Inclined Bed Therapy

[AndrewKFletcher]

I.T. is an abbreviation of Inclined Therapy.

I.T. is the same as I.B.T but also takes into account posture while sitting and standing therefore requires a broadened subject name so that people can focus on all postural changes they make throughout each day.

Exagerated Poor Sitting posture showing knees too high
For example: Using a chair / wheelchair / car seat that restricts correct postural alignment (bucket type seating) according to a new understanding of how gravity assists the circulation is completely wrong for assisting the circulation to help the body to heal itself. Having the knees higher than ones seat in these types of seating arrangements restricts returned blood flow back to the heart, for which the evidence is often clear with the appearance of oedema in the lower limbs and the emergence of complications for many who go on to develop varicose veins, leg ulcer, deep vein thrombosis, phlebitis etc.
Yet with the seat raised using an additional cushion to raise the seat higher or at least level with the knees has been shown to significantly improve these conditions.
Current medical advice is to raise your legs level or higher than the heart. (not very practical and ineffective in the long term)Poor Sitting Posture Showing Legs Elevated.


Putting your feet up is frequently advised for people with poor circulation, varicose veins and oedema.

Yet the opposite has been shown to be far more effective in addressing all of these medical problems.







Correct Inclined Therapy I.T. Sitting Posture showing knees lower than seat.

This is the correct Inclined Therapy posture showing knees slightly lower than the seat.
Take care to make sure your cushion is does not cause pressure on the back of the thighs for too long.
This problem can be avoided by rising from the chair and standing if possible as often as possible. Make a concerted effort not to sit at the computer for longer than absolutely necessary. If you can, sit at an angle as shown even if this means dragging you away from the computer or getting yourself out of the wheelchair posture it is well worth the effort
But please take care transferring.

[AndrewKFletcher]

Have been experimenting with a very soft pillow placed between my legs while I sleep on my side. Reasoning: to reduce the pressure between knees and legs in the hope that it may reduce the pressure on the veins and nerves. Apart from being very comfortable, this could help people using IBT for varicose veins and may even reduce the overall pressure in the veinous network, so may also have some use for people with ms. Early days yet and just dabbling with the idea so looking for a few people to try it and see if it makes a difference.

[belsadie]

It's just me....
I've tilted my bed last night six or so inches. I've been sleeping on a sleep number bed with the head only tilted, folding myself in the middle. I e-mailed Andres F who returned my mail the very next day, advising ghat the tilt head only technique is not therapeutic. So. I'm trying the IBT protocol and waiting for stuff to report
I must say, my Left foot is tingling more this morning than usual . The left is the side affected most by the MS. I've always been able to feel it but the tingling is new. It's the same as when I was firs diagnosed.
We'll see.
P.S. I'm still on he waiting list for CCSVI

Let's keep moving AHEAD!

[Cece]

I must say, my Left foot is tingling more this morning than usual .

On an anecdotal level, I had that too, both when I tilted the initial two inches and then again a month or so later when I went up to full height and yet again when I came back after a two-week vacation when I was only able to get my bed up to two inches. So I definitely see feet tingling as a consequence of raising the bed! Each time it only lasted a few days, maybe a week the first time, and only two days very minimally after my vacation. I consider it a healthy sign, each time.

[AndrewKFletcher]

The tingling sensation has been mentioned many times before by people with ms and other medical conditions. This is usually short term. Later people begin to report sharp stabbing / electrical pains moving around the limbs rather than remaining in one place.

Thanks for posting

[pmouse]

I think is time I can show to everybody the kneeling chair I have been using since 199o for all my studying.
Now you all can see the easier way to apply Andrew´s therapy to sitting position.
Now in my office I have normal chair and kneeling chair. When I need shorter sitting I use normal chair but after an hour I feel my back hurts so I have to go to kneeling chair. At home we even had a small production of such chairs. Anybody who has such chairs knows the benefits and many times buys it for their children. Many different producers are across Europe.

You can see different types on link:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=sl&gbv= ... g&gs_rfai=

My mother was a computer programmer for 30 years and before using kneeling chair, she had terrible problems with her back, digestion...

Think about it.

[lumpc1]

are you nuts? I couldn't possibly sit in that position i would be down and out.

[AndrewKFletcher]

P Mouse.

Thanks for the link to the chairs and yes these do conform to I.T. posture. I used one myself for a while but found it too convenient to sit on traditional chair at computer. It is surpisingly comfortable to use these types of chair.

Andrew

[ndwannabe]

Hi,

I was not posting the gradual changes as I inclined my bed first to 2", then to 4", then finally to 6". I've experiences a stiff neck that everybody talks about, some other worsening of the symptoms. I was patient for about three months. Finally two days ago I put my bed down. I haven't slept that well in... oh yeah - three months.

I have less stiffness (after stopping IBT). So, I guess the IBT is not for everyone?

I also can not quite understand the reasoning for IBT (I admit, I did it just on faith) - if the jugular veins collapse in upright position and fully open up in supine and we have inadequate drainage from the brain... wouldn't creating a situation when our bodies are in semi-upright position when asleep have a BAD effect on the drainage?

As in - we would at least get sufficient (or closer to sufficient) drainage when we are lying flat?

[AndrewKFletcher]

Thank you for trying I.B.T. and for letting us know about your experience using it.

Sleeping on an inclined bed is far different to sleeping flat, we appear to avoid the very deep sleep that sleeping horizontal induces. Slight sounds awaken us more easily. Useful. when looking after a baby, in our case our granddaughter Amy.

When sleeping horizontal, our body temperature drops by around 2 degrees at around 4.30 am. This is not the case with IBT.

Long before Zamboni’s theory was published people with ms were reporting substantial improvements using IBT. If you are right about IBT having a negative effect on drainage, then all of these recent positive reports and all of the past reports from people with ms are relying on something other than CCSVI correction.

Please keep us posted on developments sleeping flat.

Thanks again

Andrew

[pal]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. As my user name implies, I am the longtime pal of a WONDERFUL guy with RR ms. He was diagnosed over 20 years ago. His main issues include peripheral neuropathy, paresthesias, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia and urgency, and lately some really debilitating hip and leg weakness/pain. He take none of the new drugs, and instead has stuck to a vegan (previously vegetarian) diet, and supplements. Trying to get him back into meditation for stress. We're no hippies, just incredibly skeptical of the medical/big pharma establishment, including the MS Society (been members forever.) Has now has a fabulous internist, but our experience with neurologists has been...unprintable.

I've been following the CCSVI topic here and elsewhere for a while, and while there's still much to discover, it's a source of tremendous hope. Frankly, anything that broadens the scope of interest in this disease beyond the purview of neurologists and drug companies is good news. It's vital to see things with fresh eyes. Inclined Bed Therapy definitely sounds like something worth trying now. I can't follow Andrew's scientific points about flow & density, but it's non-invasive and easily accomplished*. My friend was thrilled with the idea, and wanted to try it immediately.

*Well maybe not so easily accomplished. His standard bed and frame isn't really accessible, there's no lumber store close by and zero space to maneuver. Neither of us is really strong enough to lift the mattress & box spring, and if we could, there's no room to lean it. Neither of us is "handy." On a google search, I saw a site for the inclinebed.com - an adjustable metal frame. Couldn't find any comments or reviews, plus it's $189. Finally found the Simmons Beautyrest Geo-Incline Foam Topper Pad (at Overstock.com and amazon for about $79.) It's a firm polyurethane topper (though I think it can also be placed between mattress & spring) for an appx 4" elevation at one end. Though I would have preferred to start slowly at 2", this seemed the best choice. The worst comments were about it sheets not fitting or the foam getting soft after almost a year. (see it at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BI22MK) Does anyone have any information or opinions on this? If anyone's interested, I will post again after we get & use it. Thanks, everyone.

[AndrewKFletcher]

Hi Pal Don't waste your money, the foam does not provide the correct angle and only tilts half the bed. Also unsure about possible fire hazards using foam.

http://www.andrewkfletcher.com/index.ph ... &Itemid=41

[pal]

Hi Pal Don't waste your money, the foam does not provide the correct angle and only tilts half the bed. Also unsure about possible fire hazards using foam.

Thanks, but this pad is not for upper body elevation -- it graduates from 5" to 1" covering the entire length of the bed head to foot. (Perhaps can be seen more clearly in the ad for its matching sheet) All US bedding has to meet non-flammable requirements. It's on its way anyhow. I did investigate lifts, but this bed frame has heavy duty, welded casters that cannot be removed. Even if we could lift the top of the bed (very unlikely since it is jammed into a corner) the circumference of the wheels would not fit or be stable. I was interested if anyone has experience with either this Simmons product or the inclinebed.com mechanism.[/i]

[NoDrainer]

Hello everyone!

Am an RR MS'er who has been using IBT for the last 3 months and am loving the deeper healing sleep and vivid dreams. Would definitely HATE to go back to sleeping flat. Being sharper in the mornings proves that it's helping the blood to flow from my jugs at least somewhat properly. Also megadosing on Serrapeptase to emulsify fibrin, dead tissue, clots etc. in the veins and arteries. Hematologist says my blood is virtually perfect.

But now my legs and feet are numb since starting the IBT and it keeps creeping up. Scary stuff. Anybody have any helpful ideas? Is this a hallmark symptom of the MS progressing?

[AndrewKFletcher]

Unusual report but thanks for posting.

IBT does increase the uptake of drugs taken orally and you say you are on a megadose of serrapeptase. It may be that IBT together with your "megadose" might be pushing your body too far.

Had a quick search to see if there are any contraindications and found the following:
Yet not everyone should take serrapeptase. People with bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia or a group of diseases called “hemorrhagic diathesias,” should not take it. People with ongoing bleeding problems, including ulcers, recent surgery, recent major trauma, or hemorrhoids, should not take serrapeptase. Anyone who has ever suffered intracranial bleeding, or who has had neurosurgery or ischemic stroke in the previous six months, should also avoid it. Severe uncontrolled high blood pressure is also a contraindication for Serrapeptase. Last, those taking blood-thinning drugs such as heparin, Coumadin® or aspirin should use serrapeptase only if advised and carefully monitored by their prescribing physician.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease.
http://www.vrp.co.za/ViewProducts135.aspx


It may also be a seasonal variation linked to higher than normal humidity, or could be an ms related downturn,

You have two options as I see it, one is to put the bed flat again to see if this corrects the problem and 2 is to reduce the serrapeptase to see if it is the enzime that is affecting your circulation.

Interesting post

Thanks

Andrew