Introduction
In 2002 Kevin Tracey published an article called “The Inflammatory Reflex”.
He discusses the basic neural pathways that monitor and adjust the inflammatory response:
http://www.tedpriebe.com/documents/the_inflammatory_reflex.pdf
This is a brilliant article to understand how inflammation in our tissues is crucial to repair and fighting infections.
Inflammation in our blood stream can be potentially life threatening and cause debilitating chronic pain such as in rheumatoid arthritis.
Tracey says ” I also discuss evidence indicating that stimulation of the Vagus nerve by either electrical or pharmacological means prevents inflammation and inhibits the release of inflammatory cytokines that are the clinically relevant drug targets for treating inflammatory disease”
There is NO PROOF that osteopaths can influence this pathway, but there is a compelling argument for rebalancing the autonomic nervous system for which Osteopathic techniques have huge potential.
Rebalancing the Nervous System:
The first and most important challenge is to try and understand what stops this process from functioning normally???
Are there physiological conditions where the functions of the Vagus are INHIBITED ? DEFINITELY !!!!!
The purpose of your Sympathetic nervous system is to help you survive a threat. Whether the stress is real or perceived, your fight- flight- fright response is activated and the increase in blood flow to your arms,legs and brain comes from inhibiting the vagus stimulation to your gut.When the Sympathetic nerves are over stimulated or chronically overactive, you are at risk of not controlling the inflammatory response.
As part of your treatment for autoimmune disorders such as Crohns disease and rheumatoid arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, consider including our treatments to help you in the long term.
Our techniques have a long history of being safe and gentle and effective and they represent the most important principle of DO NO HARM.
Another recent article emphasises the importance of this approach and was published in New Scientist earlier this year :
http://stirling-westrup-tt.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/tt-ns-2957-healing-spark-hack-body.html
