Class Syllabus: 40 hours

COURSE TITLE

Pathology

COURSE NUMBER

Course code and number per program requirements.

CREDIT HOURS

40 credit hours, presented in 20 2-hour segments

PREREQUISITES

Students of pathology must have successfully completed a course in anatomy/physiology

TEXTBOOK

Werner R. A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, 4e. Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams &

Wilkins, 2008.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Discuss pathologies with the goal of being able to make informed decisions about the safety and

applicability of massage modalities. Develop critical thinking skills to be able to find information

independently and to identify the variables that contribute to informed decisions.

OBJECTIVES

See chapter objectives at the beginning of each chapter. Apply these as appropriate for the

content you select.

GRADING

Per program requirements

Suggested distribution of points:

1

5% Classroom participation

10% Attendance

25% Quizzes/homework (cumulatively)

25% Research project

35% Midterm/final examination (cumulatively)

COURSE OUTLINE

Note: please see “Teaching Strategies” to get the best use from this syllabus. Lectures may run

long or short; prioritize to cover what you think is most important thoroughly, and make the rest

the students’ responsibility to read about on their own.

CLASS 1

Reading assignment

Preface, User’s Guide, Chapter 1

Lecture topics

Go through the entire syllabus, emphasizing grading structure and expectations and the

timing of quizzes, examinations, research projects, and other classroom assignments.

Discuss Preface and User’s Guide, with emphasis on student-friendly features: flash

cards, games, chapter objectives and chapter review questions, appendixes, animations, etc.

Invite students to share their feelings about being in a pathology course: resistance, fear,

excitement, curiosity, etc.

Introduce pathology as the study of recovery as much as the study of illness; much of the

course with focus in how people get better from illness or injury.

2

Emphasize respect and appreciation for the client who struggles with health (ultimately,

this is all of us).

Emphasize the goal of weighing risks and benefits of bodywork.

Terminology

Briefly review principles of using word roots to build a pathology vocabulary

Review key concepts with emphasis on these:

Acute Chronic Complication Contraindication Diagnosis

Indicated Lesion Prognosis Sign Subacute

Symptom Trauma

CLASS 2

Reading assignment

Chapter 1: Fundamental Concepts in Pathology

Lecture Topics

Infectious Agents

Briefly review key infectious agents and give examples of pathogens likely to be

encountered in a massage setting.

Hygienic Practices for Massage Therapists

Define key terms with emphasis on the following: antisepsis, disinfection, sterilization,

and Universal/Standard Precautions

Discuss application of practices in terms of hand care and equipment care.

Inflammation

3

Discuss the purpose of inflammation

Review three components:

Vascular activity; cellular activity; chemical mediators

Review three stages:

Acute, subacute, postacute (maturation)

Review consequences of unresolved (chronic) inflammation

Discuss signs and symptoms of inflammation

Discuss the role of massage in the context of inflammatory conditions

CLASS 3

Reading assignment

Chapter 2: Contagious Skin Disorders

Lecture topics

Review the structure and function of the skin

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Boils

Fungal infections

Herpes simplex

Lice and mites

Warts

CLASS 4

Reading assignment

4

Chapter 2: Noncontagious Inflammatory Skin Disorders, Neoplastic Skin Disorders, Skin

Injuries

Lecture topics

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Acne vulgaris

Dermatitis/eczema

Psoriasis

Skin cancer

Open wounds and sores

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 2 not covered in class

CLASS 5

Quiz on Chapter 2

Reading assignment

Chapter 3: Introduction, Muscular Disorders, Bone Disorders

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Fibromyalgia

Myofascial pain syndrome

5

Shin splints

Spasms, cramps

Strains

Osteoporosis

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

CLASS 6

Reading assignment

Chapter 3: Joint Disorders, Genetic Musculoskeletal Diseases, Other Connective Tissue

Disorders

Lecture topics

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Sprains

Temporomandibular joint disorders

Bunions

Plantar fasciitis

Tendinopathies

Whiplash

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Disc disease

Thoracic outlet syndrome

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Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 3 not covered in class

CLASS 7

Quiz on Chapter 3

Reading assignment

Chapter 4: Chronic Degenerative Disorders, Movement Disorders, Infectious Disorders

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the nervous system

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Alzheimer disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis

Parkinson disease

Herpes zoster

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

CLASS 8

Reading assignment

Chapter 4: Psychiatric Disorders, Nervous System Injuries, Other

Lecture topics

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

7

Chemical dependency

Depression

Bell palsy

Stroke

Trigeminal neuralgia

Headache

Sleep disorders

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 4 not covered in class

CLASS 9

Reading assignment

Chapter 5: Introduction, Blood Disorders, Vascular Disorders, Heart Conditions

Lecture topics

Note: The information in this chapter often works best if it is offered in the following

sequence, which is not the sequence in the text.

Briefly review the structure and function of the circulatory system.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Leukemia

Embolism, thrombus

Thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis

Varicose veins

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Hypertension

Atherosclerosis

Heart attack

Heart failure

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment:

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 5 not covered in class

CLASS 10

Midterm examination: Chapters 1 to 5

CLASS 11

Reading assignment

Chapter 6: Lymph and Immune System Conditions

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the lymph and immune systems.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Edema

Lymphangitis

Lymphoma

Chronic fatigue syndrome

HIV/AIDS

Lupus

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

9

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 6 not covered in class

CLASS 12

Quiz on Chapter 6

Reading assignment

Chapter 7: Respiratory System Conditions

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the respiratory system.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Common cold

Influenza

Pneumonia

Tuberculosis

Asthma

Emphysema

Lung cancer

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 7 not covered in class

CLASS 13

Quiz on Chapter 7

Reading assignment

10

Chapter 8: Introduction, Disorders of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract, Disorders of the

Large Intestine

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the digestive system.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Crohn disease/ulcerative colitis

Esophageal cancer

Gastroenteritis

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Peptic ulcers

Colorectal cancer

Diverticular disease

Irritable bowel syndrome

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

CLASS 14

Reading assignment

Chapter 8: Disorders of the Large Intestine, Disorders of the Accessory Organs, Other

Digestive System Conditions

Lecture topics

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Cirrhosis

11

Gallstones

Hepatitis

Liver cancer

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 8 not covered in class

CLASS 15

Quiz on Chapter 8

Reading assignment

Chapter 9: Endocrine System Conditions

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the endocrine system.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Diabetes mellitus

Hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism

Metabolic syndrome

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 9 not covered in class

CLASS 16

12

Quiz on Chapter 9

Reading assignment

Chapter 10: Urinary System Conditions

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the urinary system.

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Kidney stones

Pyelonephritis

Kidney failure

Bladder cancer

Interstitial cystitis

Urinary tract infection

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment:

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 10 not covered in class

CLASS 17

Quiz on Chapter 10

Reading assignment

Chapter 11: Introduction, Disorders of the Uterus, Disorders of other Female

Reproductive Structures

Lecture topics

Briefly review the structure and function of the reproductive system.

13

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Cervical cancer

Dysmenorrhea

Endometriosis

Fibroid tumors

Breast cancer

Homework assignment

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 10 not covered in class

CLASS 18

Reading assignment

Chapter 11: Disorders of the Male Reproductive System, Other Reproductive System

Conditions

Lecture topics

Discuss the definition, incidence, etiology, signs and symptoms, common treatment

options, and applicability of massage for the following conditions:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Prostate cancer

Menopause

Pregnancy

Sexually transmitted diseases

Use the lecture notes and Power Point slides that address these conditions as necessary.

Homework assignment

14

Take-home quiz on all conditions from Chapter 11 not covered in class

CLASS 19

Quiz on Chapter 11

Reading assignment

Chapter 12: Principles of Cancer

Lecture topics

Discuss the statistics, steps in metastasis, identified causes, sign and symptoms,

diagnosis, staging protocols, treatment options, prevention mechanisms, and implications of

bodywork for cancer in general.

CLASS 20

Final examination: cumulative

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