Popular perception is that osteopathy is limited to helping people with bad backs. At North London Osteopaths Alan Nevies and his colleagues are very interested in keeping abreast of developments and research within the field. A recent lecture at the British School of Osteopathy was delivered by Raymond Perrin on the subject of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as ME. Raymond qualified as an osteopath with Alan Nevies and is a world renowned expert in the field of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME. He has spent many years researching and delivering lectures worldwide.

The years of research have resulted in the development of the Perrin technique which Dr Perrin believes can help treat sufferers of CFS/ME. The theory behind the technique is that people who suffer from CFS/ME have an overstrained sympathetic nervous system with a probable cause being a build-up of toxins in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. The toxins are meant to drain down the spinal cord and out into the lymph ducts along the spine. In a CFS/ME sufferer these normal drainage points are congested.

The Perrin Technique can be used to diagnose CFS/ME due to the definite physical signs common to all CFS/ME sufferers. The Perrin technique is an osteopathic approach that helps to stimulate the fluid motion around the brain and spinal cord. It achieves this by soft tissue work to the face, head, neck, back and chest as well as manipulation to the spine. This results in the detoxification of the lymphatic system and as a result the sympathetic nervous system begins to function correctly. Over time the patient’s symptoms should hopefully improve.

This is certainly not one of the areas that most people would associate with osteopathy and would not even consider osteopathy as potentially helpful but due to the work of Dr Perrin osteopathy can now be seen as a way in which we can help and/or treat CFS/ME. At northlondonosteopaths.co.uk we are delighted to be abreast of these exciting developments and work together with Dr Perrin to help patients who may be affected.