Peripheral Neuropathy

Betty Davis, 77 years young, had had knee replacement surgery on both knees. She had developed "peripheral neuropathy" and was experiencing severe pain in her feet at night. The pain was so severe that she couldn't sleep. Life was difficult. If she took the anti-inflammatories and stronger pain meds, she couldn't think and was exhausted. Basically, she had also been told that there was no hope for her "neuropathy," that it would get progressively worse. Upon examination of her legs, it was apparent that her muscles were extremely congested and rock hard with trigger points. Therefore, she was getting limited blood flow to the tissue. She was also presenting with a "forward head posture." This "forward head posture" was causing the weight of her body to be over the balls of her feet. This was creating hammertoes. In order to keep her body erect, her toes were actually digging in. She had a number of other problems, including a healed fractured vertebrae in her back from a fall, arthritis in her hands and feet (another issue) and she was also experiencing a "Nutcracker Esophagus" which often prevented her from swallowing. She was also on Celebrex. But this medication upset her stomach tremendously and her goal was to get off it as soon as possible. Because of all these long-standing conditions, I told her that this therapy would take time and would require a "team effort." I advised her to come in twice a week for neuromuscular therapy … and we would work out a home program for her to work on her own muscles in between. I knew that by beginning to reverse her forward head posture, this could help eliminate some of the pain she was feeling in her legs, in her back and might even take care of the "Nutcracker esophagus. I also advised her, in addition to stretching, to get out her rolling pin and roll her muscles. Later we added "the Stick" to her therapy. Betty Davis is a real trooper and has really worked on herself and her muscles. The net result is that her legs and feet are much better. She can actually walk for a longer distance without the debilitating pain.