LondonShiatsu

MPT Microcurrent Positional Tuina

Microcurrent Positional Tuina (MPT) combines treatment with microcurrent electricity and a modification of the Oriental massage called tuina with acupuncture points and theory from osteopathy and acupuncture.
There are no needles, only microcurrent electricity and hands-on treatment, yet MPT achieves dramatic improvements in pain relief, tension, and range of motion almost immediately.
When added to your current treatments, MPT is effective for acute and chronic pain throughout the body and gives faster, longer-lasting results.
Patients who are unable to experience relief from other treatment options have finally found relief from MPT. Includes neuropathic pain.
It can even be used as needle-free alternative to acupuncture for children and patients who are seriously needle-averse.

From a more technical viewpoint, MPT is a new method and system.
It synthesizes techniques and theory drawn from acupuncture and Oriental medicine; Jin Shin Do, shiatsu, tuina; qigong; the bodywork of Lauren Berry, PT; osteopathy; and microcurrent electrical treatment.
Assessment, treatment and patient education are all integral pieces of this system.

Assessment combines postural and structural analysis with Oriental medicine theory to help direct the treatment.
Treatment combines ETPS microcurrent, positional tuina and acupuncture so the muscles can gently stretch, allowing the microcurrent to soften the tension.
The final component is patient education. This not only involves correcting a patient’s posture and advising on beneficial ergonomic adjustments, but also determining postural qigong stretches that can be used to enhance the treatment and for ongoing improvement at the patient’s home.

What Happens in a Treatment?
MPT has several techniques that are done concurrently.
Points, soft tissue adhesions and tight and tender muscle knots are released by using ETPS microcurrent.
Using Positional Tuina, the practitioner manually stretches muscles and joints.
The treatment muscles can also be actively stretched or contracted by positioning the patient, or these muscles can be engaged with a gentle contraction by the patient.
All of these stretches or contractions are done while using microcurrent to release deeper layers in the muscles being treated.

Patients, in describing MPT, use phrases like “that muscle just melted” and “I can’t believe how fast that tight muscle loosened up.”

ETPS Microcurrent

ETPS Microcurrent (Electro Therapeutic Point Stimulation) was developed by an acupuncturist in Toronto Canada.

It is an effective, quick, inexpensive and portable method for releasing tightness and tenderness in points (acupuncture, trigger, motor) or adhesions that greatly enhances effectiveness of acupuncture or massage.

What Is ETPS? An ETPS unit is a microcurrent electrical stimulator and point finder.
It is designed for use directly on the skin, not through wires connected to acupuncture needles.
The probe is built into the machine and has a tip the size of a ball point pen. The electrical output of the device consists of square waveform, monophasic pulsed DC stimulation. A 9-Volt battery powers the device.

Differences Between ETPS and Other Microcurrent Machines
ETPS is much simpler and more basic with only 1 frequency setting.

The treatment probe tip is the size of a ball point pen, while other machines use a larger probe, pads, gloves or attachments to needles. ETPS is much smaller and can fit in a pocket.

Advantages of ETPS
The type of current and small size of the probe give ETPS a unique advantage over other microcurrent machines: it is able to release tightness in points extremely quickly (often in 5-20 seconds) and the low cost, makes it affordable for patients to use on themselves for supportive treatment.

ETPS Provides an Additional Diagnostic Screen After an MPT treatment with ETPS, both practitioner and patient can tell which points are more reactive (stronger treatment sensations) and the most difficult to release.
Frequently, there will be immediate improvement in range of motion and reduction in pain.
The patient is able to immediately assess the effectiveness of each stage of treatment.
This allows the practitioner to determine the structural root cause of the condition.
Treatment with acupressure(Shiatsu Massage Therapy) and future treatment with MPT can then be targeted toward the needed areas.

ETPS Provides Additional Treatment Options You can treat multiple points in an area; many more than with acupuncture needles. Several depths of tightness and multiple angles or vectors can be released in one treatment.

Better Use of Acupuncture Using MPT in conjunction with acupuncture can achieve greater release with fewer needles since many of the points have been sufficiently released with MPT and don’t need acupuncture.
The points that you choose to treat have been considerably released by the ETPS so the acupressure is able to release a deeper layer than would have been possible with acupressure alone.
This can allow the time that would have been used for the basic treatment to be used instead to treat underlying imbalances.

MPT Treats Places Where Acupuncture Needles Are Uncomfortable
Scalp points and cranial sutures,
points around eyes in orbit:
points near blood vessels:
Jing-well points on tips of fingers and toes,
points on palms and soles:
As well as scars and face points for Cosmetic acupuncture – facelifts.
MPT Also Treats Patient Groups Uncomfortable With Acupuncture Needles:
pediatrics – children and babies, needle phobic patients and sensitive patients.

About MPT: Quick Answers to Common Questions

What is MPT?

MPT (micro-current, positional, tuina) is a set of techniques and an approach to treating musculo-skeletal pain. It was developed by Malvin Finkelstein, L.Ac. – a highly experienced (in practice over 30 years) and well respected Acupuncturist based in Eugene, Oregon. The system is an amalgamation of Malvin’s in-depth study of anatomy and Chinese medical structural analysis, and his own clinical experience treating thousands of patients.

MPT is commonly used in combination with Acupuncture to treat musculo-skeletal pain, pain-related conditions and numbness. The combination treatment approach can yield faster, better and more long-lasting results than Acupuncture alone, and has led to treatment success for many patients who did not see benefits with other practitioners or methods.
MPT can also be used as a needle-free alternative to Acupuncture for children and patients with a serious aversion to needles.

The “micro-current” portion of MPT involves the use of Dolphin Neurostim, a hand-held device which is used on the surface of the skin and transmits a “micro” current of electricity into the tissue.
This helps to break up adhesions, restrictions and “stuck” areas of muscle, fascia, tendons etc, freeing up the area and relieving pain.

The “positional” portion of MPT involves positioning the body in order to stretch the area – thereby allowing for a more significant release of tension.
The “tuina” portion of MPT involves a form of Chinese-based massage. In this format, however, tuina is not really massage but a gentle coaxing or nudging of the muscle in conjunction with the micro-current which helps the area to obtain a maximum release of tension.

How can the combination of MPT and Shiatsu help me?

Through some combination of poor posture, overuse, or injury various muscles can become displaced and begin to perform functions they were not intended to.
Muscles can become adhered to one another which causes pulling on joints and results in pain.
Compensating postural positions follow and exacerbate the problem.
Finally, tight muscles restrict blood flow and can result in a buildup of toxins.

The combination of MPT and Shiatsu can help loosen tight and restricted areas, which helps to facilitate normal blood flow and the removal of toxins. The MPT and Acupuncture combination also allows musculature and related soft tissue to go back to it’s original place and begin functioning in a “normal” way, leading to a greater range of motion and movement and allowing pressure on joints to be relieved.

The MPT portion is performed either before or after an Acupuncture treatment (usually before) as the two have different but complementary effects.
The Shiatsu massage treatment serves as reinforcement and builds upon the MPT treatments, and the combination is a highly effective means of addressing pain resulting from musculo-skeletal issues.

Another beneficial aspect of MPT is that it is a highly interactive modality which brings the patient, fully into the process.
This is helpful in a number of ways.
First, it makes you more aware of your body.
Second, it allows you to be an active participant in the healing process

Can MPT be used as a standalone alternative to Acupuncture?
Yes.
MPT can be used alone to treat pain anywhere on the body, and can be an effective alternative for children and patients with a serious aversion to needles.
In addition, it can be useful for treating areas that are difficult to needle, such as the face, palms of hands, portions of the feet and other sensitive body parts.

http://www.mptclasses.com/freevideo.htm