Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) is a comprehensive program of soft tissue manipulation techniques that balance the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) with the structure and form of musculoskeletal system (skeleton and muscles of the body). NMT is based on neurological laws that explain how the central nervous system initiates pain responses.
One law that applies, Arndt's Law, represents how pain originates in the body. Simply stated, it says that different levels of stimuli to the nerves affect physiological activity. At homeostasis (balance) nerves transmit impulses very slowly. Injury, trauma, postural distortion or stress cause nerves to speed up their transmissions, inhibiting equilibrium and making the body vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. It is necessary to stabilize low levels of neurological activity to maintain homeostasis and thus overall health.
Neuromuscular Therapy considers five principles that cause pain.
They are:
Ischemia
Trigger points
Nerve compression or entrapment
Postural distortion
Biomechanical dysfunction
Ischemia is a lack of blood supply to the soft tissues, which causes them to be very sensitive to touch typically, if less than 5 to 10 pounds of pressure causes tenderness, the tissues are in an ischemic state. This is one of the first conditions a neuromuscular therapist analyzes.
Trigger points occur when nerves fire impulses at a rapid speed into an area of the body other than that which has been traumatized. Because of trigger points, the cause of serious pain may often be far removed from the actual site of the pain. This, in turn, inhibits proper blood flow, which causes ischemia and often leads to more pain and discomfort.
Nerve compression or entrapment is pressure on a nerve by a bone, cartilage or soft tissue. The role of the soft tissue in nerve compression is vital. Realigning vertebrae without treating associated soft tissue frequently treats the symptoms and not the cause. Spinal nerves are subject to intrusion when any of the vertebrae are dislocated or spinal disks herniated. Treating the surrounding soft tissues that cause or maintain the dislocation greatly enhances rehabilitation and alleviation of pain.
Whiplash often causes nerve entrapment by the soft tissues. The nervous system initiates tightening of the muscles to stop bleeding in the tissues caused by the violent snapping of the neck backward and forward. This tightening results in muscular spasm. After bleeding stops, the spastic response, initially a curative one, will continue if intervention is not made. The muscular spasm causes pressure on nerves and creates its own painful condition.
Nerve entrapment is the most common type of pain and always causes ischemia. Ignored, it can produce associated trigger points.
Postural distortion is an imbalance of the muscular systems resulting from movement of the body off the coronal, midsaggital and horizontal planes. Gravitational force (33.5 lbs per square inch) is constantly pulling towards the Earth. If there is an imbalance in the structural system, gravity causes the body to compensate in an effort to retain balance. Trauma, gravitational pressure or psychological patterning causes the soft tissues to assume a weight-bearing function and thus become thicker, denser and harder. Muscle contraction, body distortion and pain are the results of compensations the body makes in order to maintain structural homeostasis. By determining why the compensations have occurred, the distorted patterns can be eliminated, proper posture restored, and associated pain diminished or eliminated in most cases.
Other body distortions are caused by muscles contracting and shortening while others lengthen in an effort to hold the body upright as a result of "righting reflexes." These reflexes respond to messages from the inner ear, eyes, muscles or skin to bring the body into equilibrium.
Biomechanical dysfunction is an imbalance of the musculoskeletal system resulting in faulty movement patterns. Repetitive strain of certain soft tissues results in adapted movement patterns that become muscular "habits" and must be reeducated.
______________________________________________
How Does Neuromuscular Therapy Help You?
NMT can help individuals experiencing structural distortion, biomechanical dysfunction and accompanying pain that is often a symptom of underlying problem. It is used to locate and release spasms and hypercontraction in the tissues; eliminate trigger points that cause referred pain; restore postural alignment, proper biomechanics and flexibility to the tissues; rebuild the strength of injured tissues and assist venous and lymphatic flow. NMT is an effective and economically feasible method of treatment.
________________________________________________
What are the General Benefits of Neuromuscular Therapy?
Decreased Body Toxicity
Greater Flexibility
Greater Freedom of Movement
Increased Circulation
Increased Energy and Vitality
Increased Sense of Well-Being
Improved Postural Patterns
_______________________________________________
How is Neuromuscular Therapy Performed?
The client/patient is actively involved in the process of healing by helping the neuromuscular therapist understand his or her particular condition. The therapist then palpates the soft tissues to determine if there are ischemic, trigger point, nerve compression and/or entrapment possibilities. As tone is normalized, the nervous system is balanced.
The appropriate pressure to use during a neuromuscular therapy treatment varies depending upon age, fitness, nutritional health, postural pattern of the patient, as well as the extent of trauma and toxicity level of the tissues. The proper level of pressure elicits a moderate state of discomfort. If pressure is too light, it does not produce the necessary stimulation of the nerve receptors to produce the desired therapeutic response. When adhesions are found in the tissues, deeper pressure may be used by working across muscle fibers.
The therapist applies pressure for 8-12 seconds to each area being treated, prompting a therapeutic response in the tissues. Pressing longer may cause the body to treat the pressure as an intrusion, particularly if there is inflammation in the tissues.
Optimal success is achieved by applying pressure to trigger points or ischemic areas 3-4 times for 8-12 seconds rather than a longer duration. This is because the therapist's goal is to interrupt the physiopathological reflex circuits.
