Understanding ME/CFS in clear language

ME/CFS is a long-term, multi-system condition. It is now recognised in international guidelines as a serious, complex and disabling 

illness – not “just being tired”.

Common features include:

        Many people experience a sudden onset after a viral or infectious illness, while others notice a gradual decline following repeated stressors, trauma, hormonal changes, allergies or chemical exposures.

     There is currently no simple blood test for ME/CFS. Diagnosis is made clinically – by recognising a consistent pattern of symptoms and ruling out other causes – using accepted diagnostic criteria. Your GP or specialist remains central to this process.

Understanding Long COVID

     Long COVID refers to symptoms that persist for weeks or months after the initial COVID-19 infection, often beyond 12 weeks. It can affect people who 

were only mildly unwell at the time of infection.

Symptoms often overlap with ME/CFS and may include:

• Debilitating fatigue and “crash” after activity
• Shortness of breath or chest discomfort
• Brain fog and memory problems 
• Sleep disturbance
• Muscle and joint pain
• Dizziness, rapid heart rate or temperature changes
• Altered sense of taste or smell

           Research suggests Long COVID is multi-system and may involve immune, vascular, neurological and autonomic dysregulation – very similar to 

what is seen in ME/CFS.

At Kinetikos, we treat Long COVID with the same respect as other complex chronic conditions: as a legitimate, biological illness that deserves careful assessment, pacing and supportive treatment.

What is the Perrin Technique®?

The Perrin Technique is a specialised manual approach developed by British osteopath and neuroscientist Dr Raymond Perrin in 1989. It is based on the hypothesis that certain stressors – physical trauma, infections, allergies, chemical exposure and emotional stress – can overload the sympathetic nervous system and disrupt the way the brain and spinal cord drain waste products via the body’s lymphatic system.

In simple terms:

1. Stressors overload the body’s “fight or flight” system (sympathetic nervous system).
2. This may contribute to impaired drainage of inflammatory waste products from the brain and spine through the lymphatic and “glymphatic” systems.
3. Stagnation and build-up of toxins may irritate the nervous system, muscles and fascia, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, pain, dizziness and brain fog.
4. Gentle manual techniques to the spine, chest, neck and head are used to encourage better lymphatic and neuro-lymphatic flow, reduce congestion and help the body rebalance.

Key elements of the Perrin Technique

• Detailed case history – mapping out triggers (infections, injuries, stress, exposures) and the timeline of your illness
• Specific physical assessment – palpating points in the chest, spine, skull and lymphatic areas to look for patterns of congestion and mechanical dysfunction
• Gentle manual treatment, which may include:

• Lymphatic drainage techniques
• Spinal and rib cage mobilisation
• Cranial osteopathy
• Soft tissue work around key lymphatic and venous drainage pathways
• Self-help programme – simple self-massage, breathing and positioning techniques to support drainage at home, tailored to your energy envelope

How Kinetikos uses the Perrin Technique for ME/CFS and Long COVID

                        Because Kinetikos Physical Health is an osteopathy clinic with a strong focus on complex and chronic conditions, we integrate the Perrin 

Technique into a wider framework of care, which can include:

• Thorough case history and symptom mapping
• Screening for red flags that require urgent or specialist medical review
• Liaison letters to your GP or specialists summarising our findings (with your consent)
• Education around pacing, energy envelope management and nervous system regulation
• Gentle manual therapy tailored to your stage of illness
• Home strategies you can safely use between appointments

           We respect that your body is already working very hard. Treatment is therefore gentle, graded and collaborative, not “push through” or graded

exercise-based – aligning with modern ME/CFS guidance.

What to expect at your first Perrin Technique appointment

1. Detailed consultation

We explore your full health story – infections, injuries, trauma, surgeries, medications, stressors, occupational and environmental exposures. We review any diagnoses you have already been given, alongside investigations you have had (and those you may still need via your GP or specialist).

2. Physical assessment

Your osteopath will gently assess:

• Posture and spinal mobility
• Breathing mechanics and rib cage function
• Areas around the diaphragm, thoracic outlet and clavicles where lymph and venous drainage can be restricted
• Specific Perrin Technique points in the neck, chest, spine and cranium that may indicate neuro-lymphatic congestion

This can contribute to a more structured description of what is happening in your body and may support your broader diagnostic process, while not replacing medical assessment.

3. Individualised treatment plan

Together, we will:

• Confirm whether a Perrin-based approach is appropriate and safe for you
  
• Agree on realistic goals such as reduced crash frequency, improved cognitive clarity and better sleep quality
  
• Map out session frequency based on your energy reserves and practical realities
  
• Introduce very gentle manual treatment and simple home techniques as tolerated