Tensiolax Therapy for Neuromuscular & Mental Stress Disorders

Tensiology

Dr. Chen coined the word, tensiology in 2006. He hopes to develop a new discipline that studies the structural and functional properties, and their clinical implications of hardening soft-tissues in the human beings and animals. Soft-tissues include muscles, ligaments, organ systems, blood vessels, and nerves. The objective of tensiology is to understand the structural, functional or dysfunctional (pathological) processes underlying the tension and relaxation of soft-tissues.

Since 1999, Dr. Chen had observed and investigated how blind massage therapists in China could find source of pains, injuries and discomfort in patients without being informed of such conditions. He personally sought out treatments from many blind massage therapists in China, from expert physicians in hospital to novice sole proprietors; and the results were excellent.

After Dr. Chen started up Chi Wellness Longwood Clinic in 2001, he had opportunity to hire a female massage therapist, Ms. Tang from Hong Kong. She had been blind since birth and studied in a blind massage therapist training program offered by teachers from Beijing. Dr. Chen had opportunity to observe more closely how Ms. Tang, who knew little English, treated conditions ranging from pains, stresses to insomnia.

Dr. Chen went back to China in 2004, and studied and worked with teachers at China Blind Massage Center in Beijing. He made a documentary film, the Healing Touch of the Blind (2006), about how blind people study and practice their healing art in China. Dr. Chen hypothesizes that blind massage therapists have heighten tactile sense which allows them to discriminate subtle signs between healthy and pathological issues. He develops a manual therapy, called Tensiolax therapy and applies it relax soft tissue tensions associated with muscle spasm, organ spasm, neuromuscular spasticity and rigidity caused by injuries, inflammation, neurodegeneration or autoimmune process.

Tensiolax Therapy

A session of Tensiolax therapy consists of three steps:

1. Mapping of tensions. Practitioner uses tactile sense of fingers to detect and map out tensions in soft tissues, including spatial distribution and the depth of tensions.

2. Relaxation of tensions. Practitioner uses the thumb (sometimes other fingers) to relax tensions layer by layer by back and forth crossings (perpendicular with muscle fibers) or circular motions with rhythmic pressure.

3. Assessment of relaxation. Practitioner uses tactile sense of fingers to assess the degree of relaxation on each treatment area.

A session may last one to two hours. Most patient feel sore afterwards (not unlike a good physical workout), and the same time a deep and lasting relief of their symptoms such as pains, spasticity or numbness. As for general well-being, they feel more relaxed physically, mentally and emotionally, warmer in basal body temperature, and better circulation.

Treatment Program of Tensiolax Therapy

There are two treatment principles when applying Tensiolax therapy to chronic conditions:

1. The treatment must be progressively deeper. Over the course of treatment, practitioner should feel the volume of the tight soft tissue getting smaller; and the tension in the deeper layer is tighter than superficial layer. In the deepest layer, tension may feel like a knot.
2. The treatment must generate sustainable relief of tensions. In most of muscular conditions, knots in soft tissues can be eliminated. In neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, tensions or knots can not be eliminated.