The role of coffee muck in cellulite reduction.

Recently I had the most peculiar clinical experience that left me with a big question. A familiar dermatologist referred me a client for cellulite reduction massage.  The main focus of my practice are painful pathologies and orthopedic massage.  Strictly speaking cellulite is not a pathology. However, when a lady looks in a mirror and sees cottage cheese or orange peel marks on skin, it makes her unhappy. Unhappy people cannot be healthy, and as therapists our duty is to help people ridding of these sources of unhappiness. In many cases cellulite reduction massage is much cheaper and much safer alternative to liposuction or other plastic surgeries. If you would like to get more information on the subject please follow this link.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFO2vOG-Qdo

The client turned out to be a very extravagant lady, who brought with her a container with coffee muck and insisted on me incorporating this substance while performing cellulite reduction massage.  In explanation of this bizarre demand she referred to a cousin of hers, whom usage of coffee muck allegedly brought amazing results.

At that moment I was presented with the moral dilemma.  I was trained in how to incorporate Chinese cupping together with other special massage techniques to reduce cellulite. But since recently I started using silicone jars instead of glass jars, I had my first opportunity to use them for cellulite reduction.  Surely I had to adjust the existing protocol because glass jars are rigid while silicone jars are soft.  However I had a strong hunch that silicone jars techniques could be even more effective, and less painful in cellulite reduction case as they proved to be in other cases.  But to do coffee mucking?

To do something that has no, known to me, scientific explanation or clinical proof, or lose the client and, more importantly, the first opportunity to investigate the effect of silicone jars?  Captain Kirk inside me wanted to “boldly go where no one has gone before.” Yet Mr. Spock, who happen to also be inside me at the moment, advised caution.  This coffee muck sort of smelled as is the entire experiment.  Surely, I thought of Dr. Oz green coffee campaign http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQSjObxUYRs But, first of, can you take Dr. Oz’s advise seriously?  Secondly what my client insisted on using wasn't green or fresh.  Thirdly, even if it were green and fresh, would rubbing it in have the same effects as when you drink it? 

So, I told my clients that I've never done procedure that incorporated usage of coffee muck. I also shared with her my suspicion that coffee color can get into the skin pores, and, possibly, can leave stains.  However if she were to sign a release paper, I was ready to try it.  After all, her cousin used it and according to my client had no negative side effects.  The thought of this  made me feel comfortable. I also surmised that coffee muck could play the role of “emotional feels good“ effect for my client and in the worst case scenario would do nothing.

To my surprise the results of that experiment were dramatic improvement.  Within 5 visits my client lost a significant part of her cellulite looks, developed less edema than usually. I have completed 10 treatments, after two weeks have asked her to come for checkup. The treated parts of her body looked very good compared the parts I didn't address . Usually I concentrate on one location at the time. Now I will start working on other cellulite locations, of course, using coffee muck.

Despite the obvious improvement, the experiment didn't make me an instant believer in “coffee muck” method.  This happen because I used coffee muck in tandem with silicone jars.

As a matter of fact, during the last two years I was developing a method allowing incorporation of silicone jars into medical massage.  One of the advantages of silicone jar massage is its powerful ability to mobilize fascia, eliminate adhesions which provides faster and more advanced results compared to the classical hands fascia stretching and fibrotic courts tears methodology.

So currently I don’t know what caused those visible and rapid results in cellulite reductions.  Should I attribute those results to incorporation of silicone jars, to the integration of coffee muck or to both?

To resolve these doubts I should have conducted more testing with coffee muck without silicone jars or vise versa.  Of course, I will continue my experiments, and would be glad to share the results with you. 

In the meantime, I would like to invite your opinion and see what my colleagues think or know about the usage of coffee muck in cellulite reduction massage.

Incidentally, those of you who utilize Chinese glass cupping and generate suction by means of fire, and would like to learn techniques for cellulite reduction, are welcome to look at my DVD#8 please click this link http://medicalmassage-edu.com/dvds-only/72   You can also preview short fragment from this DVD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdm8BVVf3mA

From MedicalMassage–edu.com, LLC support team.

Dear friends,

Soon the release of Boris’ DVD “Prilutsky’s Method of Silicone Massage. Upper & Lower back disorders” is going to take place.

The DVD is going to cover incorporation of silicone jar massage for the Lower Back disorders, including:

·                  Sciatic Nerve Neuralgia/ Piriformis Muscle syndrome

·                  Hamstring

·                  Quadriceps

·                  Knee

·                  Calf

·                  Plantar fasciitis

and Upper Back Disorders including:

·                  Thoracic outlet syndrome

·                  Rotator Calf syndrome

·                  Golf & Tennis Elbow

·                  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  

The suggested retail price of this DVD will be 49.95 +7 dollars shipping and handling.

However, as and promotional effort, the first 200 DVDs, just to cover production cost, will be sold for $15 + $7 shipping and handling on first come first served bases.

If you would have an interest in learning from this DVD please write us to support@medicalmassage-edu.com

Patients reported outcome: Not all cases of sciatica are alike.

Six weeks ago I received a 48 years old woman who suffered from sharp pain in lower back, buttocks area, including a high intensity irradiation pain to right lower extremity for the last seven months.

Actually she had sciatica condition since the age of sixteen. According to her these pains of some intensity were constant.  At least, once a year she had episodes of very sharp pain, that disabled her for few weeks.

All possible tests were done, including repeated MRIs. In the age of 36 MRI shows 4mm disc bulging on L4/L5 level. This time she have gotten a terrible attack for seven months and couldn't function at all, consuming lots of pain killers, undergoing three epidural injections, during six physical therapy procedures, including exercise, the condition have aggravated to the  point of being not able to function at all.

Listening to her, I was pondering that piriformis muscle syndrome often is the main cause of sciatic nerve neuralgia, and other related syndromes.  So I planned to investigate the presence of piriformis muscle syndrome and then apply the piriformis muscle syndrome protocol since it is very effective in most difficult cases of sciatic nerve neuralgia.

I started by carefully palpating all areas of lower back, buttocks and extremities and have discovered much fascia and muscle tension as well as many trigger points practically everywhere in these regions, but especially within  quadrates lumbarum, gluteal muscles group and hamstring.

Having been aware of similar cases, first few treatments a therapist should advance slowly, expecting to palpate additional abnormalities within soft tissue.  Considering the long history of her disorder and the fact that the exercise programs significantly aggravated her condition, I suspected that she was born with an unusual condition where sciatic nerve fibers intergrew through fibers of piriformis muscle. Due to chronic inflammatory conditions, people develop region adhesions, especially within neighboring muscles and other soft tissues. With age the condition gets much worse exacerbated by soft tissue calcifications.

During my career I have treated people with this condition.  So I carefully  went ahead, following the piriformis muscle syndrome protocol.  I was extra careful while addressing buttocks and shifting gluteal muscles since my goal was to transmit pressure to piriformis muscle.

Because of the intergrowth of sciatic nerve fibers in the fibers of piriformis muscle and neighboring soft tissues, in addition to normalization of aforementioned muscles resting tone, reduction of fascia tension and elimination of all trigger points within region, the main goal of the treatment was to carefully address all adhesions.

Again one has to be very careful tackling this problem and progress slowly. Otherwise it would be easy to significantly aggravate the condition, causing the client additional pain and sufferings.  By the way, this is why cases of sciatic nerve neuralgia/piriformis muscle syndrome, where sciatic nerve fibers intergrew through fibers of piriformis muscle. take many more treatments, then just usual cases.

Usually in case of piriphormis muscle syndrome improvements are evident in a frame of five treatment.  Yet in aforementioned case of intergrowth the progress comes even slower.  My professor Dembo believed that massage therapists  doesn’t necessary have to be very strong , but sensitive.  His view is  especially applicable in this case.

Considering that my client was unlucky enough to be born with the aforementioned intergrowth condition, her timing appearing in my office was perfect.

I just finalized development of silicone jars massage techniques, which proved to be very powerful but gentle in case of adhesions elimination. So I, naturally, have proposed my client to try applying this technique for her condition. 

It so happened that her husband, who is a medical doctor, asked me to demonstrate this technique on him.  After being subjected to silicone jars techniques, he come to the conclusion that these techniques are safe, effective and especially was impressed with my approach to introductory part, where I activated pain gate control.  In our collaborative opinion the worst case scenario was that application of these techniques could do nothing.  As for my client, she admitted that had nothing to lose since she already scheduled a  surgery.

After first gentle application of silicone jars techniques, she reported a relief in first time during the last seven months.  For the three days she received treatment while I gradually increased suction.  She improved to the point of coming back to normal life and having no pain.  In total I have provided sixteen treatments.   The surgery was canceled.

In two weeks I recommended to come back for some additional treatments  even if she was free of pain. Of course I asked her to be very careful in all functional activities, avoiding challenging the improvements and proposed her the home program.

By the way, the surgery would have done her nothing good but to add suffering.  In her case changes within L/spine didn't play the main role in terrible clinical picture she had suffered all her life.

From MedicalMassage–edu.com, LLC support team.

Dear friends,

Soon the release of Boris’ DVD “Prilutsky’s Method of Silicone Massage. Upper & Lower back disorders” is going to take place.

The DVD is going to cover incorporation of silicone jar massage for the Lower Back disorders, including:

• ·         Sciatic Nerve Neuralgia/ Piriformis Muscle syndrome
• ·         Hamstring
• ·         Quadriceps
• ·         Knee
• ·         Calf
• ·         Plantar fasciitis

and Upper Back Disorders including:

• ·         Thoracic outlet syndrome
• ·         Rotator Calf syndrome
• ·         Golf & Tennis Elbow
• ·         Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The suggested retail price of this DVD will be 49.95 +7 dollars shipping and handling.

However, as and promotional effort, the first 200 DVDs, just to cover production cost, will be sold for $15 + $7 shipping and handling on first come first served bases.

If you would have an interest in learning from this DVD please write us to support@medicalmassage-edu.com

Increasing unwillingness to bear even small pains

A couple of days ago while browsing the Internet second time  I ran across this article.

Prescription drug abuse surged 400 percent in past decade

I was amazed how resonant this topic was with my own thoughts that I was mulling over for a while and that were troubling me.

From the article:” A new White House study found a 400 percent jump in prescription drug abuse between 1998 and 2008. Experts blame a lack of monitoring programs as well as Americans' increasing unwillingness to bear even small pains. “  

A strange explanation.  Rather not really an explanation at all, but replacement one unknown with another one. 

Most are aware of addictions and their terrible outcome.  “Small pains” whatever this means are not life-threaten.   Why would people be jeopardizing  their health and the very life by consuming “legally prescribed” narcotics?

I think what pushes people to take drugs is exhaustion and desperation due to constant suffering from painful skeletal muscular disorders and mostly from stress.  Stress that crawls from all cracks of modern life and attacks, attacks, attacks.

1.       Stress always awakens and increases muscular tone

2.       Mainly, people carry stress in the neck and upper back region,  abdominal and lower back region.

3        It expressed in muscular tensions/elevated muscle resting tone.

5.       Stress causes muscular pains and aches.

6.       As we all know in the last 10-15 years, due to Internet and new   communication media, declining economy, terror acts, etc. people are exposed to much more stress daily.

7.       When one developing painful orthopedic disorders related to trauma        or  due to chronic skeletal muscular conditions, stress contributes and fuels pain as well as in most cases do not allow to sustain normal          muscular resting tone within injured area.

Why then massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, professionals whose primary focus is treatment of painful skeletal muscular disorders and stress management cannot stop this epidemic of drug addictions?  I think it's because as an industry we failed.

One of the reasons is - massage therapy community is divided, and therefore general public practically has a hard time cannot choose between 1000s alternative names for massage therapy.

Last 13 years many of my colleagues, pretended to be scientists, “developed” treatment methodology of their own, denying 1000s year history of clinically proven safe and effective Oriental medicine and scientific discoveries and clinically proven methods of conventional Western massage that was developed in previous centuries. By all means we have to work with physical therapists, as well as chiropractors to gather, for sake of people, and not to be driven by great, egos, politics. It happens but not enough.

I have a strong suspicion that these distractions and "new movements" are the heavy contributors to this “400 percent jump in prescription drug abuse.”  Please note that the offered statistics spans the period between 1998 and 2008. It doesn't look today in 2013 it changed for the better.

I am saying "we failed," because it is scientifically and clinically proven that massage therapy is the most powerful methodology in stress management, designed to take care of harmful side-effects of stress and thus alleviate public   all the aforementioned "small pains" in the grand scale.

But, of course, the reasons for the failure are not only internal contradictions within the massage field.  Many of our colleagues constantly do great job, providing orthopedic massage, stress management massage, protocols for fibromyalgia cases, etc. and achieving results. The problem is that those great results are not sustained, and when symptoms come back people move back to consuming drugs.

To achieve sustain results not only a therapist has to provide, at least, 15 treatments on twice a week basis, but also to understand adequate treatment concepts, such as for example that all trigger points have to be patiently discovered and compressed for a 30 second producing ischemia.

It is also important to understand that trigger points are the results of muscle/fascia dysfunction /insufficiency and for sustained results we have to address it appropriately.  Consider the difference between potentials of connective tissue and muscular tissues. 

Introductory To Mayofascial Release Techniques

Superficial and deep Fascia Release Part 1

Superficial and deep fascia release Part 2

Mayofascial Mobilization Summary Part 1

Mayofascial Mobilization Summary Part 2

However, in my personal clinical observations as well as talking to many other practitioners I came to the conclusion that in today's world even perfect quality of treatment is not enough to secure sustain results.  Because causes of stress are many, are constant and unavoidable - the stress management efforts also have to be just as constant.  In other words in order to sustain results a home program must be included. 

I feel that all of us has to contribute to this struggle for health.  I feel did my part by creating 8 self-massage DVDs, where I extended medical massage protocols to self-massage techniques and where I'm teaching these protocols step-by-step protocols, including stretching, and exercise program. To get familiar with this works, please click this link http://medicalmassage-edu.com/dvds-only

I also am very happy to announce that the management of my company

offering special deal for all 8 DVDs.  For a short time all 8 self-massage DVDs are offered at $100 plus $15 shipping and handling, or you can purchase each individual DVD for $20 +7 dollars shipping and handling.  To purchase please follow this link Self-Massage Discount Page 

The Prilutsky's Method of silicone jar massage. How it was developed...

Dear friends,

For last 40 years I am practicing and teaching medical and sports massage protocols. Protocols that where developed by scientists for us to learn. Two years ago have started developing my own protocols for silicone jars massage. This techniques are amazing, helping to deliver much more rapid and sustained results. Please click link below, to get familiar with the details of this methodology, as well as to observe some of these techniques. You're welcome to post any questions.

Best Wishes, Boris.

Patient Reported outcomes: Too much of a good thing.

Stretching is a good thing.  It seems.   Yet it all depends.

Several months ago I've gotten a call from a student of mine who is a DPT now.  She asked me to take on a peculiar and difficult case of rotator cuff syndrome.  

She said that for almost a year, the client had constant pain in shoulder joint, severe limitations in range of motions in many planes and angles, that he was through all possible forms of conservative treatment, including physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture,  and different  styles of massage. According to her, I was the last stop before corrective surgery.  She also mentioned that he was a kind of a high profile clients, specifically ex-governor of California Gray Davis.

I agreed.  Ex-governors are also people.  Their pain is just as bad as pain of anybody else.

The client came over and during examination told me his story in more details.  Originally he had moderate pain and limitation in range of motion.  But every new procedure he was subjected to included forcible stretching, after which his pain and limitations became greater and greater, until the pain became constant.  As much as I learned,  Mr. Davis isn't a whiner by nature.  But the constant pain drained him.  He looked tormented.

While examining  the shoulder I discovered that  pain and limitation in range of motion were not uniformed;  in some plains and angles they were greater.  But even the movements that he could do caused lots of pain.     

It became obvious  that the muscles that stabilized and moves shoulder joint didn't work in assembly, and production of energy within this muscles wasn't adequate.    All the rotator cuff and surrounding muscles: Teres minior, latisimos dorsai, pectoralis major, etc  were overstressed, shortened and inflamed.  Muscles that were suppose to stabilize the joint didn't and couldn't  do that, and pain was the protective reaction against the possibility of the joint getting out of socket.

I started to implement  the entire protocol for Rotator  Cuff syndrome, including lymph drainage, fascia mobilization, muscular mobilization  and trigger point discovery and elimination.  After that I started to perform post isometric relaxation for all these groups of muscles and  other muscles that participated in  movement and support of the shoulder joint.   

Post isometric relaxation is also a special kind of stretching, but the kind that could be performed on the muscle with elevated muscle tone and cannot harm it.  To understand the difference between regular stretching and post isometric stretching please click here.  To learn more about  the Rotator Cuff protocol please click here.

Practically within several first treatments it became obvious that this was the right course of actions, because the client started feeling better.  Pain became less severe, range of motion increased the client started to sleep normally.

Today Mr. Davis feels much better; back playing golf.  To view his testimonial please click here

As you can see in case of limitation of range of motion stretching along can increase motions but would contribute to instability of joints.  Joints instability is a precondition for sports related injuries, decreases capability to perform well in sports it and eventually leads to disproportionate  to age development  of osteoarthritis.  For better understanding please click here.

In most cases of normal range of motion when it's produces pain it does means that stretching along shouldn't be applied , but post-isometric relaxation techniques, in order to balance energy within the same muscles, which will correct muscular assembly work, will increase the joints  stability etc.

Today we have to recommend, and teach home programs for self-massage including stretchings. It's difficult to sustain results when client receives treatments only in the office.

Please click this link to my DVD, where I demonstrate post-isometric relaxation techniques on many body parts, and much much more.

As for me, I constantly provide myself with self massage as well as utilize  post- isometric relaxation techniques . Please be advised that relaxation techniques means stretchings. Dr. Karel Lewwit who developed and proposed this techniques, under relaxation meant normalization of muscular resting tone , which is possible when pathological changes within muscles are eliminated. When normalization is completed, one can use stretchings only.

These is great material to use for self-care, and then to learn it and teach your clients.

Patients reported outcome: "In the beginning it helped, but then..."

Massage procedure is about rapid but sustained results. Lately too often I hear from people and healthcare providers who are a source for referrals, statements similar to this: "In the beginning massage therapy helped me and/or to my patient, but then it didn't work and therefore I continue consume/or prescribe painkillers, steroids injections, etc.”

What do massage therapist needs to do in order to achieve sustain results? In order to attain this goal a therapist should view the human body in a holistic way in general, and from massage therapy stand point. For example, to reach sustained results in cases of thoracic outlet syndrome, it isn't enough to adequately address Anterior Scalene Muscle (ASM), trigger points within ASM, cervical and upper back neighboring muscles, but also it is extremely important to address pectoralis minor because pectoralis minor syndrome produces the same symptoms as thoracic outlet syndrome.  In fact, this syndrome can be developed in parallel with thoracic outlet syndrome, as a main contributor to initiation of thoracic outlet syndrome, or as a contributor to clinical picture similar to thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms.

Similarly, when treating rotator cuff syndrome, if  in addition to rotator cuff muscles, latitissimus dorsi, teres minor, deltoid muscles and pectoralis major muscle are not addressed, sometimes, it is difficult to achieve sustain results. 

A few years ago I received a client by the name of Dennis Tinerino. Dennis used to be World famous bodybuilder and power lifter. To view Denis' testimonial please click here.  

He had a chronic pain in the shoulder joint area. Doctors using radiological examination and in accordance with his symptoms diagnosed his condition as severe case of rotator cuff syndrome. Pain was significant at any movement along any axes and plains. Especially significant sharp pain appeared when he tried to abduct or extend the arm in the shoulder joint. During three years, Dennis have received many physical therapy treatments, corticosteroids injections within rotator cuff muscles, other non-steroids oral drugs, all providing temporary relief of pain.

Three weeks prior to visiting my office, he was scheduled for rotator cuff reconstructive surgery. MRI showed some partial tears within rotator cuff muscles and tendons; therefore doctors decided that severe pain is the result, of this partial tears and surgery was the only option.

I asked why corticosteroid injections as well as physical therapy treatment provided temporary relive? His surgeon replied, because corticosteroids used to reduce inflammation. Kind of makes sense, isn't it?

Surely, in addition to other movement in shoulder joint, rotator cuff muscles flex, adduct and medially rotate arm. But all these movements are also the function of pectoralis major. If rotator cuff muscles would be successfully addressed, it would provide relief.  However, if pectoralis major muscle will retain high muscular resting tone, it will be the only question of time when all rotator cuff muscles will re-accumulate tensions, and full painful clinical picture will return.

I have implemented full protocol for rotator cuff syndrome, but additionally performed protocol for pectoralis major muscle. After 4 treatments, we found signs of improvement and surgery was canceled. The results sustained for four years. Altogether I provided Dennis with 15 treatments. He could work out, and arm was fully functional. To get familiar with the DVD description featuring the full rotator cuff protocol please follow this link  

Incidentally, as part of the comprehensive approach to massage therapy it is extremely important to discover all trigger points, as well as to address them adequately. To read scientific review on the subject please follow this link  

So if one reporting that infamous ”in the beginning it helped, but then...” does it really mean that massage didn't work?

Many people take medications all their life while expecting miracles after receiving a few massage treatments.

Return of the symptoms could be not only because not all the components were properly addressed. Many times, people receive too few treatments, and even if they were helpful and changed the clinical picture, it isn't enough to sustain results.

My professor Dembo believed that in order to sustain results, one must receive 15 treatments. Then after one week break, even if no dysfunction or pain will be reported, one have to come back for 15 more treatments.

Having worked with the Soviet Olympic teams, I remember that Olympian athletes, who were in perfectly good health, after rehabilitation, used to receive 15 additional treatments, to sustain results, and to prevent re-injuries. Of course, this is difficult to implement in America considering costs involved. Also this might not be necessary unless your client is a professional competitive athlete. Yet three or five treatments surely are not enough to sustain results.

So we shall educate our clients on the necessity to receive at least 10 to 15 treatments. If the cost involved is too high then clients have to be recommended to do self-massage.  To get familiar with the self-massage please follow this link for free self-massage lessons 

Patients reported outcome: "There Will Be Blood"

It was said that ability of the mind to re-evaluate existing convictions upon acquiring new information is the sign of intellect.  In other words a human being has to always strive to doubt existing authoritative opinions, push the envelope, and get outside the box to be on the winning team of progress.

Unfortunately, the physical implication of this approach is not always cut and dry and often people, accustomed to the black and white mindset, instead of going out of the box attempt to break it.

In one of the online discussion I came across an opinion that doubted the good old scientifically and clinically proven fact, that massage increases arterial blood flow supply to the tissue. Having raised an objection to defend the view that I go by in my daily practice, I offered a scientific explanation on why the studies supporting the idea that “massage therapy disturbing blood supply” are incompetent and why using such study as a reference is invalid.

Oh boy, I was accused of being retrograde, was drowned with buzz words and pepper sprayed with rhapsody of "out of the box" thinking.  

This incident brought to mind a recent case of a patient with severe pain in the left side of lower back.  The patient was a young female, who experienced severe pain at the left side lower back in sitting position or while standing up.

She was referred to our clinic by a physician who was Board Certified in Physical Medicine, and who had been invited to consult the patient when she was hospitalized. Her physician informed me that all necessary tests, including CT and MRI, had found no significant spinal abnormalities.

Yet she endured quite an Odyssey of pain.  She couldn't work and her day-today life was greatly affected.  The patient became depressed, anxious, and mentally exhausted.

In a desperate attempt to help, her primary care physician referred her to the Multidiscipline Pain Management Center in hope of addressing her condition with a combination of acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy. This approach failed and her pain and disability increased. The pain became so intolerable that she was hospitalized.

After an intense flair up her pain management physician recommended surgery of electrodes insertion in the spinal cord to prevent pain stimuli reaching the brain. However, the Pain Management center's psychiatrist insisted that such treatment should be postponed and antipsychotic medications, as well as psychotherapy, should be attempted first.

Patient was practically disabled for four months prior to her visit to our clinic.

These symptoms could have been the result of many different abnormalities, including spinal disorders, muscular syndromes, and abdominal disorders accompanied by adhesions.  By having lower back MRI Drs. excluded spinal disorders and various blood tests excluded significant inner organ disorders that could produce this type of symptoms.

Thinking over her case, because of absence of trigger point in lower back region, I suspected that her problem lies in the abdomen area and decided to start with abdominal massage in order to accelerate venous blood and lymph drainage. These techniques are gentle and always feel pleasant. After a few minutes of applying the drainage techniques she began to cry. My first thought was that my therapy had increased intensity of pain. As I asked her about it, she replied, "No, it didn't increase my pain." At this moment, it was obvious to me that she had released psychological tension and suppressed emotions. This is very common in patients who suffer from intense chronic pain, and such a reaction ignited hope for a successful rehabilitation.

After application of abdominal drainage techniques she reported a significant decrease of pain intensity in lower back region. I asked her to sit up. Since for many months, prior to this treatment, she couldn't sit for 10 minutes experiencing excruciating pain, it was to our great surprise, the pain didn't come back as she sat still for more than 10 minutes. At this moment, my suspicion that her severe back pain was the result of significant venous stasis and lymphedema in the abdominal cavity grew into assurance. Acceleration of venous blood drainage means increase of arterial blood supply. If, God forbid, massage therapy disturbs blood supply, we would make people sick.

In the last 20 years evidence-based medicine was “redirected“ to draw its conclusions from research papers exclusively, disregarding clinical outcome as evidence-based proof. Therefore, ignoring critical evidence, my opponents supported the conclusion that ”massage therapy disturbs blood supply.”

Incidentally, this approach of evidence based medicine recently was denied by FDA. Today, in order for product to be approved, not only research paper is needed, but also patients reported outcome should be positive. Massage therapy is about results or clinical outcome. Any methodology, being it oriental massage therapy or conventional scientifically developed methods, has to be clinically tested as safe and effective. The essence of abdominal massage is to replace large amounts of venous blood in the abdomen area with the fresh arterial blood rich with nutrients and oxygen, thus letting the body to heal itself. Considering that 30 to 35% of all blood supply is delivered to abdominal cavity, it's hard to imagine that massage somehow doesn't increase the flow of arterial blood.  In other words if it weren't for massage than what did it?

When trying to get out of the box, one should remember that this is a considerable mental and spiritual effort, which cannot be undertaken by bluntly undermining everything that was done by the previous generations of exceptional human minds, who, perhaps, also stepped out of their boxes in attaining this knowledge.

To review the full protocol for abdominal/visceral massage please click here.

Please click this link to get familiar with the scientific review of the studies that concluded that ”massage therapy disturbs blood supply”