The Perrin Technique™ is a hands-on approach that assists in the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS). This technique was pioneered in 1989 by renowned British osteopath and neuroscientist Dr Raymond Perrin DO Ph.D.

Dr Perrin hypothesised that one final trigger factor, usually a viral infection, leads to a breakdown of the sympathetic nervous system’s control of the lymphatic drainage leading to a reversal of the flow of toxins toward the brain and the spinal cord. This produces further dysfunction of the central nervous system causing further backflow of toxins and further disruption of normal bodily functions and the disease that we know as ME/CFS. However, the final trigger may not be an infection but a physical, emotional or chemical trauma. The amount and type of toxicity is different in every patient and with over 100 Billion neurones (nerve cells) in the brain, it isn’t any wonder that every ME/CFS patient has a different presentation and many combinations of symptoms which adds further confusion in the medical world.

The connection between the lymphatic system and the brain was only discovered to exist in humans in 2017 so the scientific basis of The Perrin Technique that ME/CFS was due to a disturbed neuro-lymphatic system was almost 30 years ahead of its time and initially opposed by most scientists and medics around the world. Now we know differently, with the neuro-lymphatic (also known as the Glymphatic) system being a proven mechanism that drains large molecules and poisons via cerebrospinal fluid into lymphatic vessels lining the brain.

Some of the toxins caused by infection or inflammation in the head or spine should flow through perforations in a bony plate (the cribriform plate) just above the nasal cavity plus through other cranial nerve pathways such as the optic and auditory pathways and the trigeminal into the lymph ducts around the eyes, ears, and mouth and down the face and neck. The toxins are also meant to drain down the spinal cord and out into the lymph ducts lying along the spine. Dr. Perrin has discovered that the common finding in ME/CFS patients is that these normal drainage points are structurally damaged by prior trauma to the head and spine or developmental or congenital and hereditary problems that lead to structural disturbances in these important areas. The damage may seem quite minor but it can lead to a restriction of healthy drainage leading to congestion in the neurolymphatic flow that starts the vicious cycle of neurotoxicity that leads to the reversal of lymphatic flow also leading to engorged ‘varicose’ lymphatic vessels found especially in the chest and neck.

What will happen during the 1st consultation?

• Prior to your initial consultation we will ask you to complete a comprehensive form which we will then discuss during the appointment.

• The initial consultation is 1 hour long and involves taking a case history where we will discuss how your condition impacts you and how this measurable affects your life.

• A full physical examination will be completed and then a diagnosis or pathway of further investigations can be given for your condition.

• We will discuss how the treatment works, the research that supports this treatment approach as well as a prognosis and an out-line for the tailored follow up treatment plan to improve your quality of life and support you during the recovery process.

• You may want to bring a chaperone (partner or friend) with you to your first appointment because we need to examine the spinal and breast tissue to provide an accurate assessment.

• We will also require you to sign a consent form to allow us to proceed with this in a professional manner.

• Please note, Perrin Technique is not usually provided during the initial consultation. If your practitioner advises that The Perrin Technique is suitable for you following your initial consultation, the treatment will usually commence from the second appointment. Other biomechanical treatments maybe administered during the initial visit, and depending on your experience of the Perrin Technique and the complexities of your case the technique iteself maybe able to be undertaken in part or if appropriate in full.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Further investigation has shown that the reversal of the neurolymphatic flow and the disturbed sympathetic nervous system has led to other common physical signs that are found in ME/CFS patients.

ME/CFS can be very much a biomechanical disorder with clear and diagnosable physical signs, including:

• Disturbed spinal posture
• Varicose enlarged lymph vessels
• Specific tender points related to sympathetic nerve disturbance and backflow of lymphatic fluid.
• The fluid drainage from the brain to the lymphatics moves in a rhythm that can be palpated using cranial osteopathic techniques. A trained practitioner can feel a disturbance in the cranial rhythm in ME/CFS.

By identifying the common signs in all ME/CFS sufferers, Dr. Perrin has devised a physical examination that results in aid to a definitive diagnosis. The diagnostic signs of The Perrin Technique™ have been tested and supported by the rigor of an NHS-controlled trial, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ Open) in November 2017.

The Perrin Technique™ treatment manually stimulates the fluid motion around the brain and spinal cord by a combination of specific adapted osteopathic techniques and manual lymphatic drainage developed by Dr. Raymond Perrin which aids drainage of these toxins out of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Cranial and spinal techniques together with the massage of the soft tissues in the head, neck, back, and chest together with the gentle stroking lymphatic techniques direct all the toxins out of the lymphatic system and into the blood, where they are eventually detoxified in the liver.

Eventually, with no poisons affecting the brain, the sympathetic nervous system begins to function correctly, and providing the patient’s pace and not overstrain themselves their symptoms should gradually improve and in time some patients become totally symptom-free.