NEURO-LYMPHATIC REFLEXES
When chiropractic muscle and joint adjustments, nutritional and herbal handling, medicines, or spiritual healing do not fully resolve body conditions almost certainly there are one or more neuro-lymphatic reflexes that are dysfunctional. Stomach pains, liver distress, sinus trouble, incontinence, bloated feelings in the gut, fatigue from weak adrenals, thyroid trouble, weak heart, blood pressure drops, etc. may magically improve once the appropriate reflex or reflexes have been addressed resulting in a rejuvenation of the organ or organs involved.
The term “neuro-lymphatic reflex” can be understood by understanding three concepts:
1. Neuro refers to the nervous system. The nervous system is the senior most powerful system of the body. If it is not doing well in one area then the part of the body it runs will do poorly. A study of the human body from conception to death reveals that most cells live a few days to a few months. Nerve cells survive from birth to death. With the ability to live for over 100 years they are practically immortal relative to the other cells. After conception the nervous system develops and the rest of the body forms onto this nervous system. Various other facts of physical life demonstrate the senior importance of the nervous system.
2. The term reflex also refers to a response related to the nervous system. There are various kinds of reflexes in the body. Most of us are familiar with the knee jerk reflex. A doctor hits just below your knee with the little tomahawk like device and your lower leg jumps. There are several reflexes of this kind in the body and these are called “deep tendon muscle reflexes.” The purpose of testing them with the tomahawk is to check if certain major nerves are healthy. The “neuro-lymphatic reflexes” are similar but different from the “deep tendon muscle reflexes” and other kinds of reflexes. A chiropractor named Chapman discovered these reflexes in the 1930s and another chiropractor named Goodheart discovered a relationship between certain organs, certain muscles and the exact reflex positions in the body. These reflexes can become apathetic in the course of the stresses of life and associated organs will function at a less than optimum level as a result no matter what you do for them otherwise.
3. Lymphatic refers to a system of tubes like the arteries and veins. The lymphatic system is tens of thousands of miles long. One could compare the lymphatic system to the garbage truck system of a large city such as Los Angeles and all the miles traveled every week by all those trucks along practically every foot of every street that exists on the map. The lymphatic system is a garbage disposal system of wastes from the body. It is also a recycling system especially of proteins leaked out of the tiny blood capillaries and reabsorbed by the lymphatic system. The entire lymphatic system collects eventually into one larger tube about the size of a soda straw that dumps all its contents into the blood stream just before it goes into the heart. There is also a second dumping by a smaller tube that serves the neck and head. The lymphatic wastes are pushed along toward the heart by muscle motion, pressure, one-way valves and ushered along by the neuro-lymphatic nerve reflexes.
The neuro-lymphatic reflexes involve the lymphatic system, the muscular system, and specific nervous system reflex points that can be stimulated resulting in a beneficial change in body function if the reflex has previously become rundown. Addressing these reflexes can have a significant and magical effect in regenerating health. Interestingly enough, I got my first copy of these materials many years ago from a surgical nurse who was advancing his training to become a chiropractor. He had found these materials written by a chiropractor in the hospital’s library.
If certain aspects of your health won’t resolve, no matter what you do for them, then probably part of your physical problem is rundown neuro-lymphatic reflexes. There are reflexes that could help a weak heart, sinus problems, lung trouble, neck pain, weak knees, hemorrhoids, fatigue from run down adrenal glands, and unhappiness from any of the rest of the organs and key muscles of the body.
People with lots of physical annoyances and complaints often have many of the neuro-lymphatic reflexes that are dysfunctional. Checking and addressing the reflexes would certainly be a part of any program of recovery for such a person.
Following are a few examples I recently encountered. A patient in her early 50s, had fallen three times in one month indicating possible unstable ankle supporting muscles. She was also complaining of recent incontinence (could not hold urine well), and felt bloated in the abdomen. One of the neuro-lymphatic reflexes has to do with a lower leg muscle that stabilizes the ankle and it also has to do with the bladder. I immediately suspected this reflex was not working as the symptoms were classic.
When checked out both ankles were weak to muscle strength evaluation. The reflex points were stimulated and the muscles were retested. The ankle was now as strong as a 2 by 4 piece of lumber. For the bloating, a few other muscles were tested and the muscles associated with the colon were found to be weak. The appropriate reflex points were stimulated and the muscles were strong again. A week later the patient had no bloating and there was no incontinence.
Another lady who was 76 years old couldn’t get to the bathroom when she got the urge so had resorted to wearing adult diapers. Her ankles also were weak. The appropriate reflexes were stimulated and the patient reported the next day she could now consistently hold her bladder long enough to reach the bathroom.
Another patient complained of stomach upset, a history of hiatal hernia (a condition where the stomach slips up slightly through the hole in the diaphragm where the tube from the mouth to the stomach passes) and GERD which stands for Gastro-Esophageal-Reflux-Disease. The muscles associated with rundown neuro-lymphatic reflexes for the stomach and liver were weak on testing. The reflexes were addressed, the muscles regained their strength and the patient immediately reported her stomach upset was greatly reduced.
While such stories may seem miraculous and beyond belief all effective technology when first seen seems beyond comprehension but sooner or later becomes accepted due to the benefits.
One lady who had done lots of nutrition and adjusting came back to see a ear later. She was having trouble making it up stairs an was using a cane. We addressed 24 sets of reflexes, mostly neuro-lymphatic reflexes, Over several visits in a 2-month period. At the end of these visits, she was not using a can and could walk up the stairs easily. She received no other treatment during this period. Practically everyone has a few to several of these reflexes in need of rejuvenation of function. Come in and perk up. You deserve to be healthier.
Dr. Mike Spearman