Austin Therapeutic Bodywork
Nan Hofer, LMT, CKTP, CSRT
Scar Release Therapy (SRT)
Scars are the mark of injury to the skin. They can be external or internal, depending on the cause of the wound. Most wounds (except for minor ones) will leave a scar, appearing after the wound is completely healed. The new scar tissue will have a different texture and quality than the surrounding tissue, and it is generally less flexible.
Type of Scars
There are different types of scars. The type of scar that forms depends on the age of the person, skin type, skin condition, heredity and the severity of the wound. Some of the most common types are:
- Hypertrophic scars (raised and often red)
- Keloidal scars (much like hypertrophic, but spread far beyond the boundaries of the original injury)
- Atrophic scars (these leave depressions in the skin)
- Contracture scars (flat, tight scars that constrict movement, often caused by burns)
- Acne scars (pitting caused by the stretching of pores).
How MPS Scar Release Therapy works
Scar Release Therapy (SRT) uses the cutting-edge science of Microcurrent Point Stimulation, to address both chronic pain and dermal scarring after trauma or surgery. Microcurrent Therapy is a patented treatment, based on the scientific concept of increasing the skin’s inter-cellular metabolism, protein synthesis. The result is improved functioning and renewing the skin’s ability to self generate. By targeting direct microcurrent waves through the scars, dermal trauma, adhesions and fascia restrictions are reduced. This process is proven to deliver 73.2% pain relief after a single application. (IJCAM, 2017)
Often, scars result in a tightening of the surrounding tissue that can restrict movement or function in the body. These restrictions not only affect the joint, limb or surrounding area, but they can affect the underlying organs. This is because scar tissue has the potential to spread in any direction, including internally, throughout the body. Releasing the scar can yield powerful results, which can improve mobility, diminish complications and decrease pain often associated with deep scars. SRT treatment with MPS re-polarizes the tissue allowing for a release of adhesions and healing. The term ‘release’ refers to the releasing or relaxing of contracted and tightened tissue. Coupled with manual release work (a specialized type of massage), MPS therapy significantly reduces the restrictions of scar tissue.
In general, this treatment is painless. Typically, the client feels a warm sensation at the site of treatment. The use of the microcurrent probes, on the tissue surrounding the scar, creates a healing, inflammatory response. Dead cells and scar tissue are broken down by the body; circulation is increased to the area; and the lymphatic system excretes the dead cells. You will see visible changes in the appearance of the scar and will gradually notice a reduction in the tightness and restriction felt at the site of the scar. The duration of treatment will depend on how long you’ve had the scar, how deep it is, and the severity of any pain you may be having.
There is no expiration date on scar release. Nan has helped a Vietnam veteran retain the use of his leg, some forty years after his multiple gunshot injury. Equally, burns and scarring from childhood have been successfully released, with accompanying beneficial results, several decades after the time of the injury.
Since the body's fascial system is interconnected, a restriction or adhesion in one area will often affect other areas and result in compensation patterns and pain. When a scar has been released there is no longer a restriction in the flow of energy, blood circulation and lymph drainage. The body can then complete the healing process.
C-Section and Abdominal Scars
Most people don’t realize it, but with C-section scars (and any abdominal scarring) there is the scar you see on the outside, at the incision site, and the scar you can’t see on the inside – called adhesions. While both can cause issues, adhesions are the primary culprits for much of the chronic pain and dysfunction faced by women who’ve undergone a C-section or other abdominal surgery.
Surgery is the leading cause of adhesions in the body, and C-sections are the number one surgery performed in the United States, with over 1.3 million performed annually in the USA alone. Adhesions develop naturally when there is internal trauma to our bodies, such as surgery. While they are naturally occurring, they can have adverse affects on our bodies. In fact, women who have had a C-section sometimes develop Small Bowel Obstruction, a condition where the intestinal tract is kinked and twisted by adhesions. These scars also connect to our fascia, the web-like structure that connects all organs and tissues in our bodies. When they connect to our fascia, they can distort it, pulling muscles and pinching nerves. This limits our ability to move freely, and heightens the sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system, which controls our pain.
Digestive Surgery reported that 90% of patients with abdominal surgeries will develop adhesions. Every year, in the United States alone, millions of abdominal surgeries are performed, such as C-sections, appendectomies, hysterectomies, and tummy tucks, and the biggest problem is that not many women are unaware of the risks that adhesions pose. It is common for lower pack pain to be caused by adhesions from abdominal surgery.
The images below show a wound scar BEFORE and AFTER only 3 scar release treatments. In the BEFORE image, the tissue had an indentation of approximately 1/4 inch and was very painful and sensitive to touch. The scar was also causing sciatic pain in the left hip. In the AFTER photo, the scar is level with the surrounding tissue and the client is pain free!
Visit the links below for more information and research on MPS:
MPS/Dolphin Neurostim Articles
MPS Therapy Research and Publications
