User:Nickgray12345/Percussive Low Frequency Sound Wave (PerLoFSoW) Therapy

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Percussive Low Frequency Sound Wave (PERLOFSOW) is a low cost, self-help therapy concept invented to help various types of migraine sufferers overcome the effects of the slight barometric pressure flucutations that occur during weather pattern changes that often negatively excite the sufferer's migraine condition(s). By utilizing minute "deep tissue" massage changes in the blood flow internal to the brain, spine, etc., PERLOFSOW allows the brain the ability to properly sythesize chemicals, serotonin, endorphins, medication, oxygen and other nutrients by enabling those valuable components to enter the parts of the brain that were previously constricted during the migraine cycle. In doing so, PERLOFSOW changes the conditions that caused the migraine in the first place, enabling the migraine to subside.

Background[edit]

There's no question that migraines are very much a misunderstood field of concern in the medical industry. Though neurologists have some capabilities to help migraine sufferers, they also have extreme limitations in their ability to treat the condition in more severe cases. Exercise, good diet, good sleep patterns, proper water intake and well-managed stress levels are all necessary pillars for their treatment methods. Though very necessary and extremely effective for minor migraine sufferers, those same treatment methods apply to all illnesses, and are merely long-term coping methods having only minimal effects on short-term issues. This is especially true with major migraine sufferers who encounter accute, overwhelmingly debilitating pain or other types of side effects. Therefore, for the sufferers who are meeting all those criteria to a reasonable level, and are still suffering from the migraines, what else can be done that can help the patient overcome such a major ordeal?

Early in his thirties, Nick Gray noticed that weather changes were starting to effect the severity of his migraine condition(s). Upon questioning why the barometric fluctuations of storms adversely affected migraine sufferers, he asked whether or not it was possible to offset the effects of the barometric fluctuations using other methods readily available to the migraine sufferers. After all, if pressure can cause migraines, can similar pressure fluctuations help cause the migraine to subside?

After he realized that loud music transmitted through a car subwoofer had some effects on his migraine condition, especially during storms, he attempted to find the lower frequencies that positively effected his migraine condition very similar to the techniques utilized by US military and police for riot control.

Application Theory[edit]

Deep tissue massage is not that unrealistic of a technique for organs internal to the human body. However, the brain and the spinal column are protected by bone structures that prevent immediate access to the organs. This implies the need for other non-invasive surgical methods that allow for the massage, without the damage of invasive surgery. Additionally, at the rate migraines come and go based on barometric pressure fluctuations, it is unrealistic for a migraine patient to have surgery that would allow for such a massage technique every time a migraine is encountered.

Using low frequency sound waves, it is possible to produce a waivering effect utilizing the water content of an object, assuming the correct frequencies are met regarding the variable resonant frequency of the liquid. However, unlike other internal organs in the human body that do not have a skeletal structure limiting the signal, the brain and spine have thick bone and other membranes that deminish sound wave amplitude in a fashion that is not beneficial for deep tissue massage therapy. Also, the resonant frequency of the blood changes depending on the amount of sediment or other nutrients contained therein.

This implies the need to utilize variable, sweeping frequencies in order to produce this waivering effect inside the organs in question. Utilizing frequencies between 20 - 200 Hz, Mr. Gray developed sweeping frequency patterns that allowed for the following adjustment patterns for a total of twelve minutes which have had a historically positive effect on his migraine condition (+ 90% success rate):

Track #	Peak Freq (Hz)	Track Length (Min)
1	200	1
2	100	1
3	50	2
4	175	2
5	100	2
6	125	2
7	50	2

Given that each human skull is different in thickness, length, width, etc., which ultimately causes varying frequencies to be allowed into the cranial cavity, in addition to constructive and destructive frequencies inside the cavity (destructive interference), each Track's frequency sweep has varying effects during different migraine cycles of the sufferer. This also can be affected given the portion of the brain that is affected relative to the subwoofer. If there is swelling, as is suspected in Mr. Gray's case, then those variables also are in need of a sweeping frequency tactic.

Given Mr. Gray's size, weight, density, bone structure, condition, age, etc., he has noticed that Tracks 4 & 5 appear to have the most beneficial effects. It is entirely possible various sufferers may notice other Tracks or settings that are more beneficial. Differing sequencing methods, amplitudes differentials, varying frequency sweep ranges, etc., can all positively or negatively effect the suffer, and can be easily adjusted if a computer program was developed that handled this process connected to a capable subwoofer and amplifier.

Recommended Treatment Methods[edit]

Hearing Protection - Per the recommendation of his neurologist due to concerns of hearing impairment, Mr. Gray wears foam ear plugs during the entire treatment session, which allows for decibel outputs between 90 to 110 dB without fear of hearing damage. Plus, when suffering from audible hypersensitivity as a result of the migraine, the ear plugs allow for more comfort during the treatment, making the treatment seemingly painless.

Water Intake - The sufferer must drink water during the process. Given that PERLOFSOW builds on the principle of increased blood flow patterns, the entrance of water into the digestive system during the treatment enables for better introduction of the main transfer medium inside the body that enables the treatment to function more effectively. Not surprisingly, when running the treatment, the migraine sufferer appears to becomes thirsty.

Why No Previous Research?[edit]

It is obvious why previous migraine treatments have almost entirely avoided anything that looks like PERLOFSOW --- Hypersensitivity causes the migraine sufferer to avoid any and all forms of pain, especially including any forms of light and sound therapy. Thus, loud low frequency sound waves, to the unprotected listener suffering from a major painful migraine, can be EXTREMELY painful. Given that Mr. Gray rarely sufferered the effects of pain during a migraine, his unique basilar migraine condition allowed him to discover PERLOFSOW without initially introducing too much pain into the process to produce effective results.

By completely isolating the inner ear from the process via reasonable quality foam ear plugs, audible hypersensitivity is now only a minor concern for the migraine sufferer at the time of the impairing ailment. Though in extreme cases, vibration of the inner ear during the treatment may seem too excrutiating to continue, as with deep tissue massage therapy, one must consider that some treatments that cause peak, temporary pain at the time of the treatment, have the capability for much gain of pain removal post treatment.

It is also possible in extreme cases to provide assistive methods of patient pain appeasement to help manage the condition during PERLOFSOW similar to topical anesthesia just prior to dental work. Low levels of morphine, anethesia, etc., and/or other methods that deaden the perception of the inner ear may also be beneficial. However, those additional pain management methods are not a preferred method of treatment as it introduces other problem factors that the patient will have to overcome including financial burden, intravenous and/or invasive surgery, time delay for effectiveness of the medication prior to treatment, long-term drug addiction, greater medical professional experience, etc.

Positive Effects[edit]

Assuming the theory is sound, several things happen during the PERLOFSOW therapy treatment:

What is PERLOFSOW Doing?
1) Blood is introduced into the parts of the brain previously blocked, while allowing valuable nutrients, endorphins, seratonin, and other natural body self-healing techniques access to the important areas initiating the feelings of pain or other issues causing a distress signal.
2) Increased blood flow also increases the rate of which oxygen is distributed into the brain and spinal column.
3) Treatment gives the sufferer a significant moment of relaxation that is notable. Though the affects of the treatment do have some minor effects on the rest of the body (i.e. organs, muscles, bones, etc.), they are likely miniscule at best.
4) Introduction of water into the body allows for lessened effects as a result of dehydration.

Fatigue is a general trend that follows migraine sufferers. In Mr. Gray's case, because there is no immediate feelings of pain encountering during a typical basilar migraine, a major migraine may be encountered and overlooked, and the only negative effects are prolonged, extreme fatigue. Mr. Gray has noted that the fatigue cycle is often much less assuming the migraine is treated early in the migraine cycle.

Various peripheral issues (i.e. problems with vision, hearing, balance, etc.) often are affected positively by the PERLOFSOW therapy. Mr. Gray would note immediate positive effects within thirty minutes to two hours following the treatment.

Pain migraines are awkward problems for the PERLOFSOW treatment. This is because, despite common logic, pain migraines are not always a result of problems with the brain. Dehydration, stress, neck pain, etc., have all been shown to cause major headaches even for non-regular migraine sufferers. This is part of the reason water must be injested during the treatment, as the illusion of a migraine may be caused from dehydration rather than a genuine migraine that's otherwise considered untreatable. Neck massage therapy applied prior to or following the PERLOFSOW therapy session has had positive effects on Mr. Gray's pain migraines. Stress, both positive and negative, can also negatively affect this process. That is why it is important for the migraine sufferer to not do anything during the treatment, and attempt to keep a "clear head" during the process, so as not to cause the brain to be preoccupied during the "water introduction" cycle of PERLOFSOW.

On some occasions, effects on the bladder, kidneys, stomach and intestines have occurred during and post-treatment. This, however, is not a predictable reaction, nor is it an extremely problematic issue. In fact, it often helps with reduction of the migraine, assuming the suffer is having issues with constipation or other digestive blockage issues.

Though changes in mood patterns are unpredictable and relative as a result of the compounding other effects that can be solved by such a treatment theory, Mr. Gray has noticed an improvement in all of his mood patterns. Though there is room for debate whether the change is actually change in muscle and innor organ state and resultant effects on his psychological state, Mr. Gray has witnessed reduced states of paranoia, irritability, depression, etc., all within fiften minutes to one hour of the treatment. On multiple occasions, Mr. Gray as a musician sensitive to rhythm changes, also reported a change in perception of time following treatment.

Negative Effects[edit]

Individuals struggling from bone or muscle problems may not necessarily find the treatment beneficial, and in some cases, will find it painful.

Assuming the suffer does not have a migraine at the time of treatment, the treatment itself may cause a migraine.

PERLOFSOW builds on the utilization of water inside of the body. If water doesn't exist, blood vessels remain thin, allowing for greater constriction. Thus, if the sufferer is dehydrated at the time of treatment, and does not injest water during the treatment, the odds are low that the treatment will have any success. At that point, the brain and spinal column are merely being massaged without the pressure change capabilities. In some cases, this may actually cause the condition to get worse, or cause another negative side effect. Thus, water is vital for ensuring movement of necessary nutriets, chemicals, oxygen, etc.

PERLOFSOW can often affect the bladder, kidneys, stomach and intestines of the suffer during the treatment. That's not to say the treatment will cause loss of function. However, if the suffer does not have access to a restroom within thirty miniutes of the treatment, delayed access for a bowel movement or normal urinary functions may worsen the migraine condition.

The subwoofer and amplifier utilized in this application maxed out at 250 watts. Thus, any application beyond 250 watts will likely have unpredictable results, whether more helpful or damaging to the migraine sufferer.

Warnings[edit]

Mr. Gray is NOT a medical professional. Having functioned within the realm of Physics, RF, Wave Mechanics, music and other audio studies, Mr. Gray simply came up with the technique to help him cope with an ailment otherwise considered untreatable at the time of the condition. Essentially, he got lucky, in that he made a strong hypothesis, and managed to find a reasonable method for proving the capability of the theory. Any future attempts by other individuals to utilize the PERLOFSOW technique are simply an off-shoot of his attempts as a non-medical professional and hobbiest to solve a problem, and thus leave him independent of their R&D results, either positive or negative.

NO HUMAN TESTING - Only Mr. Gray has been tested on for this theory. Thus, anyone of not equal size, weight, density, bone structure, condition, age, etc., will not have the same results unless tested on migraine sufferers by qualified medical professionals. Even then, each migraine patient requires specific involvement on the part of the doctor to determine the most effective method, length, frequencies, duration, etc., in order to be effective for the patient.

DOCTOR'S ADVICE - Additionally, if the attending physician is not aware that the treatment is occurring, the doctor is more inclined to provide more or less treatment methods (outside of PERLOFSOW) that can great limit his/her ability to assist the patient in coping with the condition. Therefore, the doctor MUST be involved in the application of the PERLOFSOW treatment, both its successes and failures. This is why a headache/migraine log is so important.

DON'T DO PERLOFSOW - Thus, the PERLOFSOW technique is not recommended for anyone outside of Mr. Gray without that sufficient testing authority. Do not apply on children or animals as there is no guarantee that the foam ear plugs are correctly inserted, and permanent damage may be caused to other organs. Plants seem to be completely unaffected by the treatment testing.

COPING METHOD ONLY - NOT A CURE - Like any massage therapy technique, PERLOFSOW is not the solution, but only one coping (psychology) method for dealing with the migraine sufferer's condition. Like exercise, PERLOFSOW, in theory, aids the human body in getting blood into the parts of the brain and spine that need it most. As frequently noted exercise fanatics, serotonin and endorphin increases occur as a result of exercise. It is Mr. Gray's theory that it is not an increase of such chemicals internal to the brain that is causing positive effects, but the opening up of the blood vessels allowing for better distribution, that ultimately helps the user overcome the loss of such nutrients. The same is true with PERLOFSOW. It is simply a method for encouraging the body to function more effectively, and thus cannot be labeled as a cure.

NO ALCOHOL - It is strongly recommended that alcohol not be introduced during this process. As alcohol finds it's way into the blood stream, it becomes more effective in affecting the brain. Utilizing the PERLOFSOW treatment during heightened use of alcohol may enable for more effective alcohol synthesis, but will ultimately put the user at higher risk given the previously constricted blood flows to areas of the brain. This may cause for a "great buzz", but might cause inadvertent affects to the health of the migraine sufferer.

Other Sound Wave Therapy Methods[edit]

A device for accomplishing sound wave therapy has been around since the 1970's (Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic or AOC). Currently, it is used by some Chiropractor's for aiding in adjustments to counteract "spinal misalignment". This technique is not what is suggested by PERLOFSOW or the machinery involved. This AOC is a technique that involves instruments being within inches of the target structure. PERLOFSOW is vastly different in that it is using a subwoofer to produce the sound waves, and can be up to ten feet away from the user.

Other Sound Migraine Treatment Methods[edit]

Other methods of sound migraine treatement involve utilization of the human ear and the changes on the psychological state of the migraine sufferer. PERLOFSOW ignores the effects of music or other sounds on the human ear and psychological state of the individual, and focuses rather on only the physiological physiology state of the individual. By wearing foam ear plugs during treatment, this does not only segragate the sufferer from the painful sounds of the low frequency soundwaves during a point of heightened ear sensitivity, but it also proves that any effectiveness of the treatment does not come from effects to the inner ear. Though the cochlea can be effected during this process, the effects on the brain and spinal column are likely the most effected regions, especially given the extremely aimiable nature of the cochlea to account for changes in body state and position.

Other Notable Infrasound Research Findings[edit]

"On 31 May 2003, a group of UK researchers held a mass experiment where they exposed some 700 people to music laced with soft 17 Hz sine waves played at a level described as "near the edge of hearing", produced by an extra-long-stroke subwoofer mounted two-thirds of the way from the end of a seven-meter-long plastic sewer pipe. The experimental concert (entitled Infrasonic) took place in the Purcell Room over the course of two performances, each consisting of four musical pieces. Two of the pieces in each concert had 17 Hz tones played underneath. In the second concert, the pieces that were to carry a 17 Hz undertone were swapped so that test results would not focus on any specific musical piece. The participants were not told which pieces included the low-level 17 Hz near-infrasonic tone. The presence of the tone resulted in a significant number (22%) of respondents reporting anxiety, uneasiness, extreme sorrow, nervous feelings of revulsion or fear, chills down the spine, and feelings of pressure on the chest. In presenting the evidence to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Professor Richard Wiseman said, 'These results suggest that low frequency sound can cause people to have unusual experiences even though they cannot consciously detect infrasound. Some scientists have suggested that this level of sound may be present at some allegedly haunted sites and so cause people to have odd sensations that they attribute to a ghost—our findings support these ideas.'" [Infrasound - ("Infrasound linked to spooky effects". MSNBC. 7 September 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2010)]

Future Development[edit]

Migraine suppression therapy has been around for a very long time, and will likely never totally solve the problems that cause migraines. However, PERLOFSOW and any other follow-on R&D efforts have the potential to produce an area of growth never previously thought possible in subsiding the effects of a migraine.

Assuming future development efforts were to expand this PERLOFSOW research, there are three potentially expansive avenues of consideration:

1) EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TESTING - As recommended by Mike Ingold, it is possible to utilize cell phone or similar accelerometers to test the effectiveness of PERLOFSOW on the brain inside the cranial cavity during treatment. Utilizing ballistics gel inside of a simulated skull and spine, the gel-filled skull will have multiple accelerometers placed at various positions inside the skull & spine suspended in the gel. Extrapolating these results may show some signs of the effectiveness of high intensity, low frequency sound waves on the human brain during the course of a migraine cycle. From there, in theory, results could be published for the medical community that reveal whether or not PERLOFSOW is having any effects on the migraine sufferer during treatment, or whether results are too dangerous for a human subject.[Low Frequency Sound Wave Testing Using an Accelerometer]

2) PERSONAL USE - No research has been accomplished using amps or speakers capable of higher than 250 watts. It is possible that varying effects at higher than 250 watts, and coincidentally higher decibels may have a more positive effect on the migraine sufferer. However, if 250 watts are sufficient for effectiveness on the average migraine sufferer, it is possible higher wattage levels may cause negative effects that counteract the effectiveness of PERLOFSOW, possibly causing temporary or permanent damage to the sufferer.

3) MEDICAL USE - Loudspeaker units capable of frequencies below 20 Hz are very uncommon at reasonable funding levels. However, assuming frequency ranges of 3 Hz to 20 Hz were achieved, this range may be capable of assisting doctors in an outpatient medical settings. Though too expensive for the standard patient, in extreme cases, these high-end subwoofer speaker systems may enable neurologists to treat patients with major migraine symptoms that would otherwise require morphine, an induced coma state, and/or other more deterimental, dangerous and expensive methods to overcome the ordeal.