"Paging Dr. Christina..."

I was a bit taken aback when my client with the gigantic swelling on his upper lip asked me after the massage what I thought he should put on it.

Do I look like a doctor?

It's specifically stated in every state's massage regulations I've ever seen that diagnosing and/or treating any disease, illness, or injury is well outside the massage therapist's scope of practice. It's expressly forbidden, in fact.

So why does this happen so often?

For what it's worth, considering that the swelling on the guy's face looked like it was about to sprout a prophecy-spewing Kuato, I recommended some calendula therapy oil.

After I told him he should see a doctor ASAP. ;)