Dr. Anthony Piana was an athlete most of his life, but when he turned 40, he was diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. After six months of medication, he decided to trade in the meds for a lifestyle of wellness. Today, Piana travels the world educating people on wellness and thermography, as well as his “7 Steps to Wellness Program” that helps patients with a variety of disorders including ALS, MS, diabetes, shingles, cancer, back pain, headaches and more. He recently spoke to Natural Awakenings about the benefits he’s seen in his patients who undergo whole body vibration therapy.

Q: What is whole body vibration? 

Typically, a patient stands on a vibe plate that sends vibrations through the entire body. Results include moving stagnant lymphatic fluid, improving circulation and re-training proprioception and postural neural connections. It can also improve strength in the muscles of posture and whole-body musculature.

Q: How do you use it in your practice?

I’ve performed this therapy in my office for the past 12 years. It’s interesting to witness the effect on lymphatic system heat via infrared thermographic imaging. Areas of circulation, in both the circulatory and lymphatic systems, can become blocked through injury, weight gain, aberrant biomechanics and other factors. It may be difficult to restore proper circulation and lymphatic flow after restriction has occurred. Full body vibration therapy can be used to open lymphatic channels to move stagnant fluid through the system. I recommend five to 10 minutes daily with comparative thermal studies after six months.

Q: What happens during a typical session? What can a patient expect to feel and experience?

The patient remains on the vibe plate for up to 10 minutes, according to their tolerance. At first the vibration may seem overwhelming, but it is easily accommodated over time. People with vision trouble may feel intense vibration in their eyes. This usually diminishes as sessions continue.

Full body vibration is more about full-body wellness than healing a disease; however, most disease symptoms could be improved by the increased circulation and lymphatic flow. I have seen it result in vision improvement, postural correction, improved respiration, clearer thinking and most of all improved confidence of mobility in the elderly.

Q:  How does it enhance other healing modalities in your practice?

I have always combined whole body vibration with other treatments. I first started using vibrational therapy to make permanent postural changes in my chiropractic patients to help them maintain the effects of their adjustments longer. Over the years of using this modality, I noticed people’s chronic sinus infections improving, as well as many other conditions.

Q: Who is a good candidate for this therapy?

I believe everybody should use vibrational therapy. I personally have compared whole body vibration with trampoline use, and I have seen a big advantage in outcomes with the vibration systems. There are many home units available on the internet for an affordable price, so visiting a practitioner may not be necessary. However, I recommend getting a full-body thermal image prior to the first treatment, to identify areas of stagnation and to use as a baseline to compare with future studies, preferably after at least six months of therapy.

Dr. Anthony Piana is based in Connecticut and maintains a consultation practice at
DrPiana.com.