Massage therapists do not prescribe, stop or change medication. The exam-relevant skill is recognizing how a medication class may change bruising, sensation, alertness, blood pressure, glucose, skin/tissue status or symptom feedback.
| Class | Common purpose/examples | Massage relevance |
|---|---|---|
| NSAIDs | Pain/inflammation | Can reduce pain feedback; some increase GI/bleeding concerns. Do not use reduced pain as proof tissue can tolerate aggressive work. |
| Anticoagulants | Reduce clot formation | Increased bruising/bleeding risk; pressure may need modification. Never advise skipping doses for massage. |
| Antiplatelet drugs | Reduce platelet aggregation | Bruising/bleeding consideration. |
| Corticosteroids | Inflammatory/immune conditions | Long-term/systemic use can affect skin/tissue fragility, immunity and bone health depending on dose/duration. |
| Muscle relaxants | Muscle spasm/pain | May cause sedation/dizziness and alter feedback. |
| Opioid analgesics | Moderate/severe pain | Sedation, dizziness and altered pain perception; impaired client requires safety judgment. |
| Antihypertensives | Blood-pressure control | Some contribute to orthostatic dizziness; allow slow position changes. |
| Diuretics | Hypertension/edema/heart conditions | Fluid/electrolyte effects and increased urination; edema cause matters. |
| Insulin | Glucose lowering | Hypoglycemia awareness, meal/activity timing and injection/device sites may matter. |
| Other glucose-lowering drugs | Diabetes management | Know hypoglycemia risk varies by class; screen neuropathy/skin/circulation complications. |
| Antihistamines | Allergy symptoms | Some cause drowsiness/dryness. |
| Antidepressants/anxiolytics | Mood/anxiety and other indications | Side effects vary; some cause sedation, dizziness or autonomic effects. Do not infer diagnosis solely from medication. |
| Anticonvulsants | Seizures, neuropathic pain and other uses | Dizziness/sedation may occur; medication name does not prove why client takes it. |
| Thyroid replacement | Hypothyroidism | Usually not itself a massage contraindication; underlying stability/symptoms matter. |
| Immunosuppressants | Autoimmune disease/transplant and other uses | Infection risk and tissue/skin effects can matter depending on drug/condition. |
| Chemotherapy/targeted cancer therapies | Cancer treatment | Possible fatigue, neuropathy, low blood counts, skin changes, ports/lines and infection/bleeding concerns. Oncology-specific training/coordination may be appropriate. |
Ask: What do you take it for? Any dizziness, bruising, numbness, sedation or skin effects? Any recent dose change? A medication list is useful because of its effects, not because massage therapists should interpret it like a prescriber.
Never tell a client to discontinue a prescribed medication so they can receive massage. When a medication creates uncertainty, modify, gather more information or ask the client to consult the prescribing healthcare professional.