Cancer and HIV spread through sweat?

[Kayleigh]

I work with quite a few cancer patients, so I'm aware with some chemo meds you should wear gloves (if they can tolerate any work at all!). I also have two good friends who are HIV positive, but have lived a relatively healthy life for the past ten years.
My alarm has been raised by another massage therapist who is a former classmate of mine. He also deals in 'nutritional suppliments' from some Dr. in Idaho. He is trying to get me to order some 'hand sealer' lotion because he is telling me HIV and some forms of cancer can actually be spread through sweat on the skin. (He's also a big conspiracy nut, so of course this is something the government is keeping this info from us...)
Now logically, I know I have never read of such a thing. I just got back from a conference regarding HIV and massage precautions with clients in hospice settings. Sweat contact was not a discussion point.
But the back of my mind is thinking "What if he's right?" He 'claims' he knows three chiropractors in our area who have caught HIV from skin 'sweat' contact. (BTW, this guy is also an extreme Christian who believe HIV is a punishment from God.)
Part of me just wants to blow this off as 'fear mongering'. But I thought I'd check first. Have I put myself and my clients and family in danger, or is this guy just yanking my chain? I have never heard of anyone 'catching' cancer through skin contact, or that HIV is spread through sweat.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hey massagediva!

This is DEFINATELY fear mongering. There is nothing in the research that has been done in the last few years even remotely that would indicate this. We know how HIV is spread and sweat is definately not a way it is spread. I think your friend is a bit of a conspiracy nut as you say and the fact that he is an extremest Christian tells me there is some ignorace of common sense there as well. As far as I know you have nothing to worry about I hope that helps

holistichealer

 

[Krimson]

massagediva,

Thank you for posting this question instead of blindly following this guy's lead. I'm so glad that you did.

The RN who taught our pathology class told us that urine and sweat are both sterile. In other words they do not carry pathogens.

If HIV or cancer were transmitted by sweat, believe me, we would know about it. I'd like to know what motivation this guy thinks the government would have for covering up something like that? Your former classmate deserves a good kick in the a...hem for suggesting otherwise. People who have HIV already suffer enough discrimination and fear without the kind of far-fetched alarmist bull-hockey that this guy is propagating.

Yes, I am passionate about this, and sick to death of certain holier-than-thou religious fanatics who think every bad thing in the world is a punishment from God. One of the sweetest women I've ever known was a nurse who contracted HIV from a needle-stick. Another acquaintance of mine contracted it when he was sexually abused as a child. What reason does this guy think God would have to punish these people?

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

It makes me so angry.

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

kemilyna (taking deep, calming breaths)

 

[Van]

whew.

Yes, now that I have had a few hours at work to reflect on this, he deserves a good kick in the gluts. He gets stranger with his 'beliefs' every time I run into him. It really scares me that he is practicing massage and distributing nutritional substances, while perpetuating such gross 'mythologies.'
I've taken classes from/with Tracey Walton, Debra Curtis and numerous other cancer MTs. I also emailed them my concern regarding my friend's statement. One of the emailed me back like within the hour and told me to go wash his mouth out with his 'santizer'. :LOL: :

 

[Average Joe]

The RN who taught our pathology class told us that urine and sweat are both sterile. In other words they do not carry pathogens.
kemilyna (taking deep, calming breaths)

If this is true, then why does the lady that does administrs the urine tests during the DOT physical and random drug tests use gloves when taking the cup and pouring it into the smaller cups? Cause she likes to waste gloves?

 

[Meahgan]

Seriously, would you really want some elses bio-waste on your hands???

Universal safety precautions as required by hospitals, labs, and medical practioners as required by their business operating policies, insurance, etc. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/universa.html

Urine can contain blood when:

* kidney stones
* blood clot disorders
* upper or lower urinary tract, as in a car wreck or a bad fall
* Medications - Antibiotics, analgesics, anticoagulants
* Benign (noncancerous) enlargement of the prostate
* Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell anemia
* Viral infections
* Inflammation of the kidney
* Strenuous exercise, esp. running (bladder)
* Cancer
* kidney disease
* Menstrual blood
* Liver diseases

 

[lovelove11]

I don't know. Maybe she meant pure urine? I'm not an RN, I just know what she told us (and since she's an RN I believed her). And I never said I'd want someone's bio waste on my hands. I work in a hospital. Believe me when I say I follow proper hand hygiene, even though I'm just in the billing office. t019 :mrgreen:

kemilyna

 

[Smilecahoots]

Actually, I was responding to Stess Solutions' question:

If this is true, then why does the lady that does administrs the urine tests during the DOT physical and random drug tests use gloves when taking the cup and pouring it into the smaller cups? Cause she likes to waste gloves?

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[caramelcappuccino]

The outside of the cups remain dry....

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

The outside of the cups remain dry....

Maybe so but if I had a nickel for every time I spilled a liquid on myself when pouring it from one container to another..............

Angie

 

[Dan F]

You use gloves when handling a urine sample because IF the person's system is compromised, the urine may contain bacteria, blood or virus.

It's also done to ensure that no particles such as bacteria from a second person contaminates the sample, which could give a false positive for a problem.

 

[Clover G]

The outside of the cups remain dry....

That has not been my experience! And even when the cup is dry, the chance that there WAS some - uh, drippage? - that got self-consciously wiped at w/a paper towel is still pretty high. I worked in a clinic a good long time and there was plenty of wet to encounter.

I'm not afraid of getting HIV from urine. But eww gross - I do not want to be touching somebody's pee! :

 

[Pritzooo:D]

Anyone wear gloves when changing a diaper?

 

[time2ryme]

Anyone wear gloves when changing a diaper?

I think there's a difference in perspective between a stranger's pee and your baby's pee.

Angie

 

[HelpingHand]

Actually, when I worked in child care, we DID wear gloves to change diapers. All the time.

 

[ichliebedich]

Hepatitis is also a concern (can't remember which type) when dealing with pee and poop.
As for Catching cancer from someone's sweat that is ridiculous.
Cancer cells are your own body cells, gone wild. You can be exposed to carcinogens (substances which promote cancer) or viruses which tend to pomote cancer but you cannot catch someone elses cancer.
If you could catch HIV from someones sweat, I think the human race would be extinct by now.
Kemilyna, I would be careful about holding up an RN as an authority on health matters.

 

[MissNewmarketSalsa]

deleted

 

[jessica deanna saucedo]

Kemilyna, I would be careful about holding up an RN as an authority on health matters.

OK OK... I won't do it again I promise! t081

Really, just wanted to apologize. I don't know what's gotten into me the last few days and I don't mean to come across as snarky. Full moon? Who knows?

Anyway, I'm sorry if I yanked any chains. Mine's just too easily yanked lately.

Kemilyna

 

[Niicole]

Hey Kemilyna,
I don't think anyone here was offended by what you said, I certainly was not.
I agreed with most of your first post, It is very dangerous to see medical and scientific facts through the filter of a religious belief.

 

[FuryHUH]

The outside of the cups remain dry....

...Maybe for men with good eyesight, aim, and the ability to bend over far enough to see where they are peeing.

Kids.........no way. Women, well, speaking for myself, it's difficult, and when you're pregnant, you can't even see the damn cup.

Noel