Research
New research from NHS & University of Bristol into the Lightning Process
‘Clinical and cost-effectiveness of the Lightning Process in addition to Specialist Medical care for pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: randomized controlled trial.’ Published in the British Medical Journal
Two papers had previously been published and you can find a link to them both here:
‘Understanding the Lightning Process Approach to CFS/ME; a Review of the Disease Process and the Approach.’
This important peer-reveiwed paper summarises current research hypotheses of how CFS/ME affects the body and how the Lightning Process concepts fit with that research. It also covers the theories on how the Lightning Process has a positive effect on physiology and how it can help to increase exercise endurance. Read the paper here…
Harvard University and King’s College, London
‘Experiences of young people who have undergone the Lightning Process to treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Qualitative Study’
An independent study, published in 2012, found that of the 9 participants with CFS/ME “7 were satisfied and were much improved“.
Click here for more information on the study
To read Phil Parker’s summary of the full article and response here
Lightning Process for those with Chronic Pain
‘Evaluation of a treatment strategy’
Researchers evaluated the effects of the LP on chronic pain, studying 12 adolescents in Norway whose lives had been strongly affected by chronic headaches.
The researchers evaluating this pilot study reported that on follow up after twelve months:
- 9 out of 12 reported that they had significant pain reduction. This trend was evident already after three months.
- The majority had improved quality of life. They were more active, more able to spend time with friends and attended significantly more at school.
- Before the course three reported that they ‘always / almost always’ were in school. At follow-up after one year, the situation changed, when 8 out of 12 ‘always / almost always’ were in school.
and concludes:
“A structured cooperation between doctor and LP instructor has contributed to significant pain reduction and improvement in the quality of life for nine of the twelve youngsters in the project. The remaining three participants had not noticed any effect, either positive or negative.”
Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC) – now MS-UK
‘LP provided benefit to all participants’
Interim report on a research project with the MSRC and LP.
Abstract: This Proof of Concept (POC) study was designed to consider the validity of the Lightning Process as an approach to provide benefit, or not, to those with MS. … The interim data shows that the LP provided benefit to all participants and there have been no incidents of negative effects. The data suggests that it would be worth pursuing a full Randomised Controlled Trial
“The Proof of Concept study, although being in a small number of subjects, has produced some encouraging and worthwhile results over the 12 month period following participation in the Lightning Process. They indicate that the Lightning Process provides measurable benefits to those with MS and suggests that further larger randomised studies would be beneficial to investigate the role the Lightning Process plays in the well-being and quality of life of MS patients.” MS-UK October 2014.
Click here for the MS Proof of Concept Study Report at 6 months
Research into drug and alcohol misuse issues underway
This mixed methods research project, consisting of an RCT, a qualitative study and a systematic review, run in conjunction with the London Metropolitan University, is now in the data analysis phase; to find out more please visit the RCT research site.
Outcome Measures Study
We are pleased to report on the results from the preliminary data collected in a study looking at outcome measures from 205 clients who attended a Lightning Process seminar. The study, which has been done using the RAND SF-36, is a pilot study that was designed to provide some preliminary outcome measures which can be used to add weight to future grant and funding applications for larger-scale Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT). The indications are that the LP is making a significant positive impact, resulting in increased health status at 6 weeks, persisting at 3 months, and demonstrating improvements in all areas that were covered by the RAND SF36 questionnaire.
Below is a diagram demonstrating the conditions which clients who participated in this study reported.
Find the Outcomes Measures report here
Snapshot Survey
81.3% of clients report improvement after the LP course
The snapshot surveys were completed by 1297 people who attended a Lightning Process seminar, in a variety of locations throughout the UK and Norway, between January 2007 and May 2010. Read the survey here.
When we broke this down into clients with CFS/ME 81.3% of clients reported improvement after the LP course. Read the survey on clients with ME/CFS here.
ALPINE – A Lightning Process Intervention Evaluation
In March 2017, we launched a new project where clients taking the LP seminars will complete questionnaires before the training, and at intervals after the seminar of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. We encourage all clients who take the seminar (and are aged 13 or above) to join this study.
If you are about to take the LP and would like to participate please contact your practitioner – unfortunately it’s not possible to join the study having already taken the seminar.
As soon as any information is available to share we will post more here.
ME Association’s 2010 Survey
‘Greatly improved’
This survey compares the benefits of a number of different approaches to CFS/ME and includes statistics on the benefits of the Lightning Process.
The ME association’s survey found that the Lightning Process came top of their poll for approaches that ‘greatly improved’ the symptoms of ME/CFS.The Lightning Process received the highest percentage out of all the 25 approaches for those feeling they had ‘greatly improved’ with 25.7%. The next closest was 14.8% for modafinil/provigil (a stimulant/analeptic). Another 18.8% felt the LP had helped them improve (totalling 44.5%).
CBT, being one of the mainstays of NHS approaches to this illness is useful as a yardstick 2.8% ‘greatly improved’, 23.1% ‘improved’.
The fact that the leading ME charity is assessing how well clients did by using the Lightning Process for their ME, and found it was rated as the most helpful, supports the perspective that the Lightning Process is a suitable approach for some with ME. Read the report here.
Brighton & Sussex Medical School and Sussex & Kent ME/CFS Society’s Survey
‘LP most helpful approach’
In this study the LP was identified as the ‘most helpful approach’. In this survey of 457 members, tracking their experiences over two years, 44% of the society’s members found the Lightning Process “very helpful” and 36% “reasonably helpful”. See the report here.
Charitable Projects:
The Kenyan Red Cross requests Lightning Process for its healthcare workers
June 2011 marked the start of a pilot project of Lightning Process (LP) seminars to help improve the quality of life of those working with or affected by HIV/AIDS. They were run with the cooperation of the Health Department of the Mombasa City Council. This has led to the exciting request from the Red Cross in Kenya for 300 of their workers to attend Lightning Process training seminars to help them deal with the challenges of caring for those with HIV/AIDS (full report is available here Kenya Red Cross Project).
