Go to a chiropractor for the adjustment and either do the massage yourself, using the Massage Assist or find someone with strong durable, skilled hands to do it for you.

Vibration therapy used properly involves the 4-inch head of the vibrator angled like a plow to move the inflammation, lactic acid, and other fluids through the area. By stimulating circulation to bring oxygen and nutrients to the area, and by moving the lactic acid, inflammation, and toxins out of the area, we can speed up the release of the compressive force on the thoracic outlet and tunnel.

The reason why this is so effective is it treats large sweeping areas of tissue with a large applicator head. 

What is the theory behind how vibration reprograms the muscle tension?

The Circulation Theory 

The vibration and plow effect of the Massage Assist head creates a vacuum effect to draw circulation into the area. The circulation penetrates rigid muscles.

1. Oxygen soaks muscles by switching from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism, thus reducing the production of lactic acid. The reduction of lactic acid increases the pH, allowing the acetylcholinesterase to break up the acetylcholine to slow or stop abnormal muscle contractions.
2. Vibration and deep pressure into the muscles, tendons, and ligaments mechanically push out the inflammation and acetylcholine that is soaking the tissues. The inflammation no longer stimulates nociceptors to trigger the super contractions.

The Combination Filament Tension Release and the Circulation Theory

I really feel strongly that the way this treatment works is by way of the combination of both theories.

I have found vibrating massage works in two ways to mechanically release the area.

1. The vibrating massage stimulates and vibrates the microscopic muscles cells and spindle cells at the same time as it compresses the spindle cells to unload the tension from the spindle cells. That message is sent to the brain, which then releases the protective reflex spasm in the muscle that is being treated.
2. It mechanically stretches the skin away from the underlying fascia to help break adhesions between the tissues that have developed as a result of stagnation of movement from the chronic pain syndrome effect. The effect is similar to a vibrational rolfing.

Vibration therapy helps tremendously to normalize the biochemistry in two ways.

1. When applied properly, it acts like a plow with vibration to plow the inflammatory chemicals out of the tissues. It also stimulates a vacuum effect that increases circulation to help bring healthy oxygen and nutrients to the area for rapid healing to take place.

It also increases blood flow into the area to flush the lactic acid out of the tissues, neutralizing the acidic environment. This helps to allow the acetylcholinesterase to become activated so it can break up the acetylcholine, so it does not keep retriggering the trigger points and super contractions.

There has been a lot of research on vibration therapy lately in treating patients with muscle spacticity due to stroke, MS, dystonia, fracture healing, peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, depression, muscle soreness, osteoporosis, wound healing, urinary incontinence, balance disorders, TMJ dysfunction, delayed onset muscle soreness, fibrous cellulite, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, functional constipation and pressure ulcers.

There has been one research study that showed significant reduction in inflammation with vibration massage. This research study was conducted on 29 runners who completed a 40-minute downhill run, which produced muscle soreness. Vibration therapy was performed on half and no vibration therapy was applied to the other runners (25). The runners got about five sessions of vibration therapy for 30 minutes for each treatment (25).

The researchers tested the pain levels in the calf and gluteal muscles for pain values. When they compared runners who had vibration therapy to runners who did not, they noticed the runners who got vibration therapy had the following.

• Significantly decreased calf muscle pain, 30–40 percent
• Significantly decreased gluteal muscle pain, 30–40 percent
• Significantly decreased IL-6, 30 percent
• Significantly decreased histamine, 48 percent (25)

The vibration therapy significantly lowered IL-6 concentration by either clearing it out of the tissue or reducing the production. The study suggested that vibration therapy might reduce inflammation, accounting for a decreased IL-6 release from muscle (25).

Histamines increase inflammation in the area. You might take antihistamines for colds. This study also noted a significant reduction in levels of histamine by an average of 48 percent. So, according to the results of this study, vibration therapy could be effective in reducing inflammation in the area (25).

How I use vibration massage 

When I use vibration, patients have a noticeable reduction in aches and pains, and these aches and pains do not return to the same intensity during the next 72 hours. Therefore, I think there is a large reduction in production and an increase in clearance of the inflammation-stimulating protein.

The Massage Assist handheld vibrating power massager can be directed to the specific tissue I want to target. Because it has a soft, deformable applicator head, I can get in tight areas where a vibrating platform plate cannot. I can also direct the vibrating massager head on an angle, like a plow, and starting at one end of a muscle, I plow deep into the muscle to plow the inflammation out of the area, from one end of the muscle to the other end of the muscle.

It is also suggested that vibration therapy might activate muscle satellite cells through compression, increased blood flow, and the vibration reflex (25). Activation of adult muscle satellite cells is a key element in this process of muscle repair. In addition, recent evidence supports the possible contribution of adult stem cells in the muscle regeneration process (30).

Many scientists believe that chronic inflammation controlled by these tiny proteins, like IL-6, called cytokines, are the common denominator of all age-related disease. So, keeping your cytokine levels lower is how you reduce the effects of aging. Cytokines are important in the inflammatory response. While inflammation is important for a healthy immune response, the cytokines themselves have the potential for inducing damage.

You can feel pain and tension subside by the minute. 

Patients can feel the vibrational massage reducing the pain with each pass of the massager. It has a drastic, positive effect on improving tissue health and reducing aches and pains and speeding healing. This vibration therapy is the only therapy I use in my office for patients with neck pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, and thoracic outlet syndrome. For more information, go to www.massageassist. com and watch the videos of the machine in action.

Lymphatic Drainage System Treatments

The circulatory system is composed of the heart (pump), arteries that supply blood to the cells and veins which return the blood to the heart. That is why its called the circulatory system because it circulates the blood around the body.

There is another system that works in a similar way called the lymphatic system. It is composed of lymph organs, glands and a plumbing system that moves a clear fluid called lymph through the body. On an average day you will move 2-3 quarts of lymph through your body. That is a lot!

The lymphatic system has a superficial layer, which is closer to the skin, which drains fluids from the tissue by the skin. The deep layer drains around muscles, tendon sheaths and the nerves. Together they drain this lymph away from the surface and into increasingly larger vessels (pipes) back to the heart.

When we push the toxins, inflammation and lactic acid out of the muscles it flows in the space between the cells and space between the skin and muscles called interstitial space. Then from there it enters tiny lymph capillaries where the lymph fluid begins its journey through smaller vessels to larger vessels until it returns back to the heart.

When you do a lot of work on muscles you must work the waste away from the muscles via the lymph. We use the vibrating massager to plow this lymph through the lymphatic system by plowing the lymph in the direction of smaller to larger vessels.

If you would like to see a video demonstration of how it is done with the vibrating massager go to www.thoracicoutletsyndrome.com or our youtube channel and look for the tutorials on lymphatic drainage treatments.

25. Broadbent S1, Rousseau JJ, Thorp RM, Choate SL, Jackson FS, Rowlands DS. Vibration therapy reduces plasma IL6 and muscle soreness after downhill running. Br J Sports Med. 2010 Sep;44(12):888-94. doi: 10.1136/ bjsm.2008.052100. Epub 2008 Sep 23.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18812416

How to find doctors that use the Massage Assist.

The best doctors and therapists don’t worry about the insurance because their patients pay for whatever gets them better faster or improves their performance.

If you would like a Massage Assist for your home or work call 312 858 0800 and talk to our staff.