When treatments go wrong: speak up, it’s your body

Last week, I wrote about IV Therapy. I explained what it is and outlined how it may or may not be helpful to treat chronic or immediate health concerns. I also mentioned that I had recently tried IV Therapy and shared my own thoughts.

What I didn’t describe was my experience at the clinic. It can be difficult separating a treatment from the circumstances surrounding how that treatment was administered. I believe I did my best to be impartial and focus on what I felt were the health benefits of IV Therapy.

Now, separated from the actual cocktail of vitamins and electrolytes, I would like to focus on what actually happened at this clinic. I was attended to by a nurse who did not properly administer the IV drip. While clinics are staffed by certified medical professionals, you have assume that the individual attending to you knows what they are doing.

Well, maybe this was just a bad day or a one-off experience, but my nurse did not get my IV into my vein. Instead, my upper arm filled with fluid. When I asked my nurse if this was normal, I was shrugged off. Eventually, I needed to speak with a different nurse when I was in an increasing amount of pain. And I am not a complainer. I have an extremely high pain tolerance. This nurse realized what was going on, quickly removed the IV from my arm, and re-administered it. Immediately, I could tell that this was done correctly.

For many of us, we know what feels right and what is uncomfortable. We know how our bodies should react and when we are struggling beyond a reasonable expectation.

What can you do if you have an experience that feels more uncomfortable than invigorating? The first thing you must do is tell the person administering the treatment to stop. Although they might think that everything is proceeding according to plan, only you can speak up and explain how you are feeling. Sometimes it can be difficult to advocate for yourself when you are in a vulnerable position. However, speaking up is not making yourself an inconvenience. It not only draws attention to what you are experiencing, but provides the administrator with valuable feedback. Maybe you aren’t the first person who has had this reaction to this therapy. Maybe your own voice will ease the experience for others.

Speaking up, especially in a bodywork or wellness setting, can be awkward or uncomfortable. As the expert of your own body, your experience is more critical than those of the people in charge. You are paying for them and you deserve to be treated properly. This includes being honest and, yes even critical, if the experience is uncomfortable, the setting is unprofessional, or you are not satisfied.

You are the customer — and your words and patronage are your real currency.