Massage Therapy and Epilepsy: Safety Concerns & Contraindications

Question
There is a student in my massage class that has Epilepsy and it is only controlled by high levels of medications. My teacher is not concerned about this , but my self and fellow students in my class are extremely concerned. Every time said student is worked on they have mine episodes and it dose not matter what modality, what area is being worked on, or pressure. They always have at lest one mine episode during our practical lab time. I don't think we should be working on said student, but would like to know what an other professional with more experience thinks.

Answer
Dear Jenny,

First I am assuming this person had clearance from their physician to attend school, and receive massage therapy. With that said...

Epilepsy in itself is not a contraindication for massage therapy. However there are different things to consider when working on someone who has epilepsy.

It is important to have a discussion with your fellow classmate on what types of seizures they are prone to (ie: simple partial, petit mal, grand mal), how long their seizures usually last, and what their triggers are.
It is possible that one their triggers could be a certain smell in the room or in the oils you are using. Sometimes a seizure can come on during the state between falling sleep and being awake. You can also ask this classmate that if they are on the table and feel a seizure coming on that they signal you in some sort of way. Communication is the key to feeling more comfortable and in control of the situation.

You say that this person experiences "mine" episodes. I am not familiar with that term. Does this person lose consciousness? How long does the seizure last?  Are they severe enough that they could possibly injure you and/or themselves during a massage? If you feel that they may fall off the table, is it possible for you to work with them on the floor?

I can understand your apprehension in this situation, especially because you are still in school. So if you'd like to let me know what you find out, and if you have anymore questions, I'd love to hear from you.

Good luck in school,


Rachel Zebede