Inclined Bed Therapy Parameters based on pilot study results

PARAMETERS

Inclined Bed Therapy Parameters (changes) to monitor, based on pilot study results and experiment results.

Photographs and Video evidence of improvements can speak louder than thousands of words, so please wherever possible take photographs and video any changes.


Short term use of inclined bed rest over 1 to 4 weeks

Please monitor your blood pressure if possible. Blood pressure has been shown to respond rapidly to IBT, without drugs. Low blood pressure and high blood pressure have improved.


1. Heart rate. 10 to 12 beats per minutes slower during inclined sleep.

2. Heart rate. Improved stroke volume.

3. Respiration. 4 to 5 breaths per minute slower during inclined sleep.

4. Respiration. Improved performance of the lungs and increased gas exchange.

5. Urine. Increased specific gravity of urine following inclined sleep.

6. Urine. Slightly Darker and stronger smelling urine produced following inclined sleep. Saving a sample of urine in a clear glass container for comparison

7. Urine. Reduction in quantity of urine produced during and following inclined sleep.

8. Stools. Firmer stools following inclined sleep.

9. Metabolism. Improved body temperature, raised by 1 degree or more and remaining stable throughout inclined sleep.

10. Metabolism. Body heat more evenly distributed, should be obvious with thermal camera, when viewing arms, hands, feet and lower legs.

11. Sleep. Improved sleep pattern, improved state of restfulness, lighter sleep, possibly avoiding rem sleep altogether.

12. Spasm. Prediction, involuntary movement reduction and an obvious elimination of symptoms in some cases.

13. Rising from bed Improved balance and increase in energy upon rising from inclined bed.

14. Rising from bed There may also be some Initial dizziness with some people during the first two weeks of inclined sleep) But this should resolve following the first two weeks.

15. Circulation. Improved circulation, confirmed by thermal imaging camera, showing warmer hands and feet during inclined sleep.

16. Pain. Reduction in neuropathic ms related and non-ms related pain.

Medium term IBT 1 to 4 months

17. Pain. Muscular and joint pain may increase, causing similar symptoms to those following exercise, probably due to increased circulation through muscles and joints

18. Pain. Some people on the study may develop a stiff neck. Believed to be due to the development of a more upright posture. The weight distribution on the spine is thought to have changed meaning that unpolished areas are being used to support the weight. This usually resolves within two weeks.

19. Pain. There may be an increase in pain at the hands and feet, burning sensation and pins and needles similar to cooling hands in winter and initial warming of hands near fire.

20. Energy. Steady increase in energy and general feeling of well-being, more able to get going in the mornings and less likely to sleep in the day.

21. Strength. Marginal Increase in strength and activity.

22. Sinus. Improved or resolved.

23. Heart rate and respiration rate Prediction: noticeably stronger than pre-inclined sleep.

24. Oedema Significant Reduction in swelling, though there may be an initial increase in swelling due to fluid shift, prior to removal of tissue fluid via the decreased pressure in the vein
.
25. Varicose veins. Measurable / Visible reduction in size and colour of veins, indicating the development of improved /reduced pressure inside the venous system. Thought to develop from the flow and return system resulting from moisture loss from skin and lungs, which should be confirmed by reduced urine production. However, in some cases where excessive fluid retention is an ongoing problem, there might be an increase of fluid loss from the bladder. This could be confirmed by monitoring the weight of people with this problem.

26. Weight. Improved food uptake during inclined sleep has been shown to cause weight gain in some cases. However, it appears that the weight gain does not increase the size of the person, and is thought to result from an increase in bone and muscle density. Osteoporosis for instance has been shown to improve considerably within the first four months, to the point where symptoms have been completely resolved in some cases.

27. Bladder. Improved bladder control and reduction in bathroom visits during inclined sleep.

28. Bowel. Improved bowel function, production of firmer stools, indicating improved uptake of fluids from digestive system.

29. Spasm. Reduction in spasm, although an initial increase in spasm has been observed prior to the regain of either function or sensitivity.

30. Pain. Some people might experience an increase in pain, or the development of a new pain. This is thought to be caused by the purging of the nervous system through improved circulation within the central and peripheral nervous system. This is usually short term and often is followed by the return of either a lost function or an improvement in sensitivity. It has also been observed to be the same for someone with a spinal cord injury.

31. Balance. Prediction: Continued improvements in balance will develop on a steady course from week 4.

32. MS Related Predictions: There should be some evidence within the four week period of MS Symptom improvements. It appears that the longer someone has had multiple sclerosis the longer it takes them to respond to the therapy. Improved sensitivity, functions, lethargy, energy,

Long Term Use Of Inclined Bed Therapy 4 months or more

The report by John Simkins, titled Raised Bed Survey, uses the following symptoms list in his table:
Mobility/Balance, Tremor, Spasm, Co-ordination, Skin Quality/Healing, Optical, Oedema & Veins, Bladder, sensory, mood swings, strength / endurance, energy level, sleep patterns, wake up, condition nails, condition hair, temperature, pain.
These appear to be all useful and should be monitored during the proposed study.

Finger / toe nails should be clipped and kept before and during the study, which should run for 18 months. Hair should also be monitored closely as condition and colour is observed to change in the long term, and could easily be confirmed by comparing before and after hair samples. I know of one case of leukaemia where the hair did not fall out following chemo and radiation treatment, whereas it always fell out prior to sleeping inclined. I know of another case of a lady with breast cancer who did lose her hair following chemo therapy.
These are some of the parameters, which I feel could either prove or disprove that inclined sleep has a beneficial holistic healing effect on the body, irrespective of the condition. No doubt your department could add to these parameters.