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PHILOSOPHY AND PRINCIPLES OF NEUROPATHY “Neuropathy is that science of the healing art by which all diseased conditions of each and every part of the body are restored to health by regulating the blood supply to the involved areas through the nerve mechanism.”-- Fritz The definition given above, while not fully adequate, is still the best given by any person so far as this writer is concerned. In this process of healing the peripheral nerves are treated by manipulation in such a manner as to regulate the blood pressure in the nerve center which controls the blood supply to the diseased area and removes the lymphatic waste from the congested tissues, returning the parts to health. Neuropathy is based on the normal functioning of the physiological action of the Nervous System upon the Vascular Circulation of the body. To improve the condition of the nervous system improves the condition of the body, as every organ, every tissue and every cell in the body is under the control of some part of the nervous system. If a nerve is not functioning properly the organ controlled by that nerve is not performing its function, therefore if a nerve is abnormal the organ controlled by that nerve is abnormal. As the nerve is, so is the organ it controls, and every part of the body can bee reached and controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Neuropathic Treatments. Jackson stated: “Various etiologies create perversions of functions
either in the organs, tissues or nerves, so that there becomes a state
of too much blood (Hyperemia) to a part of the body, or too little (Anemia
or Atrophy) to a part of the body. Thus is created the condition known
as disease.”-- Thomas Jackson, M. D., Classroom Notes.
PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS There are three physiological laws governing the activity of cells with relation to their blood supply. First Law. “Every cell in the body will maintain itself in a perfect state of health if it receives the proper quantity and quality of blood material and oxygen, and has its waste products promptly removed, provided it is not subjected to extremes of temperature or injured by violence.” Second Law. “Every cell in the body receives blood (food material and oxygen) in proportion to the degree of its activity.” All cellular activity is governed by the demand which the body makes upon such cells for thee product of their activity — motion, heat, secretion, excretion, conduction, etc. Third Law. “Cells are active in proportion to the quantity of food material and oxygen which they receive.” Normally the blood supply is governed by the demand of the cells, but it is known that an abnormal irritation of any part of the body will increase the blood supply to the cells in that neighborhood. Whether this irritation affects first the cells, arousing them to activity, causing them to demand more blood, or whether the irritant acts directly upon the afferent nerves and reflexly cause a dilation of the blood vessels in the area of irritation has not been fully determined. The inference drawn from numerous experiments and observations is that the irritant acts directly on afferent nerves and increases the blood supply by the production of direct reflexes over the vaso-motor tracts, the cells becoming active in consequence of the increased blood and oxygen supply. In health, blood supply is equal to the demand of the cells, while under abnormal conditions the supply may become so much in excess of the demand that congestion and lymph stagnation occur, or the supply may be inadequate to meet demand. In either case, a diseased process will be the result. The blood supply of the entire body is under the control of the vaso-motor mechanism. This mechanism consists of two distinct sets of nerves, one of which called the constrictor mechanism, acts to decrease the caliber of the arterioles, and the other the dilator mechanism, the opposing mechanism to the constrictors, acts to increase the caliber of the arterioles. The cells of the body receive their food and oxygen supply by virtue of the fact that the capillary blood vessels have minute holes in their walls, through which part of the blood plasma is allowed to pass into the tissues. Each cell in the body is surrounded by a space, and it is through these spaces that the blood plasma flows from the capillaries and from the spaces that the cells select their food. The cells excrete their waste products back into these spaces. For this reason the flow of plasma through the tissues must be continuous. This material passes from the tissues into the lymphatic vessels. Vaso-motor nerves control the quantity of plasma which is allowed to leak from out of the capillary tubes, either constricting or dilating the minute arterioles. The dilation of the arterioles increases the pressure within the capillaries, and causes a greater outflow of plasma into the pericellular spaces. A constriction of the arterioles decreases capillary , and so limits the outflow of plasma into the pericellular spaces. A constriction of the arterioles decreases capillary pressure, and so limits the outflow of the quantity of plasma. Irritation always causes vaso-motor reflexes, which are first manifested
as a brief constriction of the arterioles of the part under irritation,
which is followed by an active dilation of the same vessels. So if we draw
a line with a blunt instrument somewhere on the surface of the body, the
following phenomena may be noticed: First, a white line due to mechanically
pressing the blood out of the capillaries; due to the action of the constrictors;
third, a red line due to the action of the dilators.
SOME FACTS REGARDING NERVE ACTION Constrictor nerves are always active, maintaining tone in the blood vessels. The dilators are only active as the occasion demands a greater blood supply to any particular part of the body. Even there, where the dilators are called into action, the constrictors continue to exert their influence on these blood vessels. Prolonged irritation in any part of the body results in constrictor fatigue, in which case the part passes from an active to a passive condition and the circulation through the tissues of this part becomes sluggish; first, because there is not sufficient force behind the blood in the vessels due to lowered tonicity; second, because the lymphatics draining the part are clogged up. Diseased conditions progress in the following manner: The cells being
subjected to continuous irritation are forced to a high degree of activity.
The blood supply increasing to satisfy their demand gradually produces
an active inflammation which progresses to a state of congestion. If the
flow of plasma into the peri-cellular space is greater than the lymphatic
vessels can drain off there will be a stagnation of lymph in the tissues,
which compels the cells to live in an atmosphere polluted by their own
waste products. Coincident with the fatigue of the cells occurs the fatigue
of the constrictor mechanism of the blood vessels of the part under irrigation.
The vessel walls loose their tone and circulation in the tissues is practically
obstructed. It is under these circumstances that structural changes take
place leading to cellular degeneration, liquefaction, pus formation, connective
tissue proliferation, foreign growths, mineral deposits, etc.
PATHOLOGY DESCRIBED AS PERVERSIONS The word perversion in Neuropathy is very comprehensive. It covers every type of pathological condition. It is the word used to denote any deviation away from normal function of any part of the human body, instead of the usual term of pathology used to designate a particular disease in any area. We think the term for practical purposes to be superfluous, because for generations the people of the whole world want to be told more than just that they have a lesion, a subluxation or a perversion of some part of the body. A malignant cancer of the liver needs a greater expression of its ravages and symptoms. A rheumatic condition cannot be explained to a patient with facility and understanding as a lesion, subluxation or a perversion. But for teaching purposes, so the student can grasp quickly the fundamentals of this philosophy, all of the terms used are par excellent, providing he is also taught the popular public accepted terms of etiology, symptomatology and pathology. To the student of Neuropathy, there are three main perversions: Central, peripheral, and structural. Cental perversions are those in which the active irritant is located in some part of the nervous system. Peripheral perversions are those in which the irritant is somewhere outside of the nervous system. Structural perversions follow functional changes, except in trauma. All peripheral irritations produce nerve reflexes. All central irritations produce either sensory or motor disturbances, or both. Irritation produces vaso-motor changes, so we may say that all physical diseased manifestations are the result of circulatory changes. Therefore Neuropathy claims that diseased parts can be restored to normal by establishing the normal circulations of the body. The body is governed and controlled by the Cerebrospinal and Sympathetic nervous systems. The blood supply to every part of the body is under the control of the vaso-constrictors, vaso-dilators and perivascular ganglia, all working in harmony. When there is any irritation causing interference in the nerve center controlling any one of these parts of nerve mechanism, you have an interference in the blood supply to the part to which these nerves supply, producing the primary cause of disease. This irritation may not be in the sympathetic system; the irritation may be in the Cerebro-Spinal System and the reflex action through the Rami communicans will cause an interference to the blood supply to any part of the body to which these nerves supply energy. It is impossible for any area of thee body to become perverted if it receives the proper quantity and quality of blood, and has its waste product properly removed, except as a result of direct injury. Nature is her own physician and she creates within the body nerve force to govern and control growth, development and maintenance of life by regulating the blood supply to all parts through the nerve mechanisms. Besides this, she creates within her organs and glands the different secretion to keep the body well, and in time of disease creating nature’s antitoxin to counteract any foreign poisons, and with assistance of the phagocytes destroy off all invasion of bacteria. Wrong habits of living, thinking, resting, working, eating, etc., all cause irritations that cause a derangement in some area of the body or of its organs by irritating the nerve mechanisms, producing an interference in the blood supply to the part involved, giving the specific origin of disease (the primary cause). When Nature fails to perform her work the primary cause of disease has developed, the Neuropathic physician manipulates the sensory afferent nerves so as to correct the blood supply to the involved area, by increasing the force of the vaso-constrictor and lessening the force of the vaso-dilator through the action of the governing or controlling nerve centers. If this is not done, the proper medium is formed for the development of bacteria which is the secondary cause of disease. Every part of the body or its organs can be reached through the nerves on the surface of thee body. Some individuals are sick all the time. Some are sick some of the time, while some are never sick until they reach a ripe old age. The individual who has never been sick proves that his nervous mechanisms are normally controlling the blood supply to all parts of the body, not permitting the primary cause of disease to develop. In the other ones the nerve mechanism has lost its function to control the blood supply, for awhile, or always allowing the primary cause of disease to develop which is the proper medium for the development of bacteria, the secondary cause of disease. In closing, Neuropathy claims in order to prevent disease you must prevent
the formation of the primary cause from developing by regulating the blood
supply to all parts of the body through the nerve mechanisms.
REVIEW It might be well to give here a few facts which will lead to a better appreciation of the Neuropathic viewpoint. Health depends on perfect circulation in the tissues. Perfect circulation necessitates the adjustment of blood supply to meet the demand of the cells. The vaso-constrictor nerves are the more important of the two, as the tone of blood vessels, the maintenance of blood pressure, and the tone of the entire body depends on their constant action. Increased functional activity must be supported by increased circulation, which means that the blood supply must be more abundant and proceed more rapidly through the tissues. Disease begins with abnormal irritation, which leads to perversion of function and structure. Functional perversions, from the standpoint of the nervous system are two kinds, central and peripheral. Central perversions are those in which the active irritant is located in some part of the nervous system. Peripheral perversions are those in which the irritant is somewhere outside the nervous system. Structural perversions follow functional changes, except in trauma. All peripheral irritations produce nerve reflexes. All central irritations produce either sensory or motor disturbances, or both. Irritation produces vaso-motor changes, so we may say that all physical diseased manifestations are the result of circulatory changes. Therefore all diseased parts can be returned to a normal state by establishing perfect circulation. Hence, the fundamental idea of Neuropathic treatment is to “normalize the activity of the constrictor mechanism throughout the body.” |