Zone therapy

“ And if zone analgesia will do what we claim for it, it may well be taken gently by the hand, lifted out of the foolish class, and placed among the ultra-sensible procedures—where, by right, it belongs.
CHAPTER 7. ZONE THERAPY FOR WOMEN.
In the eternal fitness of things there would be something radically wrong if zone therapy did not offer some especial and particular help to women. It is a satisfaction to state that the eternal fitness of things is right, as usual. For zone therapy is as unique in this connection as in most of its other applications. ”

“ Two or three cases out of ten will not, it seems, respond to zone therapy. But the majority will. There is no doubt a good reason for the failures, such as blocking of the ‘zone paths’ in some manner—as by a tumor, growth, pus condition, or obstruction. Or again, failure may be due to faulty technic. Better results will no doubt come with more experience. It only requires that the method be tried out on a huge scale, and by a large number of competent observers. ”

“ One of the most important things Americans have to learn is how to relax. Anything that will teach them to do this should prove a boon.
Therefore I feel certain that, before many years, the principles and practices of zone therapy will be as familiar and universally applied as are now the principles of domestic hygiene or the practice of sterilizing baby bottles. And then zone therapy will add to the depth and breadth, as well as to the length of human life. ”

“ We are repeatedly called upon for the theory of zone therapy. Many theories are interesting but not conclusive, and rather than be obliged to retract theories, we are not going to advance them, except very superficially, at the expense of clinical facts. ”

“ Many erudite members of the medical profession claim that zone therapy and zone analgesia might be interesting if found in Gulliver’s Travels or Munchausen’s Romances, but that emphatically they have no place in medical literature. For every one knows that an egg cannot be made to stand on end. ”

“ If zone therapy is used in this manner, the results will amaze and delight. For no method yet evolved for the treatment of these disorders even remotely approximates zone therapy in point of efficacy.
CHAPTER 8. RELAXING NERVOUS TENSION.
Perhaps you may not do it. You have such splendid control over yourself. But you know many people who, when angry, or when suffering great physical pain, sink their teeth into their lip. Sometimes they bite hard enough to start the blood. ”

“ Zone therapy demonstrates the co-relation of all parts of the body, also the manner in which pressure or contact upon certain zones is effective in the relief of pain or disease.
Diagnosis of the cause of pain may be worked out quite perfectly over or through any zone or part of zone. If a patient complains of pain, and indicates that the right eye is involved, and you overcome the pain by pressure on the front of the right index finger, it is absolutely certain that his disturbance is excited by congestion or irritation in the anterior section of the zone ”

“ There are four reasons why zone analgesia—as we call the pain-relieving properties of zone therapy—are not more generally used by dentists. One is that the dentist doesn’t wish to put himself in the embarrassing position of suggesting such a foolish-seeming thing to his pain-racked patient. Another is that the patient herself thinks she’s conferring a favor upon the dentist by permitting him to spend five or ten minutes’ valuable time in attempting to alleviate her sufferings, and make the ordeal of cavity preparation or scaling comparatively painless. ”

“ And the same thing applies to its sisters-in-laws, rheumatism and sciatica.
Therefore, anything that cures lumbago, rheumatism, sciatica, or similar afflictions, must be able to “deliver the goods.”
On this basis zone therapy must be considered one of our most valuable methods for treating these obstinate conditions. Naturally it is not always successful. Neither are the salicylates, hot mud baths, porous plasters, nor having teeth pulled. And this is no more an apology for zone therapy than it is for medicine. ”

“ The zone therapy man squeezed the tip of the fourth finger, raised the finger nail, and let it settle back a dozen or more times, “to see how the circulation reacted,” as he said. After three or four minutes he said “By the way, Doctor, which ear did you say is giving you the trouble?”
The Doctor looked up in blank amazement, felt his ears, shook his head, and said, “You don’t mean to say that that darned foolishness cured my ear-ache, do you?”
It does seem silly, and yet it “works.” And anything that works is beneficent and helpful, and deserves encouragement. ”

“ One of the most thoro and able diagnosticians in America, if not in the world, is George Starr White, M. D., of Los Angeles, Cal., discoverer of the bio-dynamic method of diagnosis. I repro­duce a small portion of his experiences in zone therapy and zone anesthesia—as detailed in his Lecture Course. ”

“ Pathological conditions from irritation in the nose, epipharynx, pharynx, mouth, vagina, rectum, etc., may be responsible not only for annoying local manifestations, but for obscure pathological changes in the most remote sections of the body; and their course can usually be traced through an individual zone or group of zones. There is not an existing pathological condition that cannot at least be relieved, and a large proportion can be cured by zone therapy. ”

“ Some medical men cause these patients to “work” on the ring finger on the side involved, and do almost as well.
It may better serve our purposes, by way of illustration, were I to cite a few specific cases, and detail their exact manner of treatment. It may then be easier to put the teaching into practical application, following exactly the treatment as outlined.
A lady, the wife of an ear specialist, was recently brought to me for deafness. The doctor, having tried unsuccessfully every accredited method, was constrained to “see what zone therapy would do.” ”

“ White’s Uni-Polar Post-Nasal Electrode for Zone Therapy. May be used with or without electricity.
This pressure is held for several minutes—repeated three or four times daily. It can be done just as well by the patient himself, if he has the courage to hurt himself a trifle. In addition to the treatment on the pharyngeal wall, pressures may be made upon the joints of the thumb, first and second fingers, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Or, if the goitre is a very broad one, and extends over into the fourth zone, the ring finger must also be employed. ”

“ And so, we who believe in zone therapy now understand why we grind our teeth. It is because the action relieves nerve tension, and diminishes the pain in all the zones of the body connected by those invisible and as yet undiscovered nervous wires strung through the telegraph poles of the teeth. ”

“ In the famous “globus hystericus”—that big lump comes up in the throat of an hysteric—there is no speedier or more effective treatment than zone therapy. Merely take the hands of the hysterical individual, squeeze them as hard as she can bear the pressure, and maintain this pressure for several minutes. ”

“ If the savants of the various research institutions throughout the country are really sincere in attempting to discover a cure for whooping cough, asthma, goitre, and a score of other conditions—conditions successfully treated by zone therapy—it will be easy to put this method to the test. ”

“ ZONE THERAPY—FOR DOCTORS ONLY.
We grind and grit our teeth during paroxysms of pain. When we bump our shins against a rocking-chair that has taken point of vantage directly in our path, immediately we clasp the offended shin. ”

“ The pressures must be made by some one who has more sympathy with the patient’s ultimate good than he has for her present temporary discomfort, and who will administer a good honest treatment—preferably while the patient does all she can—by tightly clasping the hands on the interlocked fingers, or by grasping the chair or a table with the finger tips—to reduce the sensitivity of the zones operated upon. ”

“ In treating goitre by zone therapy a thin probe, (See Fig. 9) , the point of which is wrapped in cotton dipped in a little alcohol, spirits of camphor or camphor water (these seem to increase the “impulse”) is passed through the nostrils to the posterior or back wall of the pharynx. Pressure is made in various spots “low down” on this wall (a little practice will soon determine almost the exact “spot” to probe) , until a definite sensation is felt in the region of the goitre. ”

“ Lumbago, as a rule, responds very quickly and kindly to zone therapy. Cases which come to the office “all doubled up” are straightened out—frequently in one treatment—and wend their homeward way rejoicing.
The weapon which has given us best results in attacking lumbago and kindred affections is a common, dull-pointed aluminum comb, such as may be procured in most bird stores for dog-combing purposes. The teeth of this are pressed firmly on the palms of the hands and on the palmar surface of the thumb, first, second and third fingers. ”

“ For this work I use a serrated strip of aluminum 1/16 in. thick, imbedded in a piece of wood of convenient size, or else I use a seven inch aluminum comb, pressing the teeth against the inner part of the sole of the foot, or near the ball, alternating from one foot to the other. When I have an assistant both feet are manipulated at a time, and that aids very materially. I exert as much pressure as the patient can bear without pain. When I have an assistant well trained I am going to try zone therapy for instrumental delivery. ”

“ We feel certain also that the medical profession, as soon as it is generally informed concerning zone therapy, will eagerly welcome the opportunity to promulgate the advantages of a safe and harmless method of relieving headache and pain. And also of doing away with the necessity for longer resorting to dangerous antipyrin or phenacetin tablets and powders. This is a crusade worthy of their highest altruism and noblest self-sacrifice.
CHAPTER III. CURING GOITRE WITH A PROBE.
One of the most obstinate disorders that afflict humanity—and one which seems to be rapidly on the increase—is goitre. ”

“ Let the physician or the dentist, who ascribes these phenomena to suggestion, attempt to relieve an aching, left incisor, for instance, by pressing the little finger of the right hand of his patient, or exercise his persuasive powers on a throbbing molar by pressing the thumb of either hand. He will find himself up against a stone wall, so far as results are concerned, for only by exerting proper pressure, on the proper zone or zones, for an adequate length of time, will the pain disappear. ”

“ All zones must be free from irritation and obstructions to get the best results. For instance, if there be pain in the head, chest, abdomen, or extremities in one or more zones, it may be relieved or quite overcome by pressure on resistant surfaces anywhere in the zones affected. If the pain be relieved for a few moments only, and repeated pressures do not overcome it, it is safe to assume that the pain is due to some abnormal pressure or irritation, as gas, pus, impactions, necrosis, etc., somewhere in a zone or group of zones, which demands medical or surgical interference. ”

“ But the same condition in the same patient may not be cleared up from the same point every time. For instance, if the pain is in the second zone of the forehead, at one time we may stop it by “attacking” the forefinger. The next time, however, pressure upon that finger might not have the slightest effect, and we would have to go to the tongue or the roof of the mouth to get results. Another time we might be successful only from the nose—or by pressing the teeth of an aluminum comb on the skull, above or below the seat of pain—and so on. ”

“ Zone pressure has, for this reason, become a diagnostic factor of great value in disclosing hidden pus conditions or inflammatory processes—particularly in the roots of teeth, the ears, appendix, ovaries, or in other organs.
Pain anywhere in any zone may be overcome more quickly by pressure with an applicator, or with cautery contact at certain points throughout the corresponding zone or zones in the mouth, pharynx, epipharynx and nose; but the finger and toe pressures may be relied upon very often. What applies to one zone applies to all. ”

“ For deafness and ear troubles are common, and seem to be becoming more so.
CHAPTER 6. PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH.
Any method, no matter how improbable-seeming it may be, calculated to render labor or operations upon women less of an ordeal, is worthy of consideration by physicians, midwives, and the laity. Therefore there may be something well worth “trying out” in the “pressure” method of inducing relief from pain.
A number of physicians have reported results that, if confirmed by further experiences, warrant us in believing that zone pressure promises to be a boon to womankind. ”

“ Also, I would here emphasize that there is no use in attempting, with zone analgesia, to relieve pain if it is desired to remove a nerve. We do not pretend to explain why it is possible, for instance, to work thirty-five minutes, (as demonstrated before the Mass. Dental Society by Dr. B. A. Sears, of Hartford) and cut the jaw bone all to pieces in order to remove an impacted wisdom tooth, while we are unable to thrust a nerve broach into a root canal. But the fact remains, and some time, when pathologists and other experts have studied these problems, we may know why. ”