Effects of Effleurage can be reflexive or
mechanical depending on the depth and rhythm of the application
of the stroke.
The effect can be relaxing or stimulating.
In general, effleurage creates an over all muscle relaxation and
assists in blood and lymph circulation. It aids in the
process of removing waste products from normal cellular
metabolism.
Light Effleurage Effects:
Reflexive:
-
initially a reflexive parasympathetic
nervous system response that is relaxing due to being
touched.
-
Decreases the sympathetic nervous systems
contraction of the muscles in the walls of blood vessels,
which results in vasodilatation and an increase in capillary
apace in the surface layer of the tissue. (The area
may turn red.)
-
The parasympathetic nervous system slows the
heart rate and lowers the blood pressure
-
Slows breathing rate
-
affects the nervous system's pain sensors
which results in lessening of pain (gate theory or
counter-irritation theory which is based on the observation
that stimulating an area of pain or adjacent to the pain
will suppress the sensation of pain and therefore other
sensations can over-ride pain. There are other
theories of pain reduction including release of endorphins.)
-
Reduces edema reflexively by the increased
exchange of fluids at the capillary level and by the
stretching of the lymph vessels
-
may enhance healing process (theories of
increased macrophage migration, increased antibody presence
and the positive effect on the immune system.
Deep Effleurage
Reflexive Effects:
-
longer lasting capillary dilation
-
creation of deeper muscle relaxation
-
aids in pain reduction
-
surface heat caused by friction on the skin
increases metabolism in the skin which results in increased
peripheral circulation
Mechanical Effects:
-
Assists in the flow of venous blood and
lymphatic fluid when applied in the direction of
circulation.
-
assists in the renewed nutrition and removal
of waste products
-
compresses and stretches the fascia layer
between the superficial muscles and the subcutaneous layer
of tissue
-
warms superficial tissue by friction of the
hands on the clients body
-
assists in desquamation of dead skin cells
Nervous System Effects: The effects
of effleurage on the nervous system are what create the
reflexive effects in the other systems. Light effleurage
stimulates the receptors of the parasympathic division of the
nervous system, which results in a reflexive, generally relaxing
response. This autonomic response causes vasodilatation
and an accompanying inhibiting of vasoconstriction. It is
generally accepted (but not scientifically proven) that these
nervous system responses occur in a reflex arc, either in the
central nervous system or in the local ganglion of the nerve
receptors.
