INTRODUCTION TO THE MCLOUGHLIN SCAR RELEASE TECHNIQUE
Dr. Mitchell R. Mosher
I think that Alastair Mcloughlin from the U.K. has hit the tip of the ice berg with his scar enhancement technique. From what I have read, photos I’ve seen on Facebook, and my patient’s feedback so far after taking his tutorial – his technique really works, and works really fast. It also provides some interesting questions for us to answer?
Introduction
A few years ago, a Naturopath told me about an orthopedic surgeon who teaches / taught classes on scar treatments with a low- level laser light and colored cellophane. This doesn’t sound like your run-of-the-mill orthopedic surgeon! But, the story piqued my interest about scars. I will tell you a little more about this in a minute.
He had an interesting discovery by accident on a patient who had a bothersome scar on her knee after he did surgery. Patient had problems with a frozen shoulder at the same time as she was recovering from her knee surgery. She was going to physical therapy and he was waiting for the knee to get better before doing the shoulder surgery.
After he injected a local anesthetic into the right knee scar prior to a cortisone injection, her left shoulder itched and tingled and then her shoulder issue cleared up within minutes. Thus, he injected scars in other locations on other patients and observed that remote non-related anatomical symptoms would disappear.
He concluded after many cases that scars block the flow of micro-currents which affect symptoms in other non-related anatomical areas. After further experiments with many patients he found that he could alter the scar’s influence on the micro-currents by applying a cold laser light through a colored piece of cellophane. The color was determined by some sort of test- still doesn’t sound like your typical orthopedic surgeon?
I had a patient who had low chronic back pain. I performed a Bowen acupressure massage session on her and after I did the Part B of the Lower Respiratory Procedure, aka Asthma (under the rib cage), she had an immediate emotional release while she was on the table. After the release her back pain was gone. She told me afterward that she was angry following an unwanted C-Section that the docs and her mother pretty much forced her to have two years prior and that is what started her back pain. She felt like her body had been invaded by aliens.
I did not treat her C-section scar, but the emotional stuff from the abdominal scar area was causing her posterior back pain. Probably, if I had treated her C – Section scar ala the McLoughlin Technique instead of the doing the respiratory procedure the outcome likely would have been the same.
A few years ago I attended a class that taught how to stretch a scar in different directions. After two days of a labor intense practicing in class, I took this to my patients and it didn’t work a lick.
Prerequisite to scar Treatment
In order to effectively treat a scar one should be fully aware of how a scar is formed,what constitutes a scar, and how the scar is remodeled during the months following its development.
The formation of a scar and scar tissue truly begins about 4 to 5 days after the epidermis and dermis are penetrated by a scalpel, knife, bullet, broken glass, or other sharp object. When the penetration is deepened scarring will occur all along the planes of tissue division until the point that the penetrant (scalpel, hemostat, scissors, arthroscope, laser, bullet, saw blade, or knife blade) stops. Surgical dissection often takes place in many directions away and beyond from the skin incision. In other words a scar could extend inches beyond the length and width of the scar which is visible on the skin surface. Scarring also occurs with burns, dislocations, sprains, tendon ruptures, muscle tears, contusions, fractures, and other non-invasive traumas.Maybe even piercings and tattoos.
During the first few days after an injury there is the inflammatory stage of wound repair. Positive cations from the micro-current system aggregate at the wound sites. These positive currents are generally speaking catabolic. They are; hemostatic and decrease blood flow, bacteriostatic (inhibit microbial proliferation), and attract macrophages. Histamines contribute to the inflammation as well. PS: Adrenalin = sympathetic overdrive suppresses histamines which are an important component in the initial inflammatory phase of wound repair. Many patient / clients do not heal their wounds properly because of this.
After four to five days the micro-currents shift from positive cations to negative anions. These negative currents are generally speaking anabolic. They cause vasodilation and increase the blood flow, stimulate the release of peptide growth factor hormones, and promote fibroplasia. The anions attract the fibroblasts to the wound site and stimulate them to replicate. The fibroblasts and peptide growth factors begin the cascade of biochemical events for the formation of the collagen which is going to heal the wound sites, never again to be normal tissue. The concentration of negative anions at the wound site continues to increase from day five (the beginning of the rebuilding or repair phase and the end of the inflammatory phase) until the epidermis, dermis, superficial fascia, deep fascia, myofascial, serosal fascia, bone and periosteum, tendon and tendon sheath, ligaments, joint capsules, myelin sheaths, and other injured tissues are repaired. This is about 2 weeks for skin, 4 weeks for fascia, and 8 weeks for bone. The increasing tissue micro-currents are why wounds start to itch around two weeks after the trauma.
You might wonder, “Where do these cations and anions come from?” Research has shown they are;generated from the cell membranes, by piezoelectric effects of the crystalline structures of the hydroxyapatite in bone, collagen in the fascia, and collagen in scars.In Greek, piezo = push / electric = electricity. Once released, these micro-currents flow along the meridians. The meridian points which are along the meridian pathways are like transformers / boosters which push the micro-currents currents along the meridian channels. Studies show that the micro-current amperage drops as the meter follows the meridian channel from one point to another. When the next point is encountered the amperage rises and then diminishes as it is followed along the meridian to the next point.
Other studies of micro-currents show that positive cations also soften scars and reduce keloids by way of denaturing proteins. Collagen is formed by three protein strands, one of which is crystalline (piezoelectric). After a scar is formed it goes through a 6 to 12 month “Remodeling Phase.” During this time it loses its redness, firmness, lumps, and bumps most of the time. But, the collagen that remains will always be present to some degree or another (until it meets up with the Mcloughlin technique)!
Now that the tissues are scarred from the visible skin all the way down to the tail end of the trauma a number of issues result. When a tractor-trailer flips on the Interstate and blocks the lanes traffic gets obstructed and diverted to adjacent highways and by-ways, boulevards and thoroughfares, avenues and streets and they all have to absorb the diverted traffic.
This in turn slows the normal flow of these pathways.The scar is like an overturned tractor-trailer on the interstate freeway. The obstruction from the scar / scars diverts the flow of the capillary blood (5 microns), venous drainage, lymphatic flow, and meridian flow (.5 to 1. 5 microns) of biochemical, bio-energies, and waste metabolites. The scar also restricts ranges of motion in the adjacent and remote tissues-because they are interconnected with one another. Restricted range of motion in certain areas cause altered posture and altered gait in other areas of the body and can contribute to other seemingly non-related signs-symptoms- disabilities. Tight-taut-shortened scars and fascial fibers in the front of the body can exert stress on the back as well as the back affecting the front.When a scar is released on the abdomen quite often low back painswill goaway.
So, “Change a Scar-Change a Life.”
THE FASCIAL SYSTEM
Fascia is a loose connective tissue compared with bone which is dense connective tissue. There is a ditty that goes, "The foot bone’s connected to the leg bone - the leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone - the thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone - ya dee ya ya ya. The hip bone’s connected to the back bone-the back bone’s connected to the shoulder bone - the shoulder bone’s connected to the neck bone - the neck bone’s connected to the head bone - ya dee ya ya ya."
Besides a chain of connections between the skeletal parts of the musculoskeletal system, there is an even larger network of connective tissue which is interconnected amongst it called the fascial system. This system covers all structures, organs, and cells from head to toe, front to back, side to side and inside to outside. Think about piling thousands of full-body thermal suits on top of one another and connecting them together. That’s about how the fascia system is. There is a superficial fascia from the base of the skull to the tips of the fingers and toes. Fat, more connective tissue, is attached to the outer layer, Panniculus Adiposus which is adjacent to an inner elastic layer both of which makes up the superficial fascia. There is fascial surrounding the muscle compartments, muscle fascicles, muscle fibers, and myofibrils collectively called the myofascia, Paramysium, Epimysium, Endomysium. It has been estimated that the average human body contains approximately 65,000 linear miles of striated muscle fibers. Each fiber contains hundreds to thousands of myofibrils and myofilaments. Take an average of 1,000 and multiply X 65,000 = 65 million linear miles of myofascia in the average human body.
Fascia surrounds the brain, the brainstem, and spinal cord called the Dural fascia. As the spinal nerves pass through the vertebral foramen the dural fascia is re-named the myelin sheath of nerve. The lungs are coated with pleural fascia, the heart with pericardial fascia, the abdominal organs peritoneal fascia, the uro-genital organs with perineal fascia, the bone with periosteal fascia. Then, there are transverse bands of fascia from front to back and side to side; 1. In the floor of the pelvis, 2. The respiratory diaphragm, 3.Under the collarbone- the thoracic inlet, 4. Under the chin with hyoid fascia, 5.At the base of the cranium with cranial base fascia, and 6.Joint capsules. In addition there is a thin veil of fascia adjacent to the cytoskeleton of every non-circulating cell in the body as well as para tendons, and retinaculums. That’s a whole lot of tissue all connected to one another. These connective tissues allow the body to maintain shape, protect the structures from outside forces, and some scholars feel it aids in cellular functions such as respiration, digestion, reproduction, and excretion. I believe that the fascia is a component of the 3rd dimension of the nervous system which is described in the section on the direct currents.
HISTOLOGY & PHYSIOLOGY OF FASCIA
The fascia is made up of three significant structures; collagen, elastin, and a ground substance consisting of a colloid gel matrix which contains hyaluronic acid and mucopolysaccharides. The collagen part provides the protective-supportive function. The colloid gel acts as a shock absorber. And, the elastin allows for stretch.
There are two other properties of the fascia which are of vital importance, neither of which is discussed in the medical and physiology books at my last search. First, the collagen has three protein strands, one of which is a crystalline band. All crystalline structures can generate piezoelectricity. "Piezo" means push in Greek. When the fascia is stretched, direct currents positive cations are pushed out of the crystalline strand, and when the fascia is compressed negative anions are pushed out of the crystalline strands. Secondly, the colloid gel is "thixotropic". This means that the gel can convert to a liquid when heated or stretched, and then returns to a gel when cooled. Therefore, we have within us a liquid- crystal system, which can generate and conduct D.C.’s, direct currents. These are discussed in the next chapter.
Orthodontia is based on this piezoelectric effect. When the bands are applied to the teeth and stress is transmitted through the tooth down into the boney socket, piezoelectricity is generated from two structures. One is the periosteum, connective tissue/fascia, which has a crystalline strand in the protein part of the collagen. The second is the hydroxy apetite crystalline part of the bone, also connective tissue. Dr. Robert O. Becker applied stress to dead bones and found that they were capable of generating direct currents. Thus, the production of positive and negative electromagnetic charges stimulates the cellular activities which are instrumental in the remodeling of the bone. See section on Direct Currents for these effects.
MYOFASCIAL UNWINDING
Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? In the myofascial system, which comes first? The myo or the fascia? It matters not which is which, but that they both unwind as a result of the Reflex Arcs caused during the Bowen Therapy. This can be witnessed frequently on the Rhomboid Muscles after the "Boomerang Moves" in the upper back procedure. While doing the first movements to the muscles, nodules can often be palpated. When the movements are repeated a few minutes later, the nodules are usually gone completely, or at least significantly reduced in size.
I’ve also witnessed the unwinding to continue for many years after the patient's last session. I believe that two important things occur during and after the unwinding; 1. The muscles elongate and develop improved function, 2. The fascia becomes anatomically aligned. Multiple other changes follow these first two; A. there can be a release of lactic acid build-up, B. the meridians that pass through the fascia can flow more freely, C. emotional memories can be released from the fascia, D. piezoelectric and thixotropic function is restored, E. endorphins are released and communication between the immune-central-endocrine systems are improved, and F. entrapped energies, energy cysts, are freed up.
For a visual of the fascia connective tissue, watch, STROLLING UNDER THE SKIN on You Tube. While you're there, watch John F. Barnes, MYOFASCIAL UNWINDING.
MICRO-CURRENTS
My interest in this chapter began when I started using TENS transcutaneous, electrical, neural stimulation units on my patients to control post-operative pain following foot surgery. Later in my career, MENS - micro-current, electrical neural stimulation units were used to help patient’s foot problems. My interest in how these trickles of electricity could have such amazing effects on patient’s foot problems and healings led me to a lot of information in the archives.
Two experiences follow that led me down this trail. When performing bunion surgery we placed sterile TENS electrodes on both sides the skin incision. The wires came through the gauze dressing for attachment to the TENS unit. Inside the units were dials to adjust the currents. Two modulations were used, one for pain control as needed, and the other setting for healing. These were used at least three times a day for 20 minutes each. In most all cases, post-surgery X-Rays three to four weeks later revealed that the line which shows where the bone was transected was non-apparent. Meaning, the bone had healed back together. In cases when we didn't use the TENS units, at this point in time post-surgery, the radiolucent line was quite visible on radiographs.
My second experience was when the physiatrist came to my office to set up my new MENS machine. He opened the back of the machine and placed six "C" cell batteries in the unit much to my surprise. I asked, "Is that what powers this machine?" He said, "Yep. That's all it takes." I then questioned him on how often did they have to be replaced? He replied, "They'll last a year or two." This amazed me, especially in light of how much my patients benefited from the use of the loaner machine I used during a two week trial period. Pain was often relieved by the end of a 20 minute session. Foot problems that usually took a month to resolve got better in a week or two.
This was pre internet, so I asked the hospital librarian to do a "Med-Line" search of the available literature on electrical current and wound healing. She called me later that day and asked, "How far back in time do you want me to search?" After a moment’s thought I told her, "How about 20 years." The next day, my mail box at the hospital was crammed with a rolled up sheet of computer paper. There were summaries of over two hundred studies on electrical current and wound repair, most of which were favorable.