Elisabeth Dicke began using connective tissue massage (Subcutaneous Reflex Therapy or SRT) in 1929. It is a manual stimulation therapy that begins tangentially and is applied to the subcutaneous connective tissue. Skin, subcutaneous and fascial techniques are used here in order to treat of connective tissue zones. A nervous-reflexive reaction of the internal organs, the movement apparatus and the skin is triggered via the cutivisceral reflex arc.
A special type of SRT, in which individual body segments are treated using skin-, subcutaneous- or fascia- techniques, is called segment massage. The patient perceives these movements as a light cutting sensation. The body’s local reaction is increased blood flow to the tissue.
Effect and Goals
From a therapeutic viewpoint, connective tissue massage is important because it allows the therapist the possibility of influencing vegetative regulatory mechanisms. A tone normalization of the connective tissue tension as well as of the internal organs, the muscles, nerves and vessels takes place via the cutivisceral and cuticutaneous reflexes.
A local increase in blood flow within the area being treated is initially achieved through a tone decrease in the peripheral blood vessels. This hyperemia represents the first reaction. In the treated area, a normalization of the tissue elasticity occurs during the course of the treatment. In addition, organ functions in the sense of vasomotor, secretion and motility are normalized via the reflex arc. An analgesic effect is possible in functional pain syndromes,
Execution
- Surface shifting of the subcutaneous tissue with thumb and fingertips
Skin Technique: Surface superficial shifting in the superficial shift layer of the skin. - Subcutaneous technique requires stronger traction. The higher the voltage, the shorter the operations
- Fascial technique on fascia and muscle margin. "Hook on" the fascia margins with the fingertips with short passes.
The train is the strongest here.
Connective tissue zones
The connective tissue zones are basically identical to the head zones. One of their characteristics is that they do not cause spontaneous complaints. Only when they are touched and treated do they become painful. They exhibit increased stress and have reduced relocatability. The following connective tissue zones exist (from cranial to caudal): head zones, bronchial zone, arm zone, stomach zone, liver zone, heart zone, renal zone, intestinal zone, genital zone, bladder zone and venous lymph zone.
Reactions
During the treatment the patient should feel a light, clear sensation cutting in the area of tissue being treated. The tenser the tissue, the more one feels it. Wheals may also form temporarily.
Indications
Indications for connective tissue massage include:
- Disorders of the movement apparatus: Williams syndrome, arthrosis, rheumatic diseases, post-trauma
- Internal organs disorders: respiratory tract diseases, digestive system disorders, urogenital disorders and the like, including inflammation
- Vascular disease: Functional arterial-flow disorders, arteriosclerosis, migraine, post-thrombotic syndrome
- Neurological disorders: paresis, spasticity, neuralgia
- Stress
- Sudeck disease
