A professor of medicine didn't ask for references

A few days after I published the article “Can massage techniques be equated with remedies?”, I receive a call from a cardiologist, whom I already knew for some time. He asked me if he can forward the link to my article to a friend of his who is a professor of medicine, double board-certified cardiologists, Ph.D., at one of the local medical schools. He added that the professor was a great guy, who is conducting research on passage time, and who probably would have a genuine interest in discussing with me the topic presented in my article.

Why would I mind?

In about one hour, I have received an e-mail from that professor and I would like to share a part of it with you.

“…very fascinating stuff. The fascinating questions, to me, includes whether it can be proven that releasing acetylcholine increases capillary flow. It is known that it increases local nitric oxide release, so maybe this is the mechanism. Parasympathetic nerve activity can be measured systemically, but I need to learn more about it. We can measure sympathetic activity from skin electrodes, maybe there can be a connection. Lots of good questions and a lot to learn.”

Isn't it “fascinating” when a professor of medicine - a very experienced cardiologist - writes that he has ”lots of good questions” and needs “a lot to learn.”

The same very day, after receiving this e-mail, we talked on the phone. As I pointed it out earlier, he found the information stated in my article fascinating. For me, it also was equally fascinating listening to the professor of medicine, who is ready to learn.

I felt energized from the thought that a professor of medicine found massage therapy worthy of learning from it.

However, I had to hold myself from getting too excited. Lately, I provided the support in concussion research, in essential hypertension research, was promised that I would be directly involved in research “massage in post-concussions rehabilitation.” I was promised a lot, but not much of it came through.

I was audacious enough to tell the professor, that according to findings by Russian scientists, suppress anticholinergic agents. Consequently, these techniques release of acetylcholine and increases local nitric oxide release.

At the same time, suppressing anticholinergic allows normalization of parasympathetic function, which is conducting impulses to smooth muscles, additionally to function to antagonize sympathetic activities.

There was a moment of gripping silence. He asked me to repeat all that I said. While I was repeating he was murmuring: ”fascinating.” Then being a real clinician and a scientist, he asked if I could prove this clinically.

I answered that most likely I could.  Using these techniques for many years, I successfully implemented them while performing pre-event sports massage. The release of acetylcholine techniques is “must-do” if one is attempting to increase the reaction of muscular functions.

I told the professor that in the days of my schooling we learned to perform pre-event sports massage, in the stimulatory regime, making sure not to suppress too many sympathetic activities. I didn't remember, that the release of acetylcholine techniques actually suppresses anticholinergic agents, increases the capacity of the capillary network, at the same time contributes to the balancing of autonomic activities. Only recently I found this out from the Russian scientist, who used to be a member of the research group.

The professor told me about his own health problem and expressed a desire to receive my treatment. At the same time, he wanted to receive the treatment in his laboratory.  This would give him the opportunity to measure autonomic activities, as well as passage time.

(Passage time is the measurement of the blood quantities before and after the massage.)

I spent four hours in his laboratory, treating him and another person, who was a scientist from his team.

My goodness, everything that was stated in my articles on the subject, all was proved today in the lab. Both doctors who are not 100% healthy people, got a lot of benefits from massage procedure, including the reaction of acetylcholine release.

I had so much fun and got a real burst of positive energy. I felt empowered with the additional realization about the power of massage and inadvertently learned a lot.

Summary

I have asked the professor, how come he got excited about the information stated in my article, even though it had no references.

The professor said that first of all, it would have been a naïve question. The article itself made a lot of sense, and after all, t was proved clinically, including the professor’s subjective report. Then he added with regret that many research findings and data in his fields, could not be reproduced. He felt that this was a shame but nevertheless the reality we all live in.

Even if you wouldn't be able to explain the phenomenon thoroughly, the very fact of you being able to reproduce the results twice would make the concept real.

He continued.  “Bias and intellectual demagoguery, damage the health care field.”

I agreed. It was fun to talk to a practicing cardiologist who, at the same time, is a scientist, researching this fascinating subject. He invited me to his lab.

We'll see what would happen. I will keep you posted.

As you understood from my article, ”Can massage techniques be equated with remedies?” I have discovered and rediscovered many extremely important details and gained a new understanding of the process that transpired while I am doing massage procedures with my hands.

Will this change the way, I am performing pre-event sports massage as I performed for many years?

No, it won't.

The significance of these additional discoveries suggests that we have to incorporate the release of acetylcholine techniques not only in pre-event sports massage but also in treatments of internal organ diseases, as well as in the treatment of the skeletal muscular disorder. I believe by incorporating these techniques we would get even better and more rapid results.

As we speaking, I am producing instructional video, where mostly I will demonstrate hands-on techniques. Cannot wait to share my knowledge and experiences performing these techniques.

Best wishes.