Rakhee Mediratta
Osteopathy
Central & West London ~ Chalfont
Rakhee has helped over 5,000+ patients in 17 years
Registered Osteopath & Advanced Licensed Perrin Technique Practitioner in London & South East England
for Chronic Fatigue/ME & Fibromyalgia
Frequently Asked Questions
Answered by Rakhee
What are the causes of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia (FMS)?
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There are numerous factors in the process leading to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalitis (CFS/ME) and fibromyalgia (FMS).
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Birth - The head may be traumatised at birth - this can be seen more commonly in first born children as they are the first babies to pass through the mother's birth canal. Alternatively forceps or ventouse delivery can lead to pressure on the head.
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Genetic factors - There may be genetic predisposition affecting the normal development of the head or back. Or if the patient suffered a trauma to the head or spine. Many patients were previously high achievers/very sporty who pushed themselves too hard.
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Polluted environment - One of the functions of the Cerebrospinal fluid is drainage. This fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Some poisons caused by toxins from a polluted environment enter the brain and spinal cord, and then flow out through minor perforations in the skull and minor channels in the spine into the lymphatic system.
Structural problems - Certain structural issues affecting both the head and spine can result in little or no drainage pathway for the cerebrospinal fluid to take. In CFS/ME patients these normal drainage points have become congested, leading to a build up of poisons in the central nervous system.
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Stress - The main organ in the brain to be affected by poisons is the hypothalamus, which is the control centre for the hormones and sympathetic nervous system. The latter helps the body cope in times of stress. There is often a toxic cocktail brewing in the hypothalamus which leads to an overload of the sympathetic nervous system which will have been affected by other stress factors such as physical, emotional, allergic or infection, in the years leading up to the illness.
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Viral/bacterial or fungal infection - One final trigger that can lead to the breakdown in the normal functioning of the sympathetic nervous system is infection - including viral, bacterial or fungal.
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Poor function of the lymphatic system - The lymphatic system, which is meant to aid drainage, is under control of the sympathetic nervous system. When this system is functioning poorly - toxins may be pumped in the wrong direction, which adds more poisons to the central nervous system. As the toxicity builds up, the brain function worsens which can lead to increased toxicity in the brain and spinal cord. It is this viscous circle that causes a range of symptoms affecting the patient.
What are the Symptoms of CFS/ME?
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There are many symptoms associated with these conditions. Below are some of the more common ones.
What is The Perrin Technique?
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The Perrin Technique is an osteopathic treatment that stimulates the motion of fluid around the brain and spinal cord via cranial techniques.
A specific lymphatic drainage technique and massage of the soft tissues in the head, neck, back and chest direct all the poisons out of the lymphatic system and into the blood, and eventually to the liver where they will be detoxified.
Eventually, with poisons no longer affecting the central nervous system, the brain starts to work better, gradually stimulating improved lymphatic drainage. In time, the body starts to function correctly and patients symptoms should start to improve.
The Perrin Technique addresses conditions including Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/ CFS), Post viral fatigue, Long Covid and fibromyalgia.
How long is this going to take for me to get better?
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Dr Perrin who developed The Perrin Technique treatment recommends weekly treatments for 3 months when you first commence treatment.
Following the 3 months we can assess how you have responded to the treatment and whether we can reduce the
frequency of your treatments.
As the symptom picture improves there should be a gradual decrease in the frequency of treatments.
You will receive a score in your initial consultation which will provide a guide as to how many treatments you will require.
What is fibromyalgia and do you also treat this condition?
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fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are two very similar conditions that are due to a disturbance in the lymphatic system of the central nervous system. The main feature of fibromyalgia is pain in all four quadrants in the body.
This involves widespread severe pain in all parts of the body, not just aching muscles or minimal discomfort.
The toxins in fibromyalgia predominantly affect the nuclei of the brain that controls pain. This is widespread pain is the most common feature in fibromyalgia rather than in CFS/ME where the toxins mainly affects areas of the brain responsible for coping with change and preventing numerous other physical, emotional and cognitive issues.
However CFS/ME and fibromyalgia share many of the same common physical findings that we use to aid a diagnosis of both conditions.
There is much evidence to show that fibromyalgia, similar to CFS/ME, also arises from disturbed connections between the central autonomic nervous system, hormonal system and immune system.
We treat fibromyalgia in the same way that we treat CFS/ME using The Perrin Technique treatment.
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How much experience does your team have?
Our team offers a wealth of experience in The Perrin Technique and Osteopathy. Rakhee is an advanced Perrin Technique practitioner with over 15 years experience in The Perrin Technique and her associates are also experienced in treatments including Myofasical release, Cranial osteopathy, women's gynaecological heath, GI issues, MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) and more. We often find that the patients benefit from a combination of The Perrin Technique and osteopathy treatments. You can read more about our team here.
I am worried that the journey to the clinic will exhaust me and counteract any benefits of the treatment. Do you have any advice?
We recommend you pace yourself around your treatments. It is important to rest before travelling to your treatment and also afterwards. We encourage that wherever possible you try to do half of what you feel capable of. As you start to feel better we still advise you to pace yourself as your body is recovering.
We also offer home visits if you are unable to travel to the clinic. Please contact us on 07392 026812 or info@chalfontclinic.co.uk for further information.
What are the side effects and will I be able to cope?
The proof that the Perrin technique is not a placebo is the fact that most of the patients feel a great deal worse at the beginning of the treatment. Placebo treatments generally do not make you worse. The reason for this initial exacerbation in the symptoms is due to the fact that for the first time the toxins embedded for possibly years in the central nervous system are being
released into the rest of the body. The most common symptoms in the early stages are nausea, headaches, general pain and the appearance of spots.
The first few weeks or sometimes months with severe cases are always the most trying for the patients. The worse the patient is in the early stage of treatment, usually it means the better the overall prognosis.
We prioritise the needs of our patients and if you are experiencing strong side effects initially we can space out the treatments or lessen the treatment intensity to a level where you can cope.
The main aspect to focus on is the change that is occurring with treatment. Change is good. It is also important to share that some fortunate patients do improve immediately so you do not have to worsen before improvement.
In your first appointment you will be given an information pack with advice on how to manage possible side effects and support your body during the treatment.
Once I am better, will I still need to come for treatment?
It is wonderful to witness the improvement in our patients and see them regain their health and rebuild their lives. You can check out some of our patient video reviews on the Homepage of our website here.
Few patients experience relapses once they have been discharged, unless they push themselves too far continuously. Once recovered we advise patients to reassess their lifestyle and take steps to reduce the continual stress that may have been a factor in contributing to the illness in the first place. Patients should be able to exert themselves once they are better but also knowing when to stop is important.
How much exercise and activity can I do?
It is best to avoid all exertive exercise and sport until you are virtually symptom free and then you can gradually work on increasing your activity as your body recovers. Rehabilitation and reconditioning patients' weakened bodies has to be done safely. By steadily improving the mobility of the spine and by relaxing all the irritated surrounding tissues, the function of the sympathetic nervous system should finally be restored. The patient once again can go back to a more active lifestyle, from exercising in the gym to playing sports. However it is very important to remember to increase exercise a little at a time and within your safe boundaries. You will still increase your overall fitness and stamina, without risk of a relapse of symptoms.
Where can I learn more about the science behind The Perrin Technique?
You can have a look at our website for further information here. Dr Raymond Perrin who developed The Perrin Technique treatment has also written several books about this treatment, there is also a patient friendly book too. You can search for The Perrin Technique on Amazon.
Can The Perrin Technique help with other conditions?
As the lymphatic system of the brain is being further researched by neuroscientists around the world, more conditions will be most likely connected to the dysfunction of this important process.
