Neural Manipulation 1

Course Overview

This three day course, NM1, is a specialized course focusing on the impact of trauma and whiplash. Integrative treatment requires attention to mechanical relationships between the cranium/spine hard frame, and the dural and neural elements. NM provides approaches to address restrictions of the dural and neural components not commonly focused on with musculoskeletal symptoms. Additionally, traumatic nerve lesions typically do not result in a recognizable, well-defined, clinical picture. Instead a broad spectrum of disturbances can be found. NM treatments change intra- and extra-neural pressure and improve sympathetic function to blood vessels due to the auto-innervation of the sympathetic ganglia and sympathetic innervation of peri-neural connective tissues, both of which are affected with treatment of fixations in the nerve sheaths.

Course Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants will have learned:

• The three primary areas of trauma as they relate to whiplash: physical laws, evaluation and treatment;
• The appropriate anatomy and physiology for treatment of whiplash and trauma conditions;
• To locate and release restrictions along the meningeal system;
• Assess injuries to the soft tissues of the cervical region and learn treatment protocols for optimal release;
• Tests to determine restriction patterns of the cervicobrachial region;
• Understand how whiplash creates restriction patterns throughout the body;
• Identify techniques that encompass the whole body, as the whole body receives collision forces in a whiplash injury, not just the cervical spine;
• To evaluate restrictions in the lumbosacral region;
• Discover new applications of visceral manipulation principles and techniques as they can be utilized for patients presenting whiplash and other conditions involving trauma;
• Compare treatment sequence and tests for whiplash and traumatic injuries.

Prerequisite:

Professional healthcare practitioner, student in healthcare program or graduate awaiting licensure/accreditation with experience in manual listening skills.

Required Reading:

Trauma: An Osteopathic Approach by Jean-Pierre Barral, RPT, DO

Suggested Reading:

• Atlas of Human Anatomy by Frank Netter, MD, and/or
• A Regional Atlas of the Human Body by Carmine Clemente.