What is Reactivation?

What is Reactivation?

Reactivation is a means of finding dysfunction within the body and correcting it to cause health. 

We will break that down piece by piece. Here we are defining dysfunction as “disrupted communication between the nervous system and the rest of the body.” 

Let’s dive into our nervous system. The nervous system essentially works by sending and receiving electric pulses of charged ions. Neurons are nerve cells that send messages all over your body, allowing you to do everything from breathing to talking, thinking, and moving. A neuron is either excited or not excited, which can be thought of as “ON” or “OFF.” This means when a neuron is “excited” and “fires” (i.e. sends the electric pulse), it will fire “full force”. If it is not excited, it will send nothing.  Though this force is in the micro-milivolt magnitude, medical professionals can observe the electric activity in the body by placing electrodes on the skin, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) measuring the electrical activity of the heart. 

A functional muscle or system has all neurons firing, leading to open communication between the nervous system (our control center)  and the body. If some or none of the neurons are “firing”, communication is disrupted between the body and the nervous system. We call this dysfunction.

When neurons do not fire properly, our bodies tend to either overcompensate with other muscles, or create poor movement patterns. Over time, poor movement patterns are frequently the root cause of chronic joint pain. Most importantly, when communication between the nervous system and the body is disrupted, healing becomes a slow process. Correcting the dysfunction means restoring communication. 

How is dysfunction found, and how is it corrected?

Dysfunction is found through a series of muscle testing with the client. In a typical session, a client lays face up on a massage table, clothes on, shoes off. They will be asked to hold arms and legs in simple positions, and the Reactivation specialist will apply light pressure to see if the position holds. This muscle testing is a language to communicate with the body, specifically the nervous system.

A functional muscle will have all the neurons “firing”, and the muscle will hold strong in the test. A dysfunctional muscle will have some or none of the neurons “firing”, leading to weakness in the muscle test. A series of testing allows the Reactivation specialist to specify exactly where the body needs Reactivation, regardless of location of symptoms. As with many languages, there is more than one way to ask the body about specific dysfunction. This allows the practice to be personalized in each session according to the needs of each client.

Once dysfunction is found, it is fixed with light pulses on specific points on the body. These pulses are amplifying the electromagnetic signals of your nervous system, restoring communication within your body. After corrections, the muscle is then retested to demonstrate the Reactivation. 

For a visual demonstration, please see our 2 minute demo on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1W0rLcL4hI

We've defined dysfunction, detected dysfunction, and corrected dysfunction. How does any of this "cause health"?

Stress, whether physical, mental, or emotional, is the major cause of inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation leads to dysfunction, and chronic inflammation can lead to disease. When a body is not communicating within itself effectively, it cannot reduce inflammation effectively. The goal of Reactivation is to put the client’s body in a better position to heal itself by restoring communication between the control center and the rest of the body. Your body knows how to heal itself. When communication is repaired, your body can get to work creating the exact proteins and enzymes you need to heal and repair. This is why we refer to Reactivation as specific. The best pharmaceutical manufacturer in the world (for you) lies within your body.

Unlike specializations found in western medicine, Reactivation addresses the body as a whole made up of parts. Your body affects your systems and organs, and your organs affect your systems and body. Although pain or discomfort may be located in a specific region or body part, it is important to be comprehensive in our assessments so we can identify the root cause. For example, it is not uncommon in our practice to see a dysfunctioning respiratory system cause bi-lateral knee pain.

Many other practices are symptom based, which leads to treatments that may help in the short term but leave no lasting relief. Doing weeks of knee strengthening exercises will not repair a dysfunctional respiratory system, and it may lead to even more knee pain with overuse. The Reactivation modality accounts for the interconnectedness of our body and more effectively finds the root cause of our discomforts. Likewise, because of the gentle and non-invasive nature of the practice, there is low risk of causing further injury during treatment.

We also want to emphasize that Reactivation can and should be used with other practices. While western medicine has its defects, it excels at treating severe disease and has increasingly more tools for prevention. Getting regular check-ups, blood tests, cancer screenings, and vaccines are important tools of health management. Some injuries are too severe to heal on their own, and surgery may be the best path forward. Reactivation is a tool to add to your toolkit of healing. Reactivation cannot reattach a torn ligament, but it can help reduce inflammation to speed up recovery post-surgery.

Clients of Reactivation have found relief from a variety of symptoms, but the practice is best used as INJURY PREVENTION. If your muscles are firing properly and your body is in alignment, you are less likely to use poor movement patterns that can cause injury. 

For testimonials of clients’ results from Reactivation, see here: 

https://reactivateme.com/testimonials/

Reactivation is NOT:

• Reactivation never uses needles like acupuncture

• Reactivation does not entail manipulation or cracking of the spine or joints like chiropractic practices

• Reactivation is not a massage as we do not use deep tissue strokes, and our clients always stay fully clothed

• Reactivation is not physical therapy as we do not use any stretching techniques or use any strength training equipment

Hydration is also a key part of Reactivation and its healing process. Our next blog will focus on the importance of fluids and electrolytes in recovery and day to day life. 

Still curious about Reactivation? Schedule a free 15 minute consultation or post your question in the comments below!

Spread joy. Be light. Choose Kindness.

Leah