Myofascial therapies influence immunological parameters

A research from Spain investigated the effect of myofascial treatments on the modulation of immunological variables. The research was published in The Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The study recruited thirty-nine healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group underwent three manual therapy modalities: suboccipital muscle release, so-called fourth intracranial ventricle compression, and deep cervical fascia release. The control group remained in a resting position for the same time period under the same environmental conditions. The researchers meassured changes in immonunologica marker cells counts of
T lymphocyte (CD3, CD4, CD8), B lymphocyte (CD19), and natural killer (NK) cells between baseline and 20 minutes after treatement.

The results show the treatment induce changes in CD19 but not on CD3, CD4, CD8, or NK cell counts. A higher CD19 (B lymphocytes) count in the treatment group after treatment, with no changes in the control group.

B lymphocytes have many functions on the immune state and against re-exposure to viruses, bacteria, and certain parasites.

CThe authors concluded a major immunological modulation, with an increased B lymphocyte count, was observed at 20 minutes after the application of craniocervical myofascial induction techniques.