DEEP OSCILLATION® THERAPY “A Breakthrough Therapy For MLD Practitioners and Lymphoedema Therapists And The Patients In Their Care”

DEEP OSCILLATION® THERAPY “A Breakthrough Therapy For MLD Practitioners and Lymphoedema Therapists And The Patients In Their Care”

MLD UK - The Journal - Summer 2012

PhysioPod UK Limited were delighted to be invited to exhibit for the second time at the Bi-Annual MLD UK Conference and AGM held at The Lane End Conference Centre in High Wycombe, Bucks. The event was very well organised with a host of high profile speakers including Alex Munnoch and Willie Fourie. PhysioPod were invited to write an update on the therapy for the MLD UK Journal - Summer 2012 Edition.

Five years ago, DEEP OSCILLATION®, an innovative German electrostatic massage therapy, was an unknown modality within MLD circles in the UK, although it was already being used effectively elsewhere in Europe as a treatment for Lymphoedema. (Role of HIVAMAT® 200 in the treatment for Lymphoedema of the limbs, Publication La medicina estetica 4 Vol. 30, 373-478. Gasbarro V., Bartoletti R., Tsolaki E., Sileno S., Agnati M., Coen, M., Conti M., Bertaccini C. (2006).

In 2007, PhysioPod UK Limited, the Exclusive UK and Ireland distributors of the therapy received an abstract of a study entitled "Effect of Treatment with Low-intensity and Extremely Low-frequency Electrostatic Fields (Deep Oscillation®) on Breast Tissue and Pain in Patients with Secondary Breast Lymphedema" Jahr et al and so they invited reviews from healthcare professionals in the UK field of Lymphoedema.  The study was subsequently published in The Journal of Rehabilitation Med 2008; 40: 645-650 and presented by Dr Kirsten Mathiske-Schmidt at the BLS Annual Conference in Belfast 2008.

Clinical Effects:

In contrast to externally applied, mechanical forms of therapy, (e.g. vibration), the therapy effect of DEEP OSCILLATION® takes place in the tissue itself and works through the entire depth of the tissue layers (skin, connective tissue, subcutaneous fat, muscles, blood and lymph vessels). This causes DEEP OSCILLATION® to be especially gentle and makes it an unmatched treatment alternative for fresh trauma, postoperative, for acute pain and in the area of open wounds. Proof was established in representative studies of the following significant effects of DEEP OSCILLATION®: Encouraging wounds to heal, Pain Reduction, Mobilzation, Anti Inflammatory, Oedema and Fibrosis Reduction.

London based, Sossi Yerissian, BLS, MLDuk Member DLT Practitioner and Lymphoedema therapist was the first UK MLD professional to take up the opportunity to learn more of this new technique. She took a call from Mary Fickling who explained about the study and Sossi asked for the information and brochure to be emailed over…

“I was very interested but apprehensive. It promised to accelerate wound healing, ulcers, fibrosis, swelling; everything that I combat in everyday MLD treatments. I decided to make the journey to Nottingham and meet Mary Fickling and Julie Soroczyn. I must admit it was an immediate mutual friendship from the moment I was picked up from the train station. I cannot remember how the next 3 hours passed. They showed me the 10-minute video of the device and thereafter it was "hands-on" experience. The beauty of the device is that as an MLD therapist, I am using all the massage skills that I have been taught; the only difference being and without offending Dr Vodder and his principles in the MLD technique, is that I am applying the method with a pair of vinyl gloves. To be honest I liked the gentle vibrating sensation passing through my hands. It was very soothing and relaxing. I had a chance to receive the treatment from Julie; it was divine. I could have stayed on that couch for several hours... unfortunately, I had to catch a train back to London. Mary and Julie were very kind to let me have the device for a trial. I borrowed the device for 2 weeks. I wanted to prove the promised results in my clinic, with my clients. I treated the following conditions successfully with immediate results: fibrosis after a skin graft of the face, swollen axillary and inguinal lymph nodes,

Breast fibrosis
Secondary leg lymphoedema with very hard fibrosis
Fibrosis
Tissue protein build-up after radiotherapy
Sinusitis and headache
Post plastic surgery swelling of the face and puffy eyes.

The results were amazing. In half an hour I achieved the same results as I do in 1-hour MLD. All my patients enjoyed the light vibrating sensation and the speedy results. The last 2 weeks that I used the Hivamat nobody made any negative comment. I tried on my regulars, hoping that they will be the best to judge. All found it very pleasant, soothing, relaxing and more enjoyable. Even, they encouraged me to buy the product”

Fast Forward to 2012…

Now in the UK and Ireland, through word-of-mouth recommendations and the positive results achieved with the therapy, there are eighty five MLD therapists using the therapy, combining with their techniques, including use within several NHS Hospitals. These can be seen on the therapist map on PhysioPod’s website.  Many Lymphoedema sufferers are now self-treating with DEEP OSCILLATION® personal units between visits to their therapists.  Christine Talbot, BLS, MLDuk Member DLT, Vodder, Medical Leduc and Casley Smith, Practitioner & Lymphoedema Therapist has been working with the therapy for the last three years.  She has happily provided the following feedback: “Since purchasing the Hivamat 200® in November 2009 I have found it a remarkable piece of ingenuity; very simple to use, deeply effective on a multitude of conditions from tissue softening, reduction of limb volume, improving circulation, scar management, wound healing and reducing pain and disability.  I feel it has revolutionized the way in which I treat the Lymphoedema patients in my care and now several of my patients are self-managing with the personal unit simply because they have been amazed at the results that have been achieved.  They are now treating themselves in their own home and self managing their condition day to day.  I feel this is very self empowering for them and as a result  their appointments are not as regular.  PhysioPod never sell a unit to a patient without them having first undergone a course of treatments with a therapist using DEEP OSCILLATION® in order to confirm their suitability and the effectiveness of the therapy for them.  A bespoke card is programmed for the small unit based on the successful use of frequencies used with the patient. The sensation of the therapy is very pleasant and relaxing.  I use it on practically all of my patients, it is just like a light gentle pulsation, which comes through my gloved hands and is felt on the skin.  It is very safe and in twenty two years of its use for Lymphoedema there has never been a case of adverse effects for therapist or patient. I feel privileged to be a practitioner associated with this therapy in the UK and can see many openings for it within the NHS”

Approved NHS Suppliers:

In May 2011 PhysioPod UK Limited gained the status of becoming approved NHS Suppliers in England and in August 2012, also approved NHS Suppliers in Wales.  This has brought greater interest of the therapy from lymphoedema specialists within clinics following study days and with interest mounting from patients talking about the therapy on forums and in their support groups.

MLD UK Conference 2012:

PhysioPod have been and continue to be absolutely delighted with the enthusiasm therapists have shown for their product and at the recent MLD UK Conference, they actually sold out of all of their stocked units.  They are currently taking forward orders for units arriving in England in mid June. One visitor to the stand was well-respected Physiotherapist Willie Fourie who specializes in problems after breast cancer and understanding the connective tissue.  He  presented “Removal of obstructions” The Missing Gold Standard for Oedema Treatment?”. Willie was intrigued with DEEP OSCLLATION® and purchased a unit to take back home to South Africa  with him. He will experiment for himself what exactly he feels the therapy is doing in the tissues and  PhysioPod look forward to receiving his feedback in the coming months.

Alex Munnoch FRCS Ed(Plast), Consultant Plastic Surgeon who had delivered an excellent presentation at the Conference entitled “Surgery in Combination with Conservative Therapies in Management of Lymphoedema” was struggling with a calf injury at the event and was pleased that after a twenty minute treatment session from Julie, to feel that the area had relaxed somewhat and he was without pain.   A week and a half later, he reported that “the calf is still great following treatment”.  Since the Conference PhysioPod and Alex Munnoch are discussing several potential trial ideas for DEEP OSCLLATION®.

Case Study in the BJCN educational supplement April 2012

In April 2012, featured in the ‘clinical focus’ pages of the educational supplement of BJCN, there is a case study entitled: “Use of Oscillation Therapy and MLLB in cancer-related oedema” by Joanne Jones, Lymphoedema Specialist Practitioner, Central Area Lymphoedema Clinic, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The results include graphical data and subjective assessments by both therapist and patient of a two week treatment period from Monday to Friday.  The outcome produced interesting results for the therapist and individual and provided limb volume losses. They now have their own data to demonstrate the effects and will continue to use the therapy in their Clinic.  They have been using the therapy since June 2011.

Training,  Insurance, Afterales Support and a Free Therapist Listing on PhysioPod UK Limited website

Therapist Training takes place in Nottingham for a duration of two hours.  This is included in the price of a unit and is on a one to one basis with Julie Soroczyn, who has been working with the therapy for ten years.  A letter for insurance purposes is provided.  Aftersales support ranks highly in the values of PhysioPod UK Limited.  They aim to reply to all email queries within 48 hours and can be contacted by telephone 7 days a week.

Insurance  can be obtained through Balens, Embody, FHT, IPTI, and Finsure for DEEP OSCILLATION® therapists.  Insurance underwriter fact sheets are available for companies not listed above.

All therapists are sent a website questionnaire to complete on purchase of a unit.  Once returned a unique web page is created for the therapist, including their other therapies, with images and logos.  This is then uploaded on to the PhysioPod website enabling patients to locate their nearest therapist.

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