November 2017 by linda wolek
This practice uses a massage cream which contains Arnica and St. John's Wort. These two ingredients can cause high blood pressure. Myself, I only knew about the latter ingredient at the time. I was lucky to stop the therapist from using the cream before she put it on my skin. The therapist did not know that these two creams produce a side effect which is dangerous to people with high blood pressure. In an email from her, she told me that herself, and her colleague were not aware of this side effect, and she believed that other health carers were also unaware. She believed that a third of her patients had high blood pressure. She did not see it as a problem as she and her partner had 37 years experience, even though the instructions on the cream carry a warning. This matter will be taken up with the health Ombudsman. All complementary treatments should be thoroughly assessed before use, and physiotherapists should clearly be aware of any deleterious effects. I asked how many patients had found their pressure increased after use of this cream. I have had no answer. Be cautious with this practice. The therapist's manner was less polite than one would expect from a 'professional'.
