Positive Health Online

Neuromuscular taping is the application of a particular type of tape which can be applied to the skin in various patterns to alter function and alleviate pain in many conditions.  It has been well known for its use in muscle disorder and in lymphoedema. Its mode of action may well be because of the way in which it is applied, it is often in a wrinkled manner over the skin. This has the effect of lifting the skin and altering the information carried by the very fine autonomic nerves which underlie the dermis. The autonomic nervous system fibres are separately transmitting information to the brain stem distinct from the peripheral nervous system of sensory motor nerves and they are providing to the autonomic nervous system all the information required for integration of all the automatic processes in the body. In lifting the surface of the skin there is also a change in the lymphatic drainage from the underlying tissues.  These two principal combined effects can mitigate symptoms in many neuromuscular conditions. A basic depiction of the autonomic nervous system is as follows[2]:

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 5

Blood pressure can be measured readily by a sphygmomanometer but the measurements undertaken are not only of systolic and diastolic but also mean arterial pressures in the study quoted,[1] in which seven hypertensive patients were studied and the three parameters of systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure were measured. It was very clearly shown that there were significantly high readings on blood pressure in these patients. They were therefore selected to undertake an application of neuromuscular tape in a pattern across the nape of the neck and shoulders and the measures before and after the taping for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure all showed a significant drop five to seven days later. 

The paper[1] reported statistics on blood pressure recordings pre and post-taping, showing evidence of drops in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure.  Adduced from these arterial systolic blood pressure dropped by an average of 45.9mmHg, arterial diastolic blood pressure dropped by an average of 15.4mmHg and mean systolic blood pressure dropped by an average of 20.5mmHg.

This study was done in a neurophysiological laboratory at Breakspear Medical.  However, although the study was done with the use of neurophysiological equipment (Neuroscope) the method is readily performed using standard sphygmomanometry and is therefore available for use, particularly in those who cannot tolerate anti-hypertensive medication or have difficulty with stabilising blood pressure.  It has been independently used at Breakspear Medical for other patients, and two cases histories are as follows:      

Case Histories

Patient 1

Male - Aged 61yrs

• Blood pressure pre taping                         195/106mmHg
• Taping applied 06/03/18
• Blood pressure Post taping 09/03/18        161/86mmHg

Patient 2

Female - Aged 70yrs 

• Blood pressure pre taping                         187/97mmHg
• Taping applied 12/04/16
• Blood pressure post taping 12/04/16        120/73mmHg

Patient 3

Male – Aged 60yrs

• Blood pressure pre taping                         160/93mmHg
• Taping applied 09/07/18
• Blood pressure post taping 11/07/18        120/80mmHg

The autonomic nervous system controls functions of all organs in the body.  The dendritic cells are sentinel cells lining the skin where they are linked together and they are as numerous as every fourth cell in these tissues. They are sentinels of awareness for the immune system. Triggering of these dendritic cells results in the triggering of the autonomic nervous system because the tiny nerve fibres which are without any myelin around them, known as C-fibres, are the fibres of the autonomic nervous system. They are the most prolific and numerous neurological fibres in the body and they can be affected readily through dendritic cell responses. Dendritic cells pass information to the unmyelinated fibres which can respond to a range of stimuli, including mechanical stimuli.  Information is conducted from them to the brain stem.

Hypertension

The autonomic nervous system and hypertension have been studied by Dr S Iscen.[3] Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system can occur in arterial hypertension and therefore this mode of treatment which has direct effect on autonomic function is of importance in clinical applications.

Further Information

The neuromuscular tape used in the trial was an EUClass I Medical Device ( Cure Tape brand -natural colour) supplied by Aneid UK Ltd ( www.aneiduk.com )

References

1. Neuromuscular taping reduces blood pressure in systemic arterial hypertension. M. Shah, P.O.O. Julu, J.A.Monro, J. Coutinho, C. Ijeh, B.K. Puri. Medical Hypotheses 116 (2018) 30-32

2. The Autonomic Nervous System and Nutritional Management to Improve Function. Dr Jean A Monro, In association with Dr Peter Julu.  19th International Symposium Integrative Medicine, Tuscany, Italy 3-6 July 2007.

3. Autonomic nervous system and hypertension.  Iscen S.   Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2016;20(2):201