• Segmental Reflex Massage

  Filed under Types of massage
  Nov 29

   

  Nervous system plays an important role for the insurance of all the body’s vital functions. Conditionally the nervous system is divided into central and peripheral. Central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, peripheral – nerve trunks and nerve plexus. In addition, the nervous system may be conditionally classified as somative and vegetative.

  The basis of segmental-reflex massage consists of manifestation of trophic nervous system functions that connect all our body into a coherent system. Reflex reaction is an influence of any mechanical irritation (hence the massage actions) of any physical elements on the separate body systems. During activation of small, easy stimuli, the reflexes become more localized, segmental, however, vigorously massaging greater body surface area (similar to the classical method of massage), this provides the overall (global) response of the body.

  According to A. E. Scherbak, the initiator of segmental-reflex massage, positive reflex effect of any massage on the body is taking place precisely thanks to the vegetative nervous system reflexes. This happens because it contains short and long reflex arc (neuronal cells) outgrowths finishing in head or spinal brain and also because of a number of peripheral nerve plexus existing in the whole body whose activities are related to the reflexogenetic properties of the vegetative nervous system.

  If the vegetative nervous system has such great importance to the activity of structural fabric in the same way the appropriate impact of this system may affect on the improvement of the vital functions of the tissue, especially if massage procedures are applied in order to prevent, stop or cancel the development of pathological phenomena. Scherbak stated that the effect of the therapeutic massage occurs just by reflexively affecting the innervations of vegetative nervous system.

  Depending on the very stimuli, from its intensity and strength, the size of the surface irritated and the effect of stimuli on the local body different vegetative reflexes may occur.

  The priority is given to such segmental reflexes, when the irritation changes the vegetative innervations tonus, in particular in those tissues whose skin surface is massaged, for example – collar area, back area in under-shoulder part of the pelvic area and other areas.

  During clinical observations Scherbak found that greater therapeutic effect on damaged pathological body is made by a certain, specific area of massage, which is rich in vegetative neural system neurons and which is associated with the damaged location by segmental relation.

  When all the reflex arc functions of the vegetative nervous system connecting the body are carried out in a balanced way the massage of reflexogenic areas causes a reflex reaction of all the inner organs. It was found that segmental reflex may occur in a continuous reflex arc when massage is applied very briefly, gently, and a smaller body surface area is massaged.

  Our body is a solid system functioning in one accord. This unity is ensured primarily by neurohumoral and endocrine systems, whose functioning is controlled by the central nervous system.

  In the event of pathological visceral organ focuses, the inflammatory process in this segment’s innervations location includes all covering tissues which are reflexively associated with the damaged organ. Feedback reaction is manifested in the tissues of this zone that may occur in the skin, subcutaneous connective tissue, muscle and periosteal surfaces, and in case of low grade hyperalgesies – it is manifested by swells and hollows and is sometimes notices in subcutaneous connective tissue and this often causes miohypertony features and even replaces the embossing periosteal surface. These changes are called reflex. They just may be irritation focuses causing pathological nerve impulses, spreading to the damaged organ and further encouraging inflammatory pathological processes in it.

  Segmental-reflex changes in tissues may be eliminated and normal interior organ functions may be restored by massage procedures.

  Segmental-reflex massage is such massage method, during which covering tissues of certain part of the body having a direct reflex effect on certain internal organs are affected and innerved in certain spinal cord segments. The essence of the treatment is a positive impact on the internal organs by execution of the segmental-reflex irritation of the specific area with massage actions. Segmental-reflex impact manifests primarily through the skin-visceral reflex arc.

  Today segmental-reflex massage is successfully applied in case of visceral diseases and not only to the bearing-movement, but also to respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, excretive or sexual systems.

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