that you work as a partnership that works to provide the best service and care for the client.
Protection – Is of the client themselves physically as well as there individual needs, wants and ideas
Participation – It is their right that they get the treatment they want or need and that they are not mis treated due to their wants, needs or ideas.
When looking into the four articles and how they refer to the massage scope, it really brings up points that need to be looked at in any kind of human interaction, Not just when working with different cultures, it could be just different personalities. There are also no limits to the scope it can relate to; it really can just be used as a way to give people fair and equal treatment. The downfall when used in the treaty of Waitangi was that it was not used correctly, as it did not create fair and equal treatment in terms of – access to tea o Maori
- Environmental protection
- Healthy lifestyles
- Leadership
- Participation in society
- Autonomy (Durie, 1998).
References
Bachelor of Midwifery/Diploma in Massage Therapy; Treaty Workshop. May 18th 2009
Durie, M (1998). Whaiora; Maori health development (pp.69-74). Auckland, New Zealand; Oxford University Press.
My own thoughts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Pathology Blog 2 - Depression
Pathology blog 2
Simon Marks
Depression
Description – Depression also known as clinical depression is a mental disorder that causes a person to feel an all-encompassing low mood which can be accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. These conditions can interfere with the suffers everyday life as is more than just feeling down or blue for a few days it is a persistent feeling that they can not shake (Medline Plus, ). Most studies of depression have shown it is almost twice as common in females than males (F M, Mondimore).
Types:
Major depression- Also called clinical depression is when the ability to enjoy everyday activities is lost, the effects can be experienced from mild to severe and generally lasts about six months and can be recurring (Help guide 2009)
Atypical Depression – can be put down to specific symptom patterns, which show a temporary rise in mood from good experiences they feel. Other symptoms of atypical depression include weight gain, increased appetite, sleeping excessively, a heavy feeling in the arms and legs, and sensitivity to rejection. (Help guide 2009)
Dysthymia (recurrent, mild depression) – Is a chronic condition (normally lasts over two years) in which they may feel a mild depression more days than not. It is can stop the person from reaching their full potential in their day to day life and is often linked with pouts of major depression. (Help guide 2009)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - is more common in the northern climates and in younger people it is experienced through fall, winter, and in long periods of over-cast whether (Help guide 2009), it is thought to be related to the amount of exposure to sunlight a person my get. (Familydoctor, 2008)
Manic depression – is defined by swinging of mood extremes with lowered moods resembling those of major depression and highs of impulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, rapid speech and little sleep. Each episode lasting for several weeks (Familydoctor, 2008)
Etiology – There are many causes for depression biological, genetic, psychological, or social factors can all be triggers for the condition. (Wiki, 2009)
It has been thought that depression can be passed down the generations as records show that you have a high chance of getting the symptoms if it runs in your family. (Medical news today, 2009)
“MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has shown that the brain of a person with depression looks different, compared to the brain of a person who has never had depression. The areas of the brain that deal with thinking, sleep, mood, appetite and behavior do not appear to function normally. There are also indications that neurotransmitters appear to be out of balance.” (Medical news today, 2009)
General environmental and lifestyle causes and risk factors for depression
• Loneliness
• Lack of social support
• Recent stressful life experiences
• Family history of depression
• Marital or relationship problems
• Financial strain
• Early childhood trauma or abuse
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Unemployment or underemployment
• Health problems or chronic pain
(Help guide.org, 2008)
Incidence - approx 1 in 14 or 6.91% or 18.8 million people in USA annually get diagnosed with depression (NIMH) National Institute of Mental Health (Wrong diagnosis.com, 2009)
Prevalence - According to National institute of mental health (NIMH), approximately 6.5% of women suffer from major depressive disorder at a given point of time in America, and comparatively 3.3% of male population suffers major depressive disorder at any given point of time. As per studies performed by National institute of Mental health overall approximately 5.3% adults and 4% adolescents suffer from serious depression annually. (Harold Cortez, 2008)
Signs and symptoms
General signs and symptoms
• A constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, and emptiness
• A general feeling of pessimism sets in (the glass is always half empty)
• The person feels hopeless
• Individuals can feel restless
• The sufferer may experience irritability
• Patients may lose interest in activities or hobbies they once enjoyed
• He/she may lose interest in sex
• Levels of energy feel lower, fatigue sets in
• Many people with a depressive illness find it hard to concentrate, remember details, and make decisions
• Sleep patterns are disturbed - the person may sleep too little or too much
• Eating habits may change - he/she may either eat too much or have no appetite
• Suicidal thoughts may occur - some may act on those thoughts
• The sufferer may complain more of aches and pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems. These problems do not get better with treatment.
(Medical news today, 2009)
Seasonal depression (winter)
• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
• Weight gain
• A drop in energy level
• Fatigue
• A tendency to oversleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability and anxiety
• Increased sensitivity to social rejection
• Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy
Seasonal depression (summer)
• A loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Insomnia
• Irritability and anxiety
• Agitation
• Increased sex drive
(Family doctor, 2008)
Indications and contraindications for massage therapy
- Check to see if the client is on antidepressants as the symptoms are similar to inhibition of parasympathetic system they are orthostatatic hypotension, constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness, sedation and drowsiness as therapists we need to watch for hypotension and dizziness when the client gets off the table. Also the sedative effects may mean that the clients feed back maybe inadequate.
- Studies done by the Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami have concluded that you can reduce your anxiety and feelings of depression with regular massage therapy. (G Galley, 2009). So just regular general relaxation massage.
- Massage can help to move oxygen around the body and stimulate lymph glands to eliminate toxins and stress hormones.
- The Relaxing of muscles and touch help can help the release of endorphins. (B K Puri & H Boyd, 2005).
Reference list
Dr. Premkumar, K. (1959). Pathology A to Z: A handbook for massage therapists (2nd Ed.). Canada: VanPub Books
Familydoctor, (2008). Seasonal affective disorder. Retrieved 26/06/2009. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/267.html
Genna Galley, (2009). Suite 101.com – Does massage really reduce depression. Retrieved 26/06/2009. http://relaxation-stress-reduction.suite101.com/article.cfm/does_massage_really_reduce_depression#ixzz0JV6vhtSN&C
Harold Cortez, (2008). Ezine articles.com - Incidence and Depression Prevalence Retrieved 26/06/2009
http://ezinearticles.com/?Incidence-and-Depression-Prevalence&id=1243325
Help guide.org, (2008). Understanding depression. Retrieved 25/06/2009 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm
Medical news today, (2009). What is depression? What causes depression? Retrieved 26/06/2009 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8933.php
Medline Plus, (2009). Depression. Retrieved 25/06/2009 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html
Mondimore, F M. (1995). Depression: The Mood Disease, (Revised Edition). The John Hopkins Press LTD. London.
Professor B K Puri & H Boyd. (2005). The Natural Way to Beat Depression. Hodder and Stoughton, London NWI.
Wikipedia, (2009). Major depressive disorder. Retrieved 26/06/2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depressive_disorder
Wrongdiagnosis.com, (2009). Prevalence and Incidence of Depressive disorders. Retrieved 26/06/2009
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/depressive_disorders/prevalence.htm
Simon Marks
Depression
Description – Depression also known as clinical depression is a mental disorder that causes a person to feel an all-encompassing low mood which can be accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. These conditions can interfere with the suffers everyday life as is more than just feeling down or blue for a few days it is a persistent feeling that they can not shake (Medline Plus, ). Most studies of depression have shown it is almost twice as common in females than males (F M, Mondimore).
Types:
Major depression- Also called clinical depression is when the ability to enjoy everyday activities is lost, the effects can be experienced from mild to severe and generally lasts about six months and can be recurring (Help guide 2009)
Atypical Depression – can be put down to specific symptom patterns, which show a temporary rise in mood from good experiences they feel. Other symptoms of atypical depression include weight gain, increased appetite, sleeping excessively, a heavy feeling in the arms and legs, and sensitivity to rejection. (Help guide 2009)
Dysthymia (recurrent, mild depression) – Is a chronic condition (normally lasts over two years) in which they may feel a mild depression more days than not. It is can stop the person from reaching their full potential in their day to day life and is often linked with pouts of major depression. (Help guide 2009)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - is more common in the northern climates and in younger people it is experienced through fall, winter, and in long periods of over-cast whether (Help guide 2009), it is thought to be related to the amount of exposure to sunlight a person my get. (Familydoctor, 2008)
Manic depression – is defined by swinging of mood extremes with lowered moods resembling those of major depression and highs of impulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, rapid speech and little sleep. Each episode lasting for several weeks (Familydoctor, 2008)
Etiology – There are many causes for depression biological, genetic, psychological, or social factors can all be triggers for the condition. (Wiki, 2009)
It has been thought that depression can be passed down the generations as records show that you have a high chance of getting the symptoms if it runs in your family. (Medical news today, 2009)
“MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has shown that the brain of a person with depression looks different, compared to the brain of a person who has never had depression. The areas of the brain that deal with thinking, sleep, mood, appetite and behavior do not appear to function normally. There are also indications that neurotransmitters appear to be out of balance.” (Medical news today, 2009)
General environmental and lifestyle causes and risk factors for depression
• Loneliness
• Lack of social support
• Recent stressful life experiences
• Family history of depression
• Marital or relationship problems
• Financial strain
• Early childhood trauma or abuse
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Unemployment or underemployment
• Health problems or chronic pain
(Help guide.org, 2008)
Incidence - approx 1 in 14 or 6.91% or 18.8 million people in USA annually get diagnosed with depression (NIMH) National Institute of Mental Health (Wrong diagnosis.com, 2009)
Prevalence - According to National institute of mental health (NIMH), approximately 6.5% of women suffer from major depressive disorder at a given point of time in America, and comparatively 3.3% of male population suffers major depressive disorder at any given point of time. As per studies performed by National institute of Mental health overall approximately 5.3% adults and 4% adolescents suffer from serious depression annually. (Harold Cortez, 2008)
Signs and symptoms
General signs and symptoms
• A constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, and emptiness
• A general feeling of pessimism sets in (the glass is always half empty)
• The person feels hopeless
• Individuals can feel restless
• The sufferer may experience irritability
• Patients may lose interest in activities or hobbies they once enjoyed
• He/she may lose interest in sex
• Levels of energy feel lower, fatigue sets in
• Many people with a depressive illness find it hard to concentrate, remember details, and make decisions
• Sleep patterns are disturbed - the person may sleep too little or too much
• Eating habits may change - he/she may either eat too much or have no appetite
• Suicidal thoughts may occur - some may act on those thoughts
• The sufferer may complain more of aches and pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems. These problems do not get better with treatment.
(Medical news today, 2009)
Seasonal depression (winter)
• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
• Weight gain
• A drop in energy level
• Fatigue
• A tendency to oversleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability and anxiety
• Increased sensitivity to social rejection
• Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy
Seasonal depression (summer)
• A loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Insomnia
• Irritability and anxiety
• Agitation
• Increased sex drive
(Family doctor, 2008)
Indications and contraindications for massage therapy
- Check to see if the client is on antidepressants as the symptoms are similar to inhibition of parasympathetic system they are orthostatatic hypotension, constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness, sedation and drowsiness as therapists we need to watch for hypotension and dizziness when the client gets off the table. Also the sedative effects may mean that the clients feed back maybe inadequate.
- Studies done by the Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami have concluded that you can reduce your anxiety and feelings of depression with regular massage therapy. (G Galley, 2009). So just regular general relaxation massage.
- Massage can help to move oxygen around the body and stimulate lymph glands to eliminate toxins and stress hormones.
- The Relaxing of muscles and touch help can help the release of endorphins. (B K Puri & H Boyd, 2005).
Reference list
Dr. Premkumar, K. (1959). Pathology A to Z: A handbook for massage therapists (2nd Ed.). Canada: VanPub Books
Familydoctor, (2008). Seasonal affective disorder. Retrieved 26/06/2009. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/267.html
Genna Galley, (2009). Suite 101.com – Does massage really reduce depression. Retrieved 26/06/2009. http://relaxation-stress-reduction.suite101.com/article.cfm/does_massage_really_reduce_depression#ixzz0JV6vhtSN&C
Harold Cortez, (2008). Ezine articles.com - Incidence and Depression Prevalence Retrieved 26/06/2009
http://ezinearticles.com/?Incidence-and-Depression-Prevalence&id=1243325
Help guide.org, (2008). Understanding depression. Retrieved 25/06/2009 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm
Medical news today, (2009). What is depression? What causes depression? Retrieved 26/06/2009 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8933.php
Medline Plus, (2009). Depression. Retrieved 25/06/2009 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html
Mondimore, F M. (1995). Depression: The Mood Disease, (Revised Edition). The John Hopkins Press LTD. London.
Professor B K Puri & H Boyd. (2005). The Natural Way to Beat Depression. Hodder and Stoughton, London NWI.
Wikipedia, (2009). Major depressive disorder. Retrieved 26/06/2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depressive_disorder
Wrongdiagnosis.com, (2009). Prevalence and Incidence of Depressive disorders. Retrieved 26/06/2009
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/depressive_disorders/prevalence.htm
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