A MEDICAL professional urged parents and individuals to go to the doctor for injuries as a result of sports or children’s play.
Dr. Matthew Rex Madayag, Fellow of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine and consultant at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), says they have recorded cases where injuries were aggravated as people would rather go to the local manghihilot (unprofessional chiropractor).
“Daghan mi cases for example naay trauma or natapilok ka or nabanggaan ka because it’s a contact sport, or nahulog ka, and the patients usually go to the hilots. Usually mao na ginahimo nila, magpahilot,” Madayag said during his guesting at the recent Healthy Davao Media Forum held at SM City Davao.
(We have many cases, for example, there is trauma, you tripped and fell, or you collided with someone because it’s a contact sport, or you fell. The patients usually go to the hilots… that’s what they do, treat their injuries through a hilot.)
Hilot is a traditional Filipino healing therapy that uses “tough diagnosis” and hand massage with coconut oils and herbs.
Madayag said they discourage going to hilots as patients already have sustained trauma like fractures. The right way to handle injuries is to have the trauma examined, usually through X-ray.
“Naay pasyente naa siya fracture, niadto’g manghihilot, pero wala man kabalo ang manghihilot nga naay fracture, na-manipulate nya, na displaced samot,” Madayag said.
(There was a patient, he had a fracture, he went to the manghihilot, but the Hilot didn’t know there was a fracture, so he manipulated the trauma, which worsened the displacement.)
By undergoing an X-ray, doctors can determine if there is a fracture, and they can do the proper therapy. Madayag said some fractures are not displaced and are not immediately obvious.
He said that instead of hilot, the patient’s injury would worsen and would need surgery.
Madayag says many people would go to hilots as they are a cheap and affordable means of healthcare and also accessible in the communities.
Citing several cases, Madayag strongly urged people, especially parents of children who sustained injury due to sports and other mishaps from playing, to go to the doctor and have their traumas X-rayed just to be sure. PIA DAVAO