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Thermal Auricular Therapy 1 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS & CODE OF PRACTICE Professional code of ethics for Thermal Auricular therapists You should not treat a patient if they are undergoing treatment with another practitioner. You should be professional to other fellow therapists Be aware of professional responsibilities when dealing with the general public You should carry out your treatment and business with professionalism and never bring the profession in to disrupt You should always abide by Government legislation such as the British code of Advertising Practice - Therefore make no claims that Thai foot massage can cure or relieve /prevent disorders. During conversation never ask any unprofessional questions or discuss other clients Professional code of practice You are not to Diagnose – only describe areas of the treatment that are out of balance You are to refer clients to their GP where necessary and to gain full approval before the start of treatment where necessary Carry out a full consultation and update record cards after each treatment To be aware of any contra-indications to the treatment Always put the client at ease and never make them feel uncomfortable or awkward You should always be covered by Public Liabilities Insurance Keep up with your continual professional development and have knowledge of complimentary therapies in general. All treatments and treatment area are to be hygienic at all times. Do not incorporate any other therapies into the treatment without consent of the client (e.g. reiki) Uphold the honour of the profession, e.g. when working on members of the opposite sex. Respect client confidentiality at all times A good relationship with your client is dependent on trust and their confidence in your standard and expertise. A knowledgeable therapist who cares and is enthusiastic about the industry will help instil confidence into the client. Your personal appearance must be immaculate. The therapist’s appearance and manner form the immediate visual impression which can help the client to gain confidence or be concerned of your professionalism. 2 CLIENT RECORDS In order to run your business efficiently, it is essential that records are kept for all clients. This can be done electronically or by using a system of treatment cards. Please remember you need to follow legislation with regards to the Data Protection Act when storing personal information. You should record the clients name, address and telephone number, details of the consultation, the treatment and your recommendations as to how frequently the treatments should be given. If you prefer to use record cards you need to ensure that these are kept in a lockable cabinet to ensure privacy and to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. 3 CLIENT RECORD CARD Mr/Mrs/Ms: Address: Tel. No: Surname: Home: First name(s): Date of Birth: Work: Doctor’s name: General State of Health: Recent illness/operation: Current medication: Allergies: Skin history/treatment: Recommended home care: Stress levels: Outcome of treatment required: Doctor’s Address: Basic skin type: Skin tone Skin colour Muscle tone Contra-indications: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Treatments: Patch tests taken: Date of consultation Signed 4 Details of the client’s lifestyle also should be recorded so that you can gain a full picture with regards to their health. The following should be recorded: Sleep patterns Leisure activities Exercise taken Energy levels Diet Liquid intake / water intake State of health Smoke / Drink / Drugs Stress levels 1-10 Relaxation techniques – time allocated Hobbies and interests Client consent It is important to obtain consent to the treatment before commencement of the treatment. This is a legal requirement and your insurance would be null and void without it. If the client is under 16, there should be written evidence of consent from the parent. A parent or guardian should be present during the treatment . HEALING CRISIS A healing crisis can occur during or after the treatment. It often occurs in clients that have more toxins and impurities in their system. It is the body’s own way of dealing with the release of the toxins collectively. Reactions: Itchy skin 5 Headaches Increased urination Diarrhoea Running from the eyes and ears Nausea Increased secretion from the nose Congestion Light-headedness Increased in the elimination of toxins from excretory organs Flu-like symptoms Actions: If a healing crisis occurs STOP the treatment. It is important for you to explain that a healing crisis can occur. Get your client to relax in a safe and comfortable place and offer them a glass of water. You should discuss how to proceed with further treatments. Do not be afraid to refer you client for medical attention. RECEPTION & PREPARATION OF CLIENT AND THE WORKING AREA RECEPTION First impressions matter! It can be the decision to book or cancel an appointment depending on the look of the establishment. You should ensure that the working area is appropriate and any prior consultations or client questions are carried out in privacy. 6 Good organisation and an efficient service should be apparent to the client as this will instil confidence in the client. Work area preparation: Clean all surfaces with disinfectant or other products such as barbicides. Prepare all your equipment and materials in advance and make sure they are placed in a position that will prevent injury to you or your client. Create or select the client’s treatment card Place all clients clothing and items away from the area of treatment, but they should be placed in a safe place. Make sure water is on hand in case your client is thirsty or they experience a contra-action Client preparation: Make the client feel comfortable Offer the client a drink Check the temperature and lighting of the room to see if your client is happy Carry out a verbal consultation and document the findings on the consultation card Establish if there are any contra-indications Ask the client to get into a comfortable position that is in easy reach for you to work on their lower leg and foot area. Cleanse the feet Check visually for any contra-indications What is Hopi Ear Candling? Hopi ear candling, also known as Thermo Auricular Therapy, is an ancient form of therapy practised by many people around the world. Its name is taken from the Hopi Indians of North Arizona, however this is a controversial topic as history of the Hopi tribe actually refuse that this is the case as there is no evidence documented to support this statement. The term Hopi means 'peaceful people'. It has also been believed that candles have been used on the Chinese as well as Tibetan Monks. They were first used to cleanse the aura around the body and had a spiritual meaning. They have also been documented in healing ceremonies, meditation and rituals. 7 Ear candles were used traditionally by Shamen healers. Ancient wall paintings (such as those found within the caves of the Grand Canyon) show the importance of earcandling in initiation rituals and healing ceremonies of the tribe. Hopi Tower mural Grand Canyon Hopi candling is a very gentle therapy and its popularity is growing as more people become aware of its positive benefits. The process of Hopi candling involves a specially designed hollow candle being inserted just inside the ear canal. The candle is then lit and the suction that is formed draws the impurities from within the ear. This process is known as the chimney effect. The rising air gives the ear drum a gentle massage and also helps to regulate ear pressure. A small amount of ear wax is also removed during the treatment. How Hopi Ear Candles work The earcandling treatment is a relaxing one and the patient need only concern themself with lying fairly still in a comfortable position whilst the hopi ear candle is gently inserted into their ear. When lit, the ear candles have a slight sucking action often referred to as the chimney principle, drawing any impurities to the surface where they can be gently removed. The rising air inside the ear sets up a vibration which gently massages the eardrum. This can help to regulate the pressures involved inside the ear. The flow of air within the ear candle creates a circulation of concentrated vapour. This is soothing, calming and protects the irritated areas. Most impurities or deposits are carried away through the candle "chimney", although some of them can be found 8 in the lower section of the candle after removal from the ear, or some wax could even work its way up to the surface 24-48 hours after. Anatomy of the Ear 9 How do we hear? When something makes a noise, it sends vibrations, or sound waves, through the air, temperature also effects the speed of hearing the warmer the temperature the faster sound travels. The human eardrum is a stretched membrane, which acts like the cover of a drum. When the sound waves hit your eardrum, it vibrates and the brain interprets these vibrations as sound. After the vibrations hit your eardrum, a chain reaction is set off. Your eardrum, which is smaller and thinner than the nail of your small finger, sends the vibrations to the three smallest bones in your body. First the hammer, then the anvil, and finally, the stirrup. The stirrup passes those vibrations along a coiled area in the inner ear called the cochlea. It is here in the cochlea that there are thousands of hair-like nerve endings, cilia. When the Cochlea vibrates, the cilia move. Your brain is sent these messages through the auditory nerve. Your brain interprets this information and identifies what you are hearing. Neurologists don't yet fully understand how we process raw sound data once it enters the cerebral cortex in the brain. Did you know? 10 Your ears aren't just good for helping you hear. They help you keep your balance as well. Near the top of the cochlea are three loops called the semi-circular canals. These canals are full of fluid that moves when you move your head. It pushes up against the cilia and sends messages to your brain that tells it how your body is moving. Ever feel dizzy after spinning around? Well, that’s because the fluid in your ears spun as well. That makes the cilia move in all different directions and confused your brain. Children have more sensitive ears than adults. They can hear a larger variety of sounds. Dolphins have the best sense of hearing amongst all the animals. They are able to hear 14 times better than humans. Too much fluid putting pressure on your eardrums causes earaches. They are often a result of infection, allergies, or a virus. The outer ear The outer ear is the part that you can see and touch. Sound waves pass through the ear canal and come in contact with the ear drum, the sound waves vibrate the ear drum . The eardrum has an inner lining of mucous membranes that secrete a waxy sebum to prevent dirt, insects and other micro-organisms from entering the ear drum. Conditions of the outer ear Ottis externa – skin the ear canal is weepy and inflamed usually caused by scratching to ease conditions such as eczema. This is a bacterial infection. Excessive wax – can be severe and affect hearing The middle ear Next you come to the middle ear. It is here that the eustachian tube is present this links the ears to the nose and throat. The tube stays closed but does open when pressure is unbalanced such as during a flight or yawning this causes a popping action to the ear. This area also contains three of the smallest bones in the body. They are Incus, Malleus and Stapes. Sounds enters the eardrum and passes the ossicles, the handle of the malleus moves with the incus. The incus joins the malleus and the malleus joins with the stapes. The head of the stapes joins to the incus and pushes on the cochlea of the inner ear. Conditions to the middle ear Glue ear – caused by viral and bacterial infection the Eustachian tube becomes blocked and air is prevented from reaching the middle ear which in turn fills with a gloppy glue substance. This condition is usually attributed with young children. Damage ossicles – this is usually caused by serious head injuries. 11 Perforated eardrum – this is when a hole appears in the ear drum which needs to be repaired with surgery if the hole is large. This can be caused by infectious, excessive noise or a head injury. Otosclerosis – This is often hereditary and is more common in women than men. The stapes grow abnormally affecting sound vibrations passing through it causing deafness over a number of years. However an operation can save the patients hearing. The inner ear The inner ear is concerned with the function of balance and hearing. There are two main areas within the inner ear which is the cochlea and the semicircular canals. There is both fluid and cilia hair projections within the cochlea and when sound travels it penetrates the fluid which causes movement to the hairs which send a message to the auditory nerve which moves from the cochlea to the brain. The hair have the ability to pick up different frequencies of sound. The semi-circular canals are also effect balance and are connected to the brain through the vestibular nerve. Conditions of the inner ear Rhinitis – Inflammation of mucous membrane that lines the nasal cavity. There are varying degrees of the condition and can have the symptoms of blocked nose, facial pain, sneezing and discharge of mucous. Sinusitis – Inflammation of the membrane lining of the facial sinuses usually caused by a bacterial infection. This condition often has symptoms such as facial pain, blocked nose and loss of smell. Tinnitus – A ringing to the ears can also sound like buzzing, hissing or whistling sound. Often occurs due to stress, loss of hearing, head injury, damage to ciliated tissue in the ear and can also be linked to other conditions such as diabetes. Meniere’s disease – Increased pressure to the fluid in the ear, this can cause dizziness and headaches, nausea and vomiting. Reducing salt intake can help the condition. Presbycusis – hearing loss due to the degeneration of the ciliated lining within the ear associated with old age. Vertigo – Feeling of dizziness and spinning causing a loss of balance. Caused by disease of the inner ear, also attributed to some brain disorders. Ear wax – cerumen The ceruminous gland produces cerumen also known as ear wax. It is made up of fatty acids which slow down the growth of bacteria and fungi. The ear wax also protects the ear from other microbes entering the ear. The ear wax is moved along 12 to the outside ear by movement of the temporalmandibular joint which is located close to the ear. If there is an excess of ear wax it can lead to discomfort, earache, inflammation, vertigo and even lead to temporally deafness. One of the solutions is syringing the ear by placing warm water to release the wax however this can damage the ear so it comes with risks attached. Contra indications for Hopi Ear Candling Although anyone can be treated with Hopi Ear Candles there are cases where Hopi should not be used. These are called contra-indications. The contra-indications for Hopi Ear candling are Infection of the ear High or low blood pressure Circulatory disorder A recent neck or head injury 13 Inflammation of the ear Surgery on the ear within the last 3 months Perforation of the ear drum Epilepsy as many candles contain sage as an ingredient this is also the case for pregnancy Lack of ear drum Children unless written consent from parent is given Auricular cysts Nervous system dysfunctions Infectious skin diseases Grommets, drains or ventilation tubes fitted Known allergy to candle wax Providing your clients have none of these existing conditions Hopi Ear Candling will be a perfectly safe treatment for you to carry out. The number of Hopi treatments that your clients may be need to help a problem depends on a number of factors. The age of the person, the length of time they have had the condition and what condition the person is suffering from. The older the person and the longer they have had the condition the more treatments that will be needed before there is a noticeable improvement, and some conditions are much more treatable than others, therefore fewer treatments are needed for positive results to be achieved. The guidelines that can be followed with regard to the number of Hopi treatments a person can have to achieve positive results may vary depending on their condition. For example for a cold or congested nose, it is safe to have treatments once a day for the first 2 days and then 3 or 4 more over the next 10 days. Long term problems, such as hearing loss or tinnitus, Hopi treatments can be given 3 times in the first week, twice in the second week and once in the third week. A Hopi treatment once a month can be beneficial for preventing problems. However with any condition you should consult the clients GP. Contra-actions that may occur as a result of the treatment Tiredness Allergy to the ear candle (wax) Redness to the area Benefits of Hopi ear candles Hopi Ear Candling has many positive benefits and can help with a variety of conditions of the ear. These include Breathing easier Drys moisture Loosens ear wax 14 Candida Tinnitus Deafness related to age Easing of earwax After flying Stress Vertigo Sinusitus Helps aid relaxation Glue Ear Hayfever and rhinitus Excessive ear wax General hearing loss Colds Tension headaches Travel sickness Meniere's disease Promotes a sense of wellbeing Though there is no actual evidence that Hopi ear candles work there is an overwhelming increase in the treatment and clients identify an improvement or benefit from the treatment. Other benefits of ear candling? The ear candling has the ability to: Ease tinnitus Eases compacted ear wax by warming the ear wax Drains the nasal passages Opens the airways therefore can help reduce snoring Eases neuralgia Increases circulation and therefore eases and reduces tension Eases sinus problems 15