Positive Health Online

Introduction: Virtual Scanning's Basis in Sensory Perception

Virtual Scanning is the first of a new generation of medical technologies which focus on the body's natural mechanisms for maintenance of health involving the 13 physiological functional systems responsible for breathing, sleeping, excretion, blood volume, blood pressure, pH, digestion, skeletal structure, temperature, etc. The regulatory function of colour on the brain is used to regulate health, rather than the conventional and synthetic approaches which focus on symptoms of pathology. The technology is based upon the mathematical modelling of data derived from a cognitive test which is carried out on a computer. It uses an unprecedented level of understanding of how, through our eyes, we absorb and use colour and sensory data in the management of the 13 physiological systems. Virtual Scanning is thus the first technology to regulate our behaviour and health, on the basis of the brain's own sensory data processing mechanisms.

From the alternative health or psychological perspective, Virtual Scanning is based upon our sensory perception, in particular how our colour perception and behaviour is affected by, and affects, the body's biochemistry. The mathematically modelled processes are the same as those applying to technologies like biofeedback, colour therapy, etc. Moreover, because the amount of data which can be derived from its simple test procedure is so huge, and because of the excellent results of therapy in a wide range of medical indications (mainly with psychosomatic origins), this technology – which many consider an Alternative or Complementary Health technology – may be considered fundamentally more sophisticated in concept than many conventional medical technologies.

Virtual Scanning's Model of Bodily Function and Test Results

The structure of the body's function is described in Figure 1 which illustrates the inter-relationship which exists between our organs and hence of our health; and our psychology, i.e. behavioural predisposition, education (including ability to learn), concentration, memory, balance, coordination, outlook, etc. The technology's precise mode of action involves an unprecedented level of understanding of the role of the autonomic nervous system and its sympathetic and parasympathetic components on our various sensory mechanisms and vice-versa.

Using the data from the cognitive test procedure it is able to provide:

• The patient's psychometric profile;
• The patient's health profile;
• Virtual Scanning Colour Psychotherapy.

A typical example of one component of a health report is shown below. (See Figure 2.)

What is the Therapy?

The therapy – a flashing light therapy – comprises three components: colour, frequency and light intensity. The most plausible explanation for the action of the therapy is as follows: that the extent of 'the deviation of our colour perception' (and hence of our health) has been determined by the test procedure (and has been related to our medical condition), and the therapy effectively attempts to address this sensory deficit. In other words, our sensory perception and behaviour is a direct reflection of our health and biochemistry at any point in time.

The frequency has been calculated to ensure that the colour of the light therapy is absorbed at the correct brain wave frequency – which regulates each of the body's 14 physiological systems (i.e. of blood pressure, breathing, sleeping, excretion, blood cell content, etc). The light intensity and duration of the therapy is designed to provide sufficient sensory input to overcome the brain's operational limits (which are handled by our short and long-term memory) and hence to re-establish the correct level of sensory perception, which is coincident with the maintenance of stability, of health and of wellbeing.

Experiences in the Detection of Migraine and its Causes, and their Treatment

In the case of tension headaches and migraine,[1] complementary approaches are recognized to have a definite role to play[2] as an alternative to drug therapy.[3] Most originate in emotional problems and mood disorders, and are recognized as physiological responses to stress, anxiety, depression, emotional conflicts, fatigue, or repressed hostility[1] – the more severe the problem, the more severe the category of headache, the worst being chronic and considered incurable. Virtual Scanning has yielded good results with a number of cases of migraine, of which two are given below.

A certain amount of research has already been carried out on related biofeedback systems for treating migraine,[4] premenstrual syndrome,[5] and learning disability;[6] the latter problems also having psychosomatic components. Nothing has compared to the degree of success reported in Russia for Virtual Scanning,[7] where over 87% of those studied reported improvements for the disorders associated with headaches – anxiety and depression, cerebral circulation, spinal circulation and hypertension – though headache itself has not yet been studied.

• Our first experience of treating migraine was with a Latvian lady in her early 40s. The lady had tried all forms of conventional therapy offered by her GP and hospital and, like so many others, had found that the medications had little or no effect upon her migraines. What she was seeking was something that would remove the fundamental cause for her migraines and prevent their re-occurrence. Within one month, following commencement of therapy,the lady reported that her migraine attacks had ceased and within the second month she reported improved mental clarity and cessation of her tinnitus. Since commencing therapy she has not had any further migraine attacks.

• Our second experience of migraine is a lady of 59 years who had been experiencing migraine attacks throughout her life. Moreover, the attacks had become increasingly severe – the latest event had been the most vicious – and had resulted in her being admitted to hospital in a semi-conscious state. During her day in hospital she was given seven different types of medication and then, not feeling any better, was released with instructions to go home and remain in a dark room. No one in the hospital could tell her what had caused her migraine attacks or what she should do about it to relieve their reoccurrence! She contacted us shortly after the event and undertook a consultation.

The results of the test procedure indicated that her attack was due to the combination of a number of factors including:[1] impaired spinal circulation, spinal osteochondrosis, vertebral artery syndrome, idiopathic hypotension (variable and/or low blood pressure) and a number of lesser indications. In other words, the migraine attacks appeared to have been caused by the lack of blood-supply to the brain. The lady undertook a course of Virtual Scanning therapy and since that day has not experienced any further migraines. Her life has been completely transformed and she has written to us commenting that she has much improved health, less stress, less anger, less irritation, more patience and more to give to her family and friends.

Over the last one to two years we have received a regular stream of patients for consultations and the results are relatively consistent and support the above findings. It is clear, based upon our experiences to-date, that in most cases the problems with migraine arise due to the combination of factors which affect the brain's blood-supply i.e. the ability of the heart to pump blood, the quality (including thickness) of the blood, the volume of blood in the system (including the loss of blood during menstruation), the ability of the blood vessels to transmit blood, and any issues which could impair the flow of blood to the brain (e.g. spondylosis, vertebral artery syndrome, osteochondrosis, etc). Most chemical and/or mechanical engineers would comment upon the apparent logic of these findings!

Factors Influencing Treatment Success

Of the patients treated with Virtual Scanning Light Therapy during the last few years, we report upon the patients who have undertaken the therapy seriously and have adhered to the therapy as instructed. Like most therapeutic approaches or medications, this therapy does not work unless you do it in the prescribed manner, which is one to two sessions per day. Each therapy session takes typically 20 minutes. We note that the least consistent indications of improvement are usually from patients with poor and inconsistent adherence to the therapy. Adherence, or to be precise the lack of adherence to the therapy, is the greatest problem which is encountered by practitioners; Montague Healthcare has trained seven practitioners to-date. Nevertheless, most of the patients treated for Migraine have noted significant improvements to health which is manifest as longer periods which are free from migraine: less intense migraines, improved demeanour, mobility and energy, and improved visual appearance; patients lose the dark circles under and around their eyes which are often noted in migraine sufferers. It is also clear that there are indications which may be chronic and irreversible in their nature which will inhibit progress, e.g. illnesses or physical defects (e.g. Lyme Disease, damage to the spine which affects blood-flow to the brain, impaired heart function which is due to genetic defects).

Reliability of Virtual Scanning Treatment

Sceptics may comment that these results are not double-blind clinical trials, that they are anecdotal and have little clinical significance, and that this technology has not yet been submitted for rigorous scientific evaluation. We accept that we have not yet tested what would be regarded as a clinically significant number of people with migraine. However, we would point out that:

1. We are completely unable to influence the test results;
2. The results from the test procedure are clearly beyond the scope of any existing technology, and enable us to make conclusions which conceivably have world-leading significance regarding the identification and treatment of migraine (and many other medical conditions);
3. The technology is approved and used widely in Russia;
4. Significant studies have been conducted by medical professionals in Russia which support the claims for this technology;
5. The results and success from therapy are clearly very good;
6. Most patients who have chosen to use Virtual Scanning have tried a wide range of conventional or complementary therapies; there is little substance in any allegations of a dominant placebo effect from this therapy.

Other Treatments: the Advantages of Virtual Scanning

Conventional medication appears focused upon relieving the symptoms of migraine i.e. involving analgesics and/or triptans to relieve the pain of the attack.[1] Interestingly caffeine (which is used as a stimulant and to raise blood pressure) is sometimes used, and also aspirin (which has the effect of thinning the blood) – which supports our observations as outlined above. Moreover, recent research into the possible treatment of Patent Foramen Ovale in some migraine sufferers also supports our conclusion that the occurrence of migraines may be stimulated by events which are accompanied by low blood pressure in and hence of low blood flow (i.e. of oxygenated blood) to the brain. It appears from available statistics[8] that these drugs are, at best, only circa 50% effective in alleviating the symptoms of migraine.

Virtual Scanning appears, therefore, to be the first therapy which is potentially able to alleviate the fundamental psychosomatic cause(s) of the condition.

References

1. Diamond S. Tension-type headache. Clin Cornerstone. 1/6: 33-44. 1999.
2. Mauskop A. 'Alternative therapies in headache. Is there a role?' Medical Clinics of North America. 85/4: 1077-84. 2001.
3. Van Hook E. Non-pharmacological treatment of headaches – why? Clinical Neuroscience. 5/1: 43-9. 1998.
4. Anderson DJ. The treatment of migraine with variable frequency photostimulation. Headache. 29. 154-155. 1989.
5. Anderson DJ, Legg NJ and Ridout DA. Preliminary trial of photic stimulation for premenstrual syndrome. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 17(l). 76-79. 1997.
6. Russell HL and Carter JL. A pilot investigation of auditory and visual entrainment of brainwave activity in learning-disabled boys. Texas Researcher. Journal of the Texas Centre for Educational Research. 4,65. 1993.
7. Vyosochin Y. Methodology and Technology of Invigoration of Different Population Orders. In: Consolidated five year Research Plan of Physical Training, Sports and Tourism State Committee of the Russian Federation. English translation available at: http://www.montague-diagnostics.co.uk/ files/Vysochin/Vysochin.pdf. 2005.
8. Roses A. GSK. Remarks reported in the Press. November 2004.

Acknowledgement

Our thanks to Dr Alex Hankey for the editing and revision of this article.