WO2023111830A1

WO2023111830A1 - Process for improving fluid circulation and uses thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2023111830A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/062108
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nadia NASSIF
Original assignee: Nassif Nadia
Priority date: 2021-12-13
Filing date: 2022-12-13
Publication date: 2023-06-22

Abstract

The present invention discloses a novel process which utilizes a manual therapeutic method for use in improving fluid circulation in a human subject.

Description

PROCESS FOR IMPROVING FLUID CIRCULATION AND USES THEREOF

BACKGROUND

[0001] The circulatory system sends blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body. When blood flow to a specific part of the body is reduced or blocked, that part will not receive essential nutrients, and a person may experience the symptoms of poor circulation.

[0002] Poor circulation can refer to inadequate flow in (1) the arteries, which supply blood going to the arms and legs, (2) the veins, which carry blood back to the heart, or (3) the lymphatic system, which drains tissue fluids. Poor circulation can affect the whole body. Poor circulation isn't a condition but can result from various conditions. Common causes include obesity, diabetes, heart conditions, and arterial issues. In case of signs and symptoms of poor circulation, it's essential to treat the underlying causes rather than just the symptoms.

[0003] The most common symptoms of poor circulation include tingling, numbness, throbbing or stinging pain in the limbs, pain, or muscle cramps. Each condition that might lead to poor circulation can also cause unique symptoms. There are several different causes of poor circulation, and these include, but are not limited to, narrowing of the arteries, atherosclerosis, blood clots, varicose veins, diabetes, obesity and more.

[0004] Treatment for circulatory problems will depend on the cause. Some options include compression socks for painful, swollen legs, exercise programs to increase circulation, insulin or lifestyle changes to help manage diabetes, laser or endoscopic vein surgery for varicose veins, medications, such as clot-dissolving drugs or blood thinners, alpha-blockers, and calcium channel blockers.

[0005] In addition, there are several natural remedies for circulatory problems, and these comprise getting regular exercise, consuming a heart-healthy diet that provides fiber and other nutrients, managing weight, and avoiding or quitting smoking. [0006] There are also supplements that may help improve circulation, however there may not be sufficient evidence to support these. Some examples comprise vitamin E, multi minerals and multivitamins, antioxidants, folic acid, niacin, or beta-carotene.

[0007] While several methods are currently available for addressing a myriad of diseases, most, if not all, are invasive in nature. These may be through pharmaceutical treatments by ingesting medicines via the various available routes, i.e., oral, intra-venous, intra-muscular, intra-thecal, etc., or through surgery. Both treatment procedures or processes result in damage afflicted to organs or parts of the body.

[0008] Treatments using medicines generally address overlying symptoms but do not necessarily treat the root cause of the diseases. Chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, used here merely to exemplify the invention, as an example, including but not limited to hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperglycemia, require continuous treatment, possibly for the lifetime of the afflicted individual. Such treatments control the levels of markers or blood event inducers such as triglycerides, LDL, etc. thus averting cardiovascular events. However, these treatments, do not solve the root cause of the problem, wherein should the patient stop being medicated, the status will revert to prior to treatment, and possibly worse.

[0009] Invasive surgery, again using cardiovascular as an example, such as a stent or replacement of damaged veins and/or arteries, will not remove the cause which lead to the surgery. Instead, the problem may merely be relocated to another location in the system, resulting in further invasive surgery.

[00010] This situation is not limited to the cardiovascular indications and may very well extend to other medical indications such as oncology, immunology, neurologic, neuromuscular, inflammatory and other disease areas.

[00011] US7909785 describes a device that has a processor to provide an output signal, a driver responsive to the output signal to provide an amplified output signal, and a transducer responsive to the amplified output signal to provide a vibrational output. The output signal has a lower-frequency sweep and a higher-frequency sweep, and the transducer is placed in proximity to a desired location on the body so that the vibrational output will affect the desired location. '785 also describes a method to enhance local circulation of at least one of blood or lymphatic fluid in a living body using said device.

[00012] US7402144 also describes a device and method that are capable of increasing blood and fluid flow in the lower extremities of an individual while the individual is in a static posture, such as in a sitting, standing, or other upright static posture, for a prolonged period. The device utilizes vibrations at varying speeds, intensity, and period so that the vibration can be uniform, interrupted, varying in magnitude, etc. the device and method disclosed in '144 are limited however to the treatment of orthostatic hypotension.

[00013] Other prior art discusses the effects of massage therapy. Vickers et al., Massage therapies, BMJ 1999;319:1254-1257 describes therapeutic massage as "the manipulation of the soft tissue of whole-body areas to bring about generalized improvements in health, such as relaxation or improved sleep, or specific physical benefits, such as relief of muscular aches and pains." According to the publication, the primary uses of massage are to promote relaxation, treat painful muscular conditions, and reduce anxiety. Furthermore, the article refers to clinical trials performed on massage therapies which have focused on psychological outcomes of treatment. The article does not mention nor teach about the possibility of using these types of massages to improve health biomarkers such as cardiovascular biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers or others that are either caused by a condition or may cause a condition.

[00014] Lindgren et al., Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical 158(l-2):105-10, D0l:10.1016/j.autneu.2010.06.011, describes the effect of touch massage on stress responses in healthy volunteers. The study demonstrates that touch massages have a favorable effect on cardiac autonomic tone. The study also included effects on glucose and lactate levels. Only minor changes were observed in extracellular levels of glucose and lactate; and no significant alterations were observed in glycerol or pyruvate levels throughout the study. Here again, the effects of the therapeutic massage were primarily linked to maintaining or reaching autonomic balance. [00015] There is hence a dire need to identity viable solutions not only to treat symptoms, but to reach the root cause behind these symptoms and solve it once and for all or at least without the need for recurring and continuous treatment. There is also a further need for non-invasive methods which will not leave residual effects (i.e., which is the case with surgeries) or result in side-effects (which is the case with most if not all medications).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[00016] The present invention is a manual method for a therapeutical massage that focuses on treatment of the body via a specific process which identifies and localizes poor or blocked blood and/or lymphatic circulation, increases or unblocks said circulation which leads to an improved condition and a noticeable amelioration in health as supported by relevant biomarkers.

[00017] By increasing and/or unblocking the fluid flow, there is an increased hydration to the afflicted region, increased delivery of oxygen and improved clearance of pollutants such as carbon dioxide and other cellular waste and/or toxins.

[00018] The manual method disclosed herein addresses both physical and biological symptoms. Physical symptoms include excess body weight, body shape, sagging skin, adiposity such as cellulite, fat lumps (also known as lipomas) and other physical abnormalities resulting from a pre-existing condition. Physical symptoms may also include blood pressure, skin coloration. Biological symptoms include specific biomarkers generally identified in blood tests such as, but not limited to, LDL, HDL, VLDLD, VHDL, TG, HbAlc, liver enzymes, creatinine levels as well as several other health indicators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00019] The method comprises a process which comprises the following steps, as an example used to in an embodiment of the invention:

[00020] STEP 1: locate and identity afflicted, i.e., blocked circulation spots, in the thigh area. This is done by visually partitioning the thigh into sections on which to perform the manual manipulation. This may also be done using a marking pen to mark the different parts or regions and to facilitate the localization. A said section is pinched to determine if there is blockage. Blocked sections may be identified also where a section emanates heat, demonstrates a bulge, or through other visual and/or tactile reception. If blockage is identified, then the area is manipulated or therapeutically massaged from between 1 minute to 30 minutes. Said manipulation may be repeated over a period of 1 to 5 hours and over a course of days and weeks. The duration and intensity are dictated by the severity of the case at hand as well as the body's response, which varies from person to person and case to case. The practitioner identifies if a section has been addressed and the problem resolved based on skin color and flexibility of treated area as well as other parameters indicative of an improved circulation.

[00021] STEP 2: the practitioner then works externally from the area treated in STEP 1, performing the same acts until the desired result is obtained.

[00022] STEP 3: the practitioner keeps expanding the area of work on the body to eventually target the desired location on the body where the treatment or issue is to be addressed.

[00023] It is the submission herein that the thigh represents the preferred starting point to begin said therapeutic massage treatment process. The process expands from the thigh location to adjacent locations and creates a continuous inter-connected process.

[00024] In an embodiment of the invention, a patient may be interested in removing cellulite deposit in the buttocks area. The cause for the cellulite is very well known in the literature and clearly described. In such an embodiment, the practitioner will initiate treatment using the process of the invention as described in STEPs 1 to 3 above. In STEP 3, the practitioner works their way towards the buttocks area, which at that stage, is receiving adequate circulation from adjacent areas of the body and is ready to be manipulated in turn. As a result of the manipulations of the manual method of the invention, the cellulite is reduced see completely removed. As a result of this process, not only is the physical appearance (i.e., the cellulite) addressed, but the overall health of the patient, as measured by a blood test and other health parameters, is improved, thus preventing the recurrence of the cellulite. [00025] In addition to the physical effects of the process of the therapeutic massage on the subject, relevant biomarkers are monitored through blood tests and these include markers such as cholesterol, CRP, triglycerides, vitamins, minerals and any other markers related to a specific condition that the practitioner is treating. These are monitored, assessed and a subject is followed for short term and long-term outcome of the condition.

[00026] A subject is physically assessed, and a battery of blood tests is performed to identify both physical and physiological starting points prior to the beginning of a therapy. These are repeated at specific times during the treatment process to assess progress. The results are associated with the overall physical, physiological and well-being of the subject.

[00027] It was surprisingly found that in addition to physical changes visible to the naked eye from the implementation of the process of the present disclosure, a wide array of biological markers and components are affected favorably. This includes, and is not limited to, typical cardiovascular markers such as the different cholesterol molecules, but also vitamins and minerals in the blood, as well as other markers such as enzymes and other proteins circulating in the blood.

[00028] For the purposes of illustration, we provide a couple of examples herein, with a specific focus on cardiovascular markers, which were specifically tracked in these cases to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the process of the present invention.

EXAMPLES

[00029] Table 1 below shows the progression of several markers measured through blood tests. A first blood test is performed during an initial consultation, followed by at least one second blood test following a predefined period of treatment to compare certain relevant parameters.

[00030] In an example whereby a subject underwent the method of the present invention to manage weight, several relevant biomarkers or parameters were measured before and after. Table 1 provides a two time points for a few relevant parameters.

Table 1

[00031] Looking at the profile under Table 1, it is clear for a person skilled in the art that the subjects cardiovascular, inflammatory and toxicity parameters have experienced a drastic improvement. The cardiovascular markers such as HDL showed a 40% increase while the LDL showed a 20% decrease resulting in a highly improved ratio. Such an improvement is indicative of an improved overall cardiovascular health which may lead to an improved quality of life.

[00032] In addition, as is known for a person skilled in the art, CRP(hs) is an inflammatory marker which may be indicative of events such as atherosclerosis. Other inflammatory events also contribute to an elevation in CRP(hs). Subjects such as the one for which dat is presented in Table 1 have shown an unexpected decrease in CRP(hs), as high as 75% decrease, a clear indication of the effect of the treatment on inflammation.

[00033] Other relevant markers in the blood are those indicative of potential toxicity, in particular liver toxicity. ALT is one marker for measuring liver toxicity. As can be seen from Table 1, the subject in question has experienced a drop of 18% in ALT levels, an indicator of improved liver toxicity.

[00034] Table 1 is an indicative of the overall improved health markers and health benefits following the process comprising the therapeutic massage of the present invention.

[00035] Table 2 is another example of a subject which as treated for a shorter period of time and that is showing clear signs of improvements.

Table 2

[00036] Here again, we see the following indicators progressing in the right direction, towards a healthier being. The HDL marker has not shown a significant increase, in fact, has not yet shown a change, but this is expected as this marker takes a longer time to correct itself. However, the LDL, CRP(hs) and ALT markers, as discussed in previous sections, have all shown unexpected improvements. These are indicative of the effect of the therapeutic massage process of the present invention and also an indication that continued application of the said process will lead to the improvements claimed by this invention and its effect on the subjects' well-being and health.

[00037] The embodiments, examples and description provided herein are used merely as examples to describe the process but are not limited to the examples used herein. The application of the process and method described herein may extend to other therapeutic areas as evidenced by the physical and physiological improvements monitored and measured prior, during and following the use of the said process or method.

Claims

9 CLAIMS

[Claim 1] A process for the use in improving fluid circulation in a subject, comprising:

Identifying a spot on the subject's body wherein said spot represents an abnormality;

Applying therapeutic massage at said spot;

Expanding the therapeutic massage to adjacent areas to the spot, wherein said process results in improved fluid circulation in veins, arteries and/or the lymphatic system.

[Claim 2] The process according to claim 1, wherein the fluid circulation is weak or blocked at the said spot.

[Claim 3] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is performed for at least one minute.

[Claim 4] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is performed for no more than one hour.

[Claim 5] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is applied at least one time.

[Claim 6] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is applied at intervals during the same day.

[Claim 7] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is applied over a period of days, weeks, or months.

[Claim 8] The process according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic massage is applied to a subject suffering from a condition.

[Claim 9] The process according to claim 8, wherein the condition is selected from: cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, inflammatory disease, lymphatic disease, cancer, neuromuscular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and autoimmune disease.

[Claim 10] A therapeutic massage for use in improving fluid circulation in a subject in need thereof, wherein said massage comprises the steps of:

Applying therapeutic massage at said spot;

Expanding the therapeutic massage to adjacent areas to the spot wherein said process results in improved fluid circulation in veins, arteries or the lymphatic system.

[Claim 11] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein the fluid circulation is weak or blocked at the said spot.

[Claim 12] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is for one minute.

[Claim 13] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is for no more than one hour.

[Claim 14] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is at least one time.

[Claim 15] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is at intervals within the same day.

[Claim 16] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is over a period of days, weeks, or months.

[Claim 17] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 10, wherein said use is on a subject suffering from a condition. 11

[Claim 18] The therapeutic massage for use according to claim 17, wherein the condition is selected from: cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, inflammatory disease, lymphatic disease, cancer, neuromuscular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and autoimmune disease.