Course in Cross Fiber Massage and LLLT, plus more!

                                                     Dr Pamela Murphy, Dip Lic Ac

LFH is putting on a course on Friday 2nd October, in North West London at the Optimum Health Clinic, near Archway. Dr Pamela Murphy Dip Lic Ac will be teaching the FAST method, devised by Dr. Steve Liu, an acupuncturist from Arizona. He combines treatments that consist of “cross-fiber” massage, electro-acupuncture (using red light on acupuncture points), and low-level laser therapy. Cross-fiber massage, otherwise known as “transverse friction,” bears no relationship to conventional massage. It re-initiates the inflammatory process of a scarred tendon or ligament. When acupuncture points are stimulated with the red light, endorphins are released which relax the muscles associated with the tendons and ligaments. Often a tight muscle may be a culprit of a tendon injury of unknown cause. LLLT is then applied to the injured area to increase the production and release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which helps increase blood circulation, the stimulation and production of collagen, reduction of swelling and pain, and ultimately in the regeneration of healthy tissue.

We will explore this method using some of the common sites of injury to soft tissue. i.e.Shoulder, Knee, Wrist and or Elbow. This technique is complementary to Cranial Laser Reflex Technique, in that it can be used alongside it as an additional tool. Dr Lui, apart from being an acupuncturist, is an engineeer, and makes his own lasers.

Let me just tell you something about Dr Murphy, or Pamela in this context, because she has become a very special friend, and is a quite remarkable practitioner. I first met her in 2006, when she was introduced to me by a mutual friend. She had moved to London from Ojai, California, because her partner's job brought them here. She gave up a busy practice as an acupuncturist to start again over here. Their loss, our gain! Together we were able to experiment with light, exploring its potential via her patients, and ourselves. She began to use the low level laser over needles in some cases, and found that this sometimes produced deeper emotional shifts. Then when I was planning my trip to Hawaii, she was able to help with contacts and advice. She had lived on Maui, running a flower farm, for part of each year, for a number of years. So apart from the 'work' aspect, helping Dr Wise, and organising a second meeting on Maui, we were helped by her advice and contacts to make our stay even more special. Thank you Detchen for those unforgettable swims with the turtles!

Apart from her acupuncture training in the US, Pamela spent eighteen months in China in the mid eighties, specialising in neurology.

For the second half of the day we are extremely fortunate to have Wendy Boast, co-founder of the UK Institute for Therapeutic Lasers, with Chirstine Carroll. Wendy and Christine are ongoing students with Dr Gordon Farmer, one of the UK's most experienced and successful LLLT practitioners. Wendy will be teaching his protocols for lymphatic drainage, and his system of working with spinal nerves for each treatment. Wendy is an experienced lecturer, and has a wealth of laser experience and information to share.

I am especially keen to put on these courses because although practitioners who invest in LLLT have an amazing tool,

it still takes extra shifts to fully grasp the extent of what it can do. Also we can all learn from each other, by sharing information and ways of working.