By Darren Starwynn, O.M.D.
As the term “practice of medicine” implies, practitioners of the medical and holistic healing arts learn their most effective treatment methods through the experience of trying various approaches. One such example is the excellent treatment protocol offered by Carolyn McMakin for fibromyalgia induced by cervical or spinal trauma. This is found in Chapter 8 of her book Frequency-Specific Microcurrent in Pain Management.[i]
In that chapter McMakin states “The treatment protocol in this chapter was developed by trial and error in 1999 and found to be effective in eliminating pain in over 200 FMS patients with spinal trauma onset… Reducing the pain is relatively easy; achieving recovery is more involved because of the neuroendocrine and metabolic disturbances.”
She goes on to explain how the pain of fibromyalgia can stress the central nervous system, leading to elevated levels of corticotrophic releasing hormone (CRH). This often triggers a cascade of reactions that lead to release excess adrenal stress hormones and suppressed thyroid function. Emotional stress also leads to imbalances of sex and growth hormones, and can impair digestion and blood sugar metabolism.
McMakin’s proposed treatment protocol using Frequency-Specific Microcurrent (FSM) includes frequencies that remove nerve trauma, reset the nerves, address scarring and other similar functions. Tissue frequencies are selected to target the spinal cord, medulla and other parts of the brain and peripheral nerves. These frequencies are listed below.
As acknowledged by McMakin and other researchers into the etiology of fibromyalgia, this condition is often triggered or aggravated by emotional stress. It is more common in people with a history of childhood trauma or abuse. In his book Curing Fibromyalgia Naturally[ii] Bob Flaws described this condition according to traditional Chinese Medical diagnoses:
“…the body pain that is characteristic of fibromyalgia is a combination of wind damp heat impediment with qi stagnation and often blood stasis as well as qi and blood vacuity failing to nourish the sinews and vessels.”
Flaws explains that, from his experience, many fibromyalgia patients have had emotional stress that affects their Liver, which then weakens the Spleen. When the Spleen is weakened the body’s connective tissues are more susceptible to the chronic pain of fibromyalgia.
So what is all this telling us? It is clear from the experience of these authors, as well as my own, that the etiology of most chronic pain is rooted in past traumas and ongoing levels of elevated emotional stress. Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects many different aspects and levels of the body/mind. Let’s look at the strengths and limitations of the systems used for treating this condition.
FSM stands for Frequency-Specific Microcurrent. I call it FST (Frequency Sequence Therapy). This method has been proven to be highly effective for relieving some of the effects of fibromyalgia. These include pain, stiffness and some brain abnormalities. The treatment protocols offered in Flaws’ book include acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. When well-chosen these can also produce very positive outcomes for pain relief, metabolic balancing and regulation of Organs, qi and blood.
It is my experience that FST, acupuncture and herbs work mainly on the level of remediation of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. In other words their effects are focused mainly on the effects of fibromyalgia, and only address the emotional root causes to a limited extent.
The degree of transformation of the root causes of pain and disease that takes place is dependent on two factors. The first is the use of color light or Microlight therapy in conjunction with FST and other microcurrent therapies. Microlight therapy is administered through special probe electrodes combining microcurrent and color light therapy.
The other vital factor has to do with the consciousness of the practitioner, and his or her ability to “tune into” the inner workings of the patient’s psyche and help her facilitate fundamental change on that level.
Therefore I propose that the most effective treatment for fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions includes a combination of the techniques proposed by McMakin and Flaws with consciousness-based vibrational medical techniques.
The new treatment system I have developed and and now teach through the Bridge to Mastery Institute and Microlight Institute is a flexible system combining vibrational therapies with proven techniques for relieving the symptoms of chronic pain. After learning this framework practitioners can adapt the system to the treatment of patients with a wide variety of chronic pain conditions that have been non-responsive to other methods. To illustrate how this could work for a patient with fibromyalgia, I will offer a protocol for treating a female patient, age 36 named Janet.
Janet’s parents were alcoholics and were subject to mood swings. Janet’s father was often absent, and when he was at home he alternated between being emotionally removed and yelling and criticizing his children. The mother exhibited some bipolar behavior, swinging between being attentive to Janet and venting her anger and frustration on her. Janet grew up never knowing what to expect from her parents, and lived in fear that waves of negativity could come at her at unpredictable times. She adapted by trying to be well-behaved and hyper vigilant. Later in her teenage years she acted out through heavy use of drugs and alcohol and defiance against her parents.
In her mid 20’s Janet had a series of mysterious flu symptoms that came and went. She was then in a motor vehicle accident at age 30 that caused some ongoing spine and neck pain. By the time she was 32 she was also experiencing sleep disturbances, joint pain and fatigue. She was diagnosed as hypo-thyroid and put on thyroid medication. Janet was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia and came in for treatment at age 36 after failing to find lasting relief of most of these symptoms.
Janet complained of diffuse body pains, neck stiffness, low back pain, burning sensations in her feet, insomnia and mood swings.
Here is a treatment protocol for Janet combining Microlight therapies with FST.[iv] It was used over a series of 10 treatment sessions, with each session lasting between 30 – 45 minutes.
Evaluation– Kinesiology, pulse diagnosis, health history intake and dowsing were used to evaluate her Organs, qi, blood and chakras. The pattern showed Spleen qi deficiency, over-active Liver and deficient Kidney Yin. Blood tests confirmed suppressed thyroid hormones. Evaluation of Janet’s chakras indicated blocked power center (solar plexus), conflicted sacral chakra and denial in mid brain (3rd eye chakra).
On a scale of 1 – 10 Janet reported that her pain levels varied from 6 – 9 on various days.
Root treatments – variations of these 3 methods were applied over her series of treatment sessions:
Spinal Autonomic Balance: Color light and microcurrent frequency sequences were applied sequentially to a series of para-spinal points to help regulate the autonomic nervous system.
Chakra balancing[v]: Color light, microcurrent and essential oils were applied to the imbalanced chakras while the patient was guided in healing visualizations, statements and dialogue. A similar technique was used to balance function of her Liver and Kidneys.
Extraordinary vessels: Polarized microcurrent was applied to balance the Yin Wei and Yang Chaio vessels. Needles could be used for this step as well.
Pain relief acu-point techniques. Variations of the following techniques were used to treat tender body points and relieve pain and stiffness in the neck and low back. Pain levels were briefly assessed after application of each technique:
Circling the Dragon using microcurrent and cool colors of light
A series of polarization-balancing techniques including reverse body image, auricular micro-macro and Great Loops were applied. Each technique required 1 – 3 minutes to apply.
Microcurrent pad techniques:
Peripheral neuropathy protocol: Using brief periods of Russian Stimulation followed by FST microcurrent frequency sequences to help address burning sensations in feet. This could be done in conjunction with acupuncture needling.
FST microcurrent-only therapies. McMakin’s excellent protocol for fibromyalgia[vi] associated with spinal trauma includes these frequencies:
Condition frequencies: 91, 284, 50, 40, 19, 43, 46, 94, 321, 9, 13, 3, 81, 49.
Tissue frequencies: 10, 89, 94, 90, 84, 396. These address the spinal cord, midbrain, medulla, forebrain, hindbrain and peripheral nerves.
Home Practices
Janet was motivated to move forward with advancement in her career and stabilizing her mood swings. She agreed to do 15 minutes or more a day of personal meditation and guided practices at home. She was given meditation practices and guided videos to watch, and did follow through for the most part in doing these practices. She also joined a yoga class.
Results: Janet noticed significant pain relief after her first session of FST combined with Microlight therapies. The practitioner gave her homework in the form of journaling about any feelings that would come up. Over the next 3 sessions Janet continued to notice her pain lessening, although she did have some of what she called “bad days” when old feelings of panic and distress from her childhood came up into her awareness. These periods did not last long, and by week four Janet was reporting feeling more light hearted and starting to sleep better.
After going through 10 sessions over about 2 months of therapy Janet reported that her pain levels were down to a “1 – 2” out of 10. She felt that she had gone through a deep emotional purging of old wounds, and now was able to manage her own moods better. The burning in her feet largely had vanished, although it occasionally recurred on days of high emotional stress. Janet’s sleep had improved significantly.
Discussion: If Janet had been treated with FSM/FST only it is likely she would have had good relief of pain on tender points and in her joints. Yet is it unlikely that she would have enjoyed the deeper emotional transformation the Microlight therapies and consciousness transformation methods brought her.
In this protocol FST and some of the microcurrent probe techniques addressed the Branch – the symptoms of pain and distress. Microlight therapies and guided practices addressed the Root. By transforming on the Root level hormonal imbalances correct themselves, the autonomic nervous system is better regulated, the brain functions in a more coherent manner and the chakras tend to stay open and full more of the time. These all produce a greater sense of well-being and freedom to express and fulfill life.
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[i] Frequency-Specific Microcurrent in Pain Management, McMakin, Elsevier 2011
[ii] Curing Fibromyalgia Naturally, Flaws, Blue Poppy Press 2000
[iii] at the Los Angeles seminar “Cracking the Code on Chronic Pain” http://east-westseminars.com/cracking-code-chronic-pain/
[iv] FST refers to “Frequency Sequence Therapy” and is similar to what McMakin calls FSM
[v] Chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit, and refers to spinning energy vortices in the body that regulate, balance and empower our organs, emotions, hormones, neurology and aspects of spirituality. There are 7 major chakras in the body. Chakras are very sensitive to energy, and respond quickly to therapies using color light, sound, microcurrent and focused intent.
[vi] See her book referenced above, Chapter 8 for details on these frequencies and how to combine them