Integrative Medicine in Action: Paulina's Journey from Encephalopathy to Recovery

I am about to present a complicated case where the medical community couldn't find a solution using the clinical standards and reasoning of conventional medicine alone, without incorporating the practice of an integrative medicine approach. Prior to presenting the case, which includes but is not limited to a massage procedure, assessments, and the creation of an appropriate treatment plan, as always, we must listen carefully to our patient's presentation.

Please listen carefully to Paulina's presentation. I recommend paying attention to her detailed descriptions of autonomic irregularities, such as when she describes tachycardia at the time of a drop in blood pressure. Prior to starting my assessments, I gained many clinical ideas by listening to her. For her presentation, please click on this link.

After listening to Paulina's presentation, I have come to the conclusion that multiple system failures are stress-related disorders. Objectively, motions in the neck region were very insufficient in all aspects, including but not limited to vertical rotations, lateral flexions, as well as flexion and extension. There was also limited motion in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). After examining the soft tissue, I detected tension buildups within the fascia, including but not limited to the neck region, upper back region, TMJ, as well as a significant buildup of tension within all the muscles of the neck, upper back, and TMJ. These tension buildups were obstructing sufficient drainage of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), causing an excessive accumulation of CSF, increasing intracranial pressure, decreasing perfusion of blood supply to the brain, and reducing the disposal of metabolic waste from the brain. The condition I have described produces all the symptoms she presented in her testimonial. In essence, she is describing brain dysfunction or encephalopathy.

The significant advantage of massage therapy is our ability to assess autonomic activities by providing a Dermatographia test, and then using it as an assessment of improvement. In this case, as mentioned above, the buildups of muscular tension caused a condition of brain dysfunction.

What happened at the time of head trauma, concussions, is practically the same development that leads to brain dysfunctions. For Paulina, I used a post-concussion rehabilitation protocol, and during five treatments, there was a noticeable improvement. We moved in the right direction. The Dermatographia test showed improvement, but it wasn't good enough. I could see less autonomic irregularity but more domination of sympathetic activities. I decided to switch the treatment plan to full-body stress management massage. She received three full-body medical massage treatments, and the Dermatographia test showed much improvement. Equally important, she reported feeling better, saying, "I am feeling like my life is coming back to me."

The entire hands-on protocol for post-concussion rehabilitation is presented in educational program #15, and as you understand, it is very effective in post-concussion rehabilitation, as well as in cases like Paulina's. Taking this class, where I demonstrate how to perform the Dermatographia test, along with appropriate massage techniques and acceleration of cerebral spinal fluid drainage techniques, prepares you successfully to treat post-concussion cases and many cases causing autonomic irregularity.

Full-body medical stress management massage is taught in program #2, which is necessary in today's context. Seventy-five to ninety percent of primary care physician visits are cases of stress-related illnesses. No method in healthcare fields is as effective in stress management as medical stress management massage. Please click on this link to review information about these programs.