Worth the Work; Health History Forms

Our world is overrun with paper and many a tree has met an untimely end for a few moments of printed glory, only to be glanced at then merely tossed away.

Health history forms are worth the paper and they are worth the work.


Correctly filling out the health history, also termed client intake form or case history, is one use of paper that is worth its weight in gold. It is an important first step for an effective massage appointment. The initial interview between client and therapist can be very productive providing that the form is filled out in its entirety.

Honestly checking off diabetes, for example, would lead to the trained therapist to ask specific questions regarding the client’s history with the disease. A common side effect for diabetes is experiencing altered sensations in certain areas of the body. Those areas would then be treated with due caution and modifications would be made accordingly.

Another important section of the health history is the area to list medication use. In some instances there is a temptation to omit prescriptions. This is unwise. Being honest and upfront about which pills are being taken is very important for the best interest of the client’s health and the productivity of the treatment.

There may also be a tendency not to mention a drug in efforts to keep a condition private. A registered massage therapist is well educated in how to alter massage techniques to accommodate drugs in all of the systems of the body.

For example, there is a need for alterations in a massage treatment when a client is taking pain medication. In this case, the therapist’s pressure must be altered to ensure a healthy response from the tissues. If during a treatment the client is enjoying deep techniques, and the therapist is unaware of any pain killers, it is likely that the tissue may experience local trauma. The effectiveness of the drug may very well be disguising this local disturbance in the body. This could further impair the healing process for the original complaint as well as create further destruction to the system. In the days to follow the client could have likely have additional discomfort.

A prescription for mental illness is a commonly left out drug on the health history form. These conditions are very common and every client should be aware that massage therapists are strictly guided in maintaining high confidentiality concerning a client’s personal information. If a therapist is in breach of this standard please contact either of the two provincial associations to report any concerns.

Being as thorough and honest as possible while filling out a health history form is a wise first step in getting a treatment off to a good start. A more efficient beginning to massage sessions leads to a more productive set of appointments, naturally leading to an appropriate use of the client’s funds and ultimately a timely recovery.

Put good use to the paper in the yellow pages to find a massage therapist and book an appointment today.