Weird, unorthodox, unusual. These are words that Matthew Fischer's patients use to describe a new technique he's incorporated into his physical therapy practice. But they also say things like amazing, unbelievable and, best of all, pain-free.

The new treatment is called Primal Reflex Release Technique (or Pain Reflex Release Technique). It was developed several years ago by a physical therapist in California named John Iams and involves gentle tapping and tissue manipulation. The word Primal refers to the startle and withdrawal reflexes that are hard-wired into our nervous system before birth, Fischer explained.

"The startle and withdrawal reflex are found in virtually all patients with musculoskeletal pain," Fischer said. "Although reflexes are meant to be protective and helpful to the body, in these cases they are a hindrance and a source of pain. Both the startle and withdrawal reflexes directly activate the sympathetic nervous system."

In stressful situations, the sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear triggering a "fight" or "flight" response. Since these responses are seldom appropriate in social situations, people tend to internalize their reactions, which ends up impacting the musculoskeletal system, Fischer explained.

Practitioners of PRRT attempt to shift the overall nervous system from a sympathetic bias - toward fight/flight - to a parasympathetic balance - toward rest/relaxation.

"It's about releasing the barrier that's preventing the body from healing," Fischer said.

During a PRRT session, Fischer performs a quick evaluation to find dysfuntional reflex activity or tenderness. When he finds a problem area, he gently and quickly taps his fingertips - almost, but not quite, like tickling - to the area of the body that he thinks will release the pain - and it's not always the place the patient might expect the relief to come from.

For instance, if a patient has pain on the right side of his neck, Fischer might tap on the left side of the neck to release the reflex activity. Or, if a patient has knee pain, Fischer might find that the dysfunctional reflex activity is actually orginating from the hip, so he'll gently manipulate tissue in the hip area.

It's a complicated explanation for something Fischer's patients simply understand as relief.

"It's weird, different type of stuff," said Tina Louden, a 37-year-old pharmacy technician. But last week when she felt like her head was about to explode, Louden said she was ready to try to anything. She's suffered from chronic headaches for at least 12 years.

"You get tolerant of the pain, but this last time I couldn't handle it anymore," Louden said. "But it immediately felt better. I went from an eight on the pain chart to about a three or four."

Fischer's not surprised by Louden's immediate relief, in fact that's why he's so excited about his new technique. Iams, the founder of PRRT, claims that some 80 percent of people with musculoskeletal pain respond to PRRT and Fischer said he's had about the same success in his office - the only place in Helena that offers PRRT.

"They either respond quickly or they don't respond," Fischer said. "It's the first technique I go to. If it works, it significantly reduces time and money and it's long-lasting, but fast results."

Valerie Taliman is not someone who toots other people's horns very often, and she was skeptical when she visited Fischer's office for the first time on the advice of a friend.

"I'm not an easy fan," she said. She's also not someone you'd suspect of being a chronic pain sufferer.

But six years ago on an airplane, a man dropped a metal suitcase on her head; and in addition to a broken nose and bruised wrists, she suffered whiplash, which causes her great pain to this day.

Because of her job as director of communications for the Indian Law Resource Center, she often finds herself in cramped quarters on international flights. The long flights and the burden of carrying luggage and a laptop strapped to her shoulders aggravate the old injury.

"When my neck acts up, it causes not only severe aches, but also headaches so intense that I get nauseated," Taliman said. "It is also difficult to think, write or research when you have a severe headache."

Before walking through the doors on Fischer's office in the Power Block, Taliman had tested such treatments as pharmaceuticals, chiropractic, massage and acupuncture.

"People who are in pain are desperate," Taliman said.

And although some of the treatments worked temporarily, the pain always came back. That's what she likes about Fischer.

"I had never had a treatment like that and didn't know what to expect," Taliman said. "I never expected it to be so effective. I thought physical therapists made you do repetitive exercises and pushed you to rebuild damaged muscles and connective tissue. I was unprepared for the unusual methods he used, but I trusted him and was rewarded with real pain relief."

In addition to pain relief, Fischer says some of his PRRT patients have also experienced increased energy, improved sleep quality, decreased stress and increased mobility.