PARAMETERS

Symptoms / changes to monitor while taking part in inclined bed therapy (IBT)

Short term use of inclined bedrest over 1 to 2 days

PARAMETERS
 

Symptoms / changes to monitor while taking part in inclined bed therapy (IBT)

Short term use of inclined bedrest over 1 to 7 days

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

2. Heart rate: Improved stroke volume.

3. Respiration: 4 to five 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: Darker stronger smelling urine produced following inclined sleep.

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: involuntary movement reduction and an obvious elimination of symptoms in some cases.

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

14. Rising: 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 ms and non-ms related pain.

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Medium term 1 to four weeks

• Pain: muscular and joint pain may increase, causing similar symptoms to those following exercise, probably due to increased circulation through muscles and joints

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Strength: Marginal Increase in strength and activity.

• Sinus / sinisitis: Improved or resolved.

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

• Oedema: Reduced swelling, also helped by use of stocking support at night in long term severe oedema.

• 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.

• 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.

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

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

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

• 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.

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

• Multiple sclerosis: 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,

• Migraine and cluster headaches reduced or completely resolved.

• Diabetes: glucose levels significantly reduced. Morning phenomenon / Liver dump reduction in glucose spikes associated with flatbeds. Independent verification in Diabetes Trial

• Infertility / Erectile Dysfunction: Improved ovulation, Early morning erection. More likely to become pregnant so please take precautions if you're not planning for a baby.

• Blood pressure changes: Please monitor your blood pressure for changes. IBT has been shown to raise and lower blood pressure and even stabilise fluctuating blood pressure issues.

• Parkinson's Disease: Improvements in mobility, reduced dependence on drugs, reduction in tremors, morning paralysis, walking and energy levels.

Long Term Use Of Inclined Bed

The report by John Simkins, titled Raised Bed Survey, uses the following symptoms list in his table: Raised Bed Survey MS Pilot study

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 permaters are all useful and should be monitored when using Inclined Bed Therapy.

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 radiation treatment, whereas it always fell out prior to sleeping inclined.
Many people have reported significant improvements in eyesight and bleeding at the back of the eyes has been resolved. Please keep your old prescription glasses, you may need them!