A routine visit to a shopping center massage clinic left a Queensland man with life-changing injuries.
Craig Gibbs, 55, visited the massage clinic in Parkhurst, north of Rockhampton, while visiting the local shopping centre, unaware of how his plans for a foot massage would change his life.
By the time his ordeal was over, Gibbs had suffered third-degree burns, a month-long hospital stay, and ongoing pain and anxiety.
Gibbs requires regular foot massages to help deal with a medical condition known as neuropathy that causes damage to the nerves in the legs and creates blood flow problems that lead to an endless “tingling” sensation in the feet.
Fed up with painkillers, Gibbs told Daily Mail Australia he discovered that a simple foot massage would help relieve the terrible tingling sensation for up to three days in a row.
He said he went to the clinic for a quick massage when they “sold” him a moxibustion treatment.
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment that involves burning a dry herb called “moxa” on or near the skin to stimulate the flow of qi, or “life force.”
Craig Gibbs suffered horrific burn after attending Rockhampton clinic
It is believed to improve bodily function, reduce the side effects of cancer treatments, and help with a variety of other conditions.
Willing to try anything to help alleviate the endless tingling, Gibbs, who at the time managed a local resort, said he agreed to try the treatment and handed over more than $200 for the session.
The treatment consisted of what was essentially a hot pot placed on his leg.
“I’d never heard of it, but they had a big display, foot massages, acupuncture, moxibustion and they kind of sold me on that,” he said.
Gibbs said he was forced to use a mobile app to help translate his instructions to the workers, who appeared to be of Chinese origin.
He had insisted that his condition meant he had lost feeling in his legs.
‘I thought, “They must know what they’re doing,” but I don’t think they understood that the whole thing about neuropathy is that you can’t feel anything. I could be walking on hot coals or nails and I won’t feel it.’
What happened next is the stuff of nightmares.
Distracted by the hustle and bustle of the crowd at a mall, Gibbs claimed workers left the device on his leg cooking it for nearly an hour.
Unable to feel the pain, it was only that night in bed that he discovered that a large blister had formed on his leg.
Craig Gibbs claims his leg was cooked after he was convinced to take part in a type of treatment he had never heard of before.
“Over the next 48 hours I was taken to A&E and then to the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the next day I had surgery,” Gibbs said.
“I was in that hospital for a month. Two skin grafts didn’t work and now it’s like I have a permanent mark on my leg.’
Gibbs said the injury continued to cause him problems, making it difficult for him to perform simple tasks such as mowing the lawn.
With the help of a cane, Gibbs claims that the owner of the massage clinic had not taken responsibility for his shocking injuries, forcing him to initiate civil legal action that will go to court.
Sarah Williams, an associate at Maurice Blackburn, told Daily Mail Australia that healthcare providers had an obligation to educate themselves about any medical conditions and be appropriately qualified to provide treatment in accordance with Australian standards.
“These types of injuries are rare, but when something goes wrong, they can have very serious consequences for the people involved,” he said.
“As a result of this incident, Craig now has serious injuries and this serves as an important reminder for healthcare providers to ask appropriate questions at the start of any treatment.”
Gibbs said he was not willing to take legal action, but felt business owners should be held accountable for their actions.
Craig Gibbs after his leg was burned during a massage session
Mr. Gibbs’ injury was too gruesome to show
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment that involves burning a dry herb called “moxa” on or near the skin to stimulate the flow of qi, or “life force” (file image)
‘The doctors told me that if they did this to anyone, the registrar would expel them. “He said these people can’t be allowed to get away with this,” Mr Gibbs said.
“And now I’m paying for it… I could lose my leg in two years.”
Gibbs said the scar remained a constant reminder of the horrible day when a simple decision ended with drastic consequences.
“This is a nasty thing left on my leg… and it’s a question of how often this happens,” he said.
‘It’s not right. I’m not going to let them mark my leg like that and just think “oh, it’s another day.” Who does that? I don’t understand that. They knew he had neuropathy, he looked at an app to find out what it was. Well, just say “no, we don’t do this.” That’s all they had to say.
“If I had just stuck to my normal foot massage without being sold more of this stuff, I wouldn’t be going through this.”