The Chi Clinic, Cheam, Surrey

The condition widely termed as ME is a catch all phrase that can cover a multitude of different conditions. The majority of cases arise after some illness and a too rapid return to activity, school or work. The triggers can be a throat infection or streptococcus, flu, glandular fever or exhaustion. The organs of the body vibrate, have energy levels according to each organ and if that level is lowered other organs try to support it. The consequence is a general lowering of the available recourse and nervous exhaustion sets in. Often we see depression arising and a complete lethargy. In extreme cases the person is bed bound and it is far better to get to grips with the malady before that is the case.

Since 1958 Tony has treated thousands of people with this condition. It has been found that one good way of dealing with the onset is to have a full body lymphatic drainage twice in one week, then once a week for 4 weeks and then every two weeks until the energy is restored. Combined with a good diet, plenty of rest and lessening of stress triggers can help greatly. The success rate is very high with this approach and whilst many may find this unorthodox in Western medical terms it does work.

Clearly, if there is an underlying condition such as hypo thyroidism, diabetes or organ failure this has to be dealt with medically.

ME Information for the client and student.

In view of the number of clients attending the Clinic with symptoms of ME, it is appropriate that we explain our views and the methods used.

What is ME? Should it be labelled Post Viral Syndrome or is it absolutely unique to each person and incapable of a catch all label ?

The term has been used to describe a condition where the client experiences many of the following symptoms. The majority of sufferers are girls in the age group 10-19y with a lower incidence up to 35 years of age with little onset thereafter.

Boys seldom suffer as they metabolise differently and the lymphatic system is fundamentally more capable of dealing with the illness. There is often a triggering event such as an upper respiratory tract infection, glandular fever or even flu.

If enough time away from school or work is not given for a full recovery, it is common to see symptoms appearing about 6 months after the originating illness. Sufficient rest is critical following any illness. The sufferer is often seen as a malingerer and trying to get out of school or work.

To be honest, a person may have bursts of energy that last for an hour or so and then crash for two days. Loss of energy. In extreme cases, this is a critical condition where the person cannot work, cannot go to school, cannot function in the normal sense and it is fundamentally debilitating. The feeling may provoke a type of agoraphobia and a dread of meeting people or having to even hold a conversation.

Within families, we may see a complete misunderstanding of the condition as the one affected may 'perk up' upon a visit by a loved one and then spend the next two days in bed. The memory then is one of 'She was alright when I saw her' and an attitude is developed that does not reflect the truth.

Appetite is affected. The person will either be constantly hungry or unable to summon the energy to eat. Whatever is eaten is not digested into useable energy for the body. This has a dramatic effect on the body as without exercise, the lymphatic system cannot expel the waste products and new blood cannot get in to the muscles.

The pain is caused by a lack of oxygen in the tissue. Cramps or a feeling of complete loss of any strength is usual. This provokes a feeling of vulnerability that often will manifest in extreme rage conditions or a hyper response to any sense of criticism. The loss of muscle tissue and liquids imbalance causes pain in the joints and limbs. Any movement exacerbates the condition and the body deteriorates. If multiple adhesions form, they cannot be alleviated by medication.

Depression. Profound depression is manifest and is the result of firstly, the onset of the illness and secondly by the failure to find a cure. The more experts that are consulted and fail to have any effect merely embeds the feeling of something is seriously wrong. Length of duration. There is no limit to the duration. We have seen those who have had the illness for over 13 years.

In 90% of the cases that we see, the onset is a few weeks or months after the person has had either Flu like illness or Glandular Fever. It is our experience that the originating virus does not clear from the body entirely.

The natural defences and in particular, the phagocyte cells ingest the viable virus where it consumes the cell which is supposed to be protecting the body and erupts spontaneously to re-infect the system. The body continues in a state of fighting even when the virus is no longer viable. The production of antibodies puts considerable strain on the immune system.

The body defences are drained by this continual onslaught and the liver and kidneys are overworked. Consequently, the lymphatic system is not able to clear the virus in the nodes. Any viable and mutated virus is then re-circulated in the blood to return to its safe haven.

Even if the virus does die off, the body forgets what it is like to be well. All of the organs in the body have a cyclical energy pattern to relate to the hours of the day and the need for different hormones etc to trigger the natural functions. Once that level of energy is depleted the effect is to reduce the available energy systemically.

The treatment is then a full body massage and lymphatic drainage of the whole system, internal and superficial nodes and all the deep tissue.

The internal organs lymphatic has to be drained. There are over 600 such nodes and miles of connecting vessels all over the body. If the virus is moved through the system quickly enough it does not have time to mutate before it is expelled from the body. Often, we find the lungs are congested where the lymph is trying to evacuate from the body and the liver and kidney have failed to clear the surplus fluids.

This gives rise to breathing problems that are often seen as a lung problem and not one of systemic malfunction. Moxibustion is useful in such cases to assist the kidney function.

Treatment is intensive and four or five such sessions are needed over a few weeks. It is not for the shy person as all the breast tissue is drained, the axilliary vessels, all the rump and groin adjacent to the genitals and a general whole body massage is used. The lymph nodes are located superficially in the groin and arm pit with deep channels all over the body and inside on every internal organ and surface, the inside leg and glands.

The lymphatic system has no muscles or pumps and relies on muscular activity to work or by artificial external stimulus such as specialist massage. Massages such as those found in the usual spa or CAM clinic may only penetrate the dermis and sub dermis layers. As such they are not deep enough to deal with this problem.

This fact is often misunderstood by those who only have trained in these superficial or feel good methods and are not aware of the core hydraulics of the body functions. The training for such minimum standard massage therapists is not meant to cover this problem and it is right that such therapists are not to deal with this condition.

It is not usual in some salons to touch the breast or buttocks and some will obviate or prejudice their insurance if they do so. Such attitude is right for that treatment model and level of training. Simply because someone has not trained and had years of experience in the use of breast lymphatics does not give them the right to suggest it is not to be done.

Crystals are used to enhance the body inner core strength and once done, the depression often lifts very quickly. Using the methods described here, the success rate is very high but there may be a release period when the person feels ill after treatment. Whilst every effort is made to minimise this, it does sometimes happen.

Some call this a healing crisis and suggest that it is indicative of the treatment working at a deep level.

This will clear within a few days as the body expels toxins and settles back to a general, balanced state. There are no cures as such, but one helps the body back to health by stimulating the body’s own defences and giving the sort of encouragement and direct hands on help that is needed.

The treatment is ‘hands on’ oil on skin lymphatic massage with massage of the breast tissue. A parent must be present and give consent to the treatment in the case of those under 16.

The treatment will not suit everyone and if you are unsure of this aspect, then we will not commence treatment. It is your choice. Nothing else seems to work and we will not compromise the treatment by doing only part of the full remedy.

Even then, it will not work in every single case. We have many cases documented and the people concerned are open to talk of their experiences and the effects of treatment. Some require treatment for a long period and some will never recover fully.

Please phone us for more information and to book and appointment. We commonly see that the family interactions are not helpful. A child may be in bed for three weeks out of four and perks up when ‘Auntie’ visits. She stays for an hour and plays with the child. As she leaves, the child crashes and goes back to bed having used up all her energy and stays there for a week to recover. In ‘Aunties’ eyes the child is making up the whole thing or being patronised by the mother who ‘ Is far too doting on the brat and causing her illness. Get her up and out of the house’.

The plain fact is that sort of statement is extremely frustrating and unhelpful. Better the child be looked after for a respite care by Auntie whilst the parents go out for some fun. ‘Auntie’ may well then see the true picture. Perception is a real problem in these cases.

Having treated this condition since the late 1960's, we really do not know exactly why it happens, but it does.

We have found a way dealing with it that seems to work but exactly why and how much is down to the approach and understanding as much as the treatment itself is debatable. Placebo is a wonderful tool in the correct hands. The state of mind is critical and some degree of hope and understanding can have a dramatic effect.