top of page

Creating a True Parasympathetic Response


The human nervous system is a stimulus-response system. It responds to stimuli in relatively predictable ways. Most people think that massage relaxes muscles. This is only indirectly true. Actually, therapists apply a stimulus to the nervous system by tactile stimulation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues that hopefully elicits an inhibition (relaxation) response, either locally, generally, or both. The PSR is sometimes called “the relaxation response.” Actually, it is the “normal” operating state of the nervous system where the brain is running in the Alpha brain wavelength range of 8 – 12 Hz. In this state, the body relaxes, digestion and immune functions increase, heart and respiration rates lower. This is the state in which we heal best. It is the state we should be in a lot more often, and yes, massage can elicit the PSR if properly applied. Proper stimulus equals desired response. Do you know which massage techniques elicit the PSR and which do not? You should.

The sympathetic state is where most people operate too much of the time. This is the Beta brain waves of 13– 30 Hz, the prominence of which cause anxiety, high arousal, inability to relax, depressed digestion and immune function, increased heart and respiration rates, etc. The “fight or flight” state is our response to stress.  Stress being anything our conscious or subconscious mind perceives as a threat/stressor. Pain is a significant stressor to almost everyone and elicits the sympathetic response. This includes pain inflicted during a massage. Pain from massage doesn’t elicit relaxation(PSR), it causes muscle contraction. A muscle cannot generally contract and relax at the same time. Neither can the entire system. Massage causing pain, even “discomfort” is non-productive, not healing, and no longer necessary. It is obsolete and there are now better ways.  

Obviously, if massage can elicit the PSR, that would generally be a good thing for most patients. A relaxation massage can do this – generally – if done correctly. However, the general parasympathetic state seldom overrides local sympathetic stress from injuries, tissue trauma, etc. (i.e. pain). Most patients, even those coming for a relaxation massage, have pain somewhere in their body and most of it is soft tissue related. Most pain is ischemic in nature, a lack of blood in a part, due to hypertonic (contracted) muscles. General relaxation massage will do little to affect a lasting change in ischemic areas of soft tissue which are being held in a hypertonic state by the nervous system through reflex–arcs and facilitated pathways. Specific, precise massage stimuli can interrupt and “reset” these patterns to bring lasting relief. Until recently, the way to become specific was to apply more pressure, either very specifically and precisely as in Trigger Point (TrP) and Tender Point (TeP) Therapies, or generally as in “Deep Tissue” techniques. While impressive results can be achieved with these therapies, they come at the expense of causing discomfort and often pain (stress) to the patient plus strain, even injury, over time to the therapist. Not a good trade-off for either party AND no longer necessary!

 Massage techniques that inflict additional pain (nociceptive input) incite sympathetic responses and elicit endorphins, giving a “runner’s high”, which patients falsely equate to relaxation. Patients like this feeling and this is why some don’t “feel massaged” or “relaxed” unless they endure discomfort during a massage. Endorphins interact with the opiate receptors to reduce perception of pain, acting similarly to drugs like morphine and codeine. But, the pain from the treatment stimulates the sympathetic state. When the endorphins wear off a few hours after the massage, the pain typically returns, sometimes accompanied by post-treatment soreness. Not the best way to elicit healing. It is time to end this barbaric way of treating both patients and therapists. Proper education is required for both.

How to Learn a Better Way

There are specific things to look for in CE Courses when you want to learn a better way.

First, look for techniques (systems) that are effective and friendly to the therapist’s body. Not all therapeutic approaches are kind to the therapist's hands and body over the years.  

Second, you want one that elicits the parasympathetic response as it is applied, meaning it does not cause any pain or discomfort, yet precisely eliminates TrPs and TePs, normalizes muscle tonus, and improves nervous system functioning.

Third, take hands-on classes live and be mentored by the expert, not on-line or home study courses. The successful therapist will learn from the experts in the field, ideally from the source organization of a particular technique with their certified instructors.  

Fourth, find therapeutic approaches that work really well for a broad spectrum of issues. What therapies provide the biggest bang for the buck in the shortest period of time, both to learn and to apply?

This is a big order to fill.  The only system I have found that can provide all this and more is called Neural Reset Therapy®, (NRT).

 NRT is in a completely different category by itself. It is not the same old stuff taught for many decades or centuries. NRT’s gentle, precise stimuli powerfully elicit the parasympathetic response. It not only eliminates trigger-points and pain, it also improves lymph flow and balances the overall functioning of the nervous system. In the advanced NRT work, you learn to take care of problems with the periosteum, scar tissue, and to restore movement patterns lost after accidents, surgeries, or strokes. All this is done without hurting yourself or your patients. It is easy to get big results in a short period of time. The patient receives a more stable correction because the entire body can be done in a single session. It is taught in a three-seminar series for very reasonable fees. Check it out at: http://www.neuralreset.net/.

 I’ll be back here in September’s issue, but 2020 is my last year teaching seminars and writing columns. See the schedule of my last eight seminars at: http://www.ralphstephens.com/.

Recent Posts

See All

가스 용 베이비 마사지

가스 : 나이가 많은 아이들에게는 재미있어 보일 수 있습니다. 성인의 경우이를 해결하는 데 도움이되는 의료 제품이 있습니다. 그러나 아기에게 가스는 불편 함과 고통을 의미 할 수 있습니다. 아기가 가스 문제로 인해 고통을 겪고 있다면 잠을 거의 자지 못하고 많은 울음이있는 긴 밤을 보내고 안주 할 수없는 아기를 의미 할 수 있습니다. 아기의 기분을 나아지게

셀프 마사지로 통증 완화하는 방법

긴장하거나 아플 때 마사지 요법이 기분이 나아지는 데 도움이 될 수 있습니다. 이것은 피부와 밑에있는 근육을 누르고 문지르는 관행입니다. 통증 완화 및 이완을 포함하여 많은 신체적, 정신적 이점이 있습니다. 그러나 보상을 받기 위해 항상 마사지 치료사를 만날 필요는 없습니다. 일부 유형의 질병의 경우 셀프 마사지도 도움이 될 수 있습니다. 자가 마사지 중에

전에 마사지를 받지 않았다면 조금 긴장할지도 모른다.

조금 긴장할 수도 있다, 만약 당신이 옷을 벗고 낯선 사람에게 손을 대야 한다는 생각은 다른 사람을 불안하게 할 수 있다. 만약 당신이 다른 사람을 옆에 두고 있다면 당신은 그렇게 긴장하지 않을 것이다. 그를 바로 옆에 두는 것은 당신을 편안하게 할 수 있다. 마사지를 받기 전에 약간 긴장하면, 당신의 마음을 편안하게 할 수 있다. 그것에 대해 배우자.엔진

About Page

Hi, thanks for stopping by!

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.

Let the posts
come to you.

Thanks for submitting!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
bottom of page