Chronic pain sufferer who restored his own health launches therapy service in Suffolk

From eadt.co.uk

A long-term sciatica sufferer who mastered his own recovery has launched a new soft tissue therapy service in Suffolk.
After his dreams of becoming a firefighter were dashed, and having received surgery for a potentially debilitating slipped disc, Tom Conroy became fascinated with body biomechanics and the power of good posture.
Now, after qualifying in soft tissue therapy from the Oxford School of Sports Massage, Mr Conroy has started his own business in Ipswich delivering advanced soft tissue therapy techniques, and sports and remedial massage.
“There have been points in my life where the pain of sciatica was stopping so much of life’s enjoyment, preventing career avenues, and leading to a real loss of confidence in myself,” said Mr Conroy.
“After having surgery for my prolapsed disc in 2010, and seeing the power of soft tissue therapy, I knew that I could help other people transform the way they experience muscular and postural issues.
“I wanted to bring a service to the Ipswich and wider Suffolk area where my own story could play a part in the empathetic treatment of people who feel they’ve nowhere else to turn when it comes to pain and discomfort, whether due to chronic conditions, involvement in sports, or occupational or recreational activities.”
Mr Conroy is prepared to travel for clients, visiting offices, gyms or clients’ private homes, to provide appropriate therapies and post-treatment remedial care and lifestyle advice.

He added: “I’m keen to help people understand what a difference these therapies can make, and how quickly they can see progress in their physical capabilities and their general sense of wellbeing.”

http://www.eadt.co.uk/business/chronic-pain-sufferer-who-restored-his-own-health-launches-therapy-service-in-suffolk-1-5125585

COLUMN: If whining helped, I'd be cured by now

By Penny Weaver

Well, it's happened -- that is, it's happened again ... or still ... or something:

That "I'm-getting-old" moment has hit. Hard.

Let me set the scene.

We were visiting while sitting around a table at the Shelbyville Dairy Queen -- the happenin' place to be -- on Sunday. Since I'd been limping, I was telling the other 40-somethings at the table (who hadn't heard yet) about the return of my sciatica; that I can't walk for more than 50 feet without being in pain; that I can't stand for more than a minute before the pain starts to become excruciating; yada yada yada, whine, grumble, boo-hoo.

One of the others about my age started talking about the aches in his hands. Could it be arthritis?, we wondered. The other gal about my age mentioned her own physical ailments.

Then I looked around at the trio of 70- and 80-somethings sitting with us.

Well! Aren't we a bunch of wimps!?

My mother has Multiple Sclerosis and handles it like a champ. The other two also really cool, hardy ladies at the table have now and have conquered previous serious afflictions. Just who are we, the younger set, to complain?

I can't help it, to a degree -- I've been in near-constant pain since July 5 when this blankety-blank back trouble decided to return. Darn it. I knew that last back flip on the Fourth was one too many.

If you didn't laugh there, you don't know me. The idea of this completely uncoordinated fat gal doing a back flip is nothing if not giggle inducing...unless it's just scary.

So last week I picked out my first cane.

Oh, I already had one at home. It's an "old hickory" style that was our neighbour's, Earl Westenhaver, who was like a grandpa to my sisters and me. I kept it for sentimental reasons and because, hey -- you never know when you're going to need a cane.

But with this latest sciatica flare-up, I decided I ought to have an adjustable cane so it's the proper height and might do me the most good.

Well. You'd think a cane is a cane is a cane, right? Oh no.

First of all, surprisingly enough, the drugstore didn't have a cane that was also a sword. Imagine my disappointment. They didn't have one that doubles as a firearm, either, but that one probably would have been out of my price range. I'm not James Bond, you know.

So which style of handle to get? Padded? Plain? How about a quad cane, or one of those with the pivoting base? I checked out one or two, but they kind of made a rattling metallic sound when I walked with them, and I didn't like that.

I finally chose a hefty one that makes no noise as you walk and, I noticed later, is rated up to 500 pounds. I guess if I don't employ it for its intended use, I can keep it in my truck as a hook to tow a small passenger vehicle, or all my nieces and nephews together on roller blades.

Well, the cane hasn't helped, but now I have it, so that's something.

I'm continuing to do my physical therapy, which seems to help the most. Ice also gives some relief. But I've started to get creative in my search for healing.

I've honed and practiced a string of curse words that might make a sailor blush. Of course, I only employ these mentally or when at home alone. If I hobble down to the basement to do laundry, as the pain increases with every step when I return upstairs to the nearest chair, I tried a few curse words with increasing vehemence to combat the ache.

That didn't work. Besides, I felt guilty about cussing.

I've tried humour. If Quasimodo walked that way because he had sciatica, it's no wonder he didn't want to come down from the bell tower. My own bell tower is my recliner, where I can get the most relief from my hip pain, which is where the issue appears to centre, even though it actually stems from a pair of bulging discs in my back.

I thought "Quasimodo" might be a good new nickname, but I don't have that hunch back ... yet.

I tried doing things to get my mind off the issue. I enjoyed a book of "Fabulous Fishing Funnies" that my friend Betty gave me. They're all cartoons, so they're big on imagery and short on words: perfect for a person who reads all the serious news of the day (and some not so serious) all day long, and needs a break.

Next, I'll graduate to re-read my Calvin and Hobbes books of cartoons. They have more dialogue, so I'll work my way up to reading a real book.

I can't go too far without pain, so I tried sitting to rest and watching more TV than I usually watch. "Family Feud" amused me for a while, and I always keep tabs on CNN, Fox and MSNBC, but those get old, and other shows don't seem to catch my interest these days.

Motorcycling doesn't seem like a wise option, what with back trouble and all, but I do have a good cushion that would ease the pressure on my back. Now if I could get away from my desk at work long enough to ride ...

I could go fishing, and sit on a stool, but with the pain almost constant, I just don't feel like it. And when *I* don't feel like going fishing, you know there's something wrong.

Oh for crying out loud! What a big baby!

I finally decided that just plain toughing it out will have to do the trick. I'm resting as much as I can, which helps the most. Have I ever mentioned how much I love my recliner?

My bouts with sciatica have given me new empathy for people who have chronic pain and deal with chronic illnesses. My friend in the Atlanta area has Hidradenitis Suppurativa‎ (HS) -- try to say that three times really fast -- and this debilitating skin condition has rendered her unable to simply sit in a chair for nearly two years now.

So, no more complaining from me. Plenty of folks have it worse than I do. I think of veterans who suffer daily from severe wounds they received serving our country. I think of people with ailments far more debilitating than anything I've ever come close to having.

You know, suddenly I don't feel so bad. Don't mind me. I'll just limp along until it gets better. As my mom wisely says, "It'll either get better or it'll get worse."

Can't argue with that.

http://jg-tc.com/opinion/columnists/column-if-whining-helped-i-d-be-cured-by-now/article_502f34b1-a2f1-5988-adf6-fdc9b8c2378c.html

Give massage a chance

From walthamforestecho.co.uk

Having been a massage therapist for 16 years I have seen the many benefits massage has offered people with a wide range of conditions.
In this time I have worked at Ashlins Natural Health clinic in Walthamstow as well as massaging the dancers of the Royal Ballet. But the lack of massage in the NHS has been frustrating.
I was filled with hope for change last summer when the Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) held a short public consultation before the renewal of their musculoskeletal contract, and decided to get involved.
I was, however, disappointed when not many local people knew about this consultation, very few responded, and nothing changed.

Coincidentally at the same time the BBC broadcast a programme called The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs, showing a doctor at a Chingford GP medical centre reducing patients’ medication and improving their health and wellbeing with exercise alone.
I knew I had to do something to change the way the NHS treats patients, especially with musculoskeletal issues, and help patients receive a better and healthier service than they are currently offered.
Looking at the CCG’s facts and figures I also realised that if massage was used instead of medication or other expensive and invasive treatments, the NHS would save time and money, which would be a huge benefit in these times of austerity.
Two of my client stories will illustrate this; one came in with back pain and sciatica. He had a prolapsed disc earlier and the originally intermittent pain was now constant. NHS physio treatment had not worked and he was not keen on a back operation, so he decided to try massage. After the first treatment his sciatica had almost gone and after a couple of massages the back was much better too. He eventually didn’t need the operation!
Another client had severe shoulder pain. She couldn’t sleep on her shoulder and had been in tears as a result. As she came for her second treatment she was all smiles. The massage had ‘amazingly’ taken the pain away, she was able to sleep on her shoulder again, and everything was fine now.
Obviously not everything can be resolved as quickly as this, but all my clients over the years have benefited from massage. With such good results possible, why not give massage a chance before suggesting more invasive and expensive treatments? I believe many people would prefer massage to the current NHS options. It could save the NHS both time and money.
Knowing this I proposed to start a pilot in Waltham Forest using massage for musculoskeletal conditions, to prove massage works. This proposal has so far been ignored, which is why I have now started a petition proposing to offer massage on the NHS.

http://walthamforestecho.co.uk/give-massage-a-chance/

Understanding And Overcoming Neuralgia - Neuritis - Painful Nerves

By Andy Gibson

Neuralgia and neuritis often are applied to practically the same condition. The symptoms of the two may be very similar and a distinction between the two may be difficult. I shall attempt to state the difference.
'Neuralgia is an acute, more or less violent pain along the course of a nerve, more or less spasmodic in nature, induced by some irritation of the controlling centre of the nerve and not accompanied by any actual inflammation. Instead of pain there may be numbness. Neuralgic pains are relieved by pressure. Neuralgia is not a specific disease, but is usually a symptom of some other abnormality. Numerous conditions seemingly act as predisposing or exciting causes. Among these are heredity, anemia, exposure to cold and dampness, injury, infectious fevers, metallic poisons, alcohol, tobacco in any form, gout, diabetes and disorders of the central nervous system; over-fatigue or worry and mental depression, also any depressing mental emotion may be responsible for its appearance. Tension of spinal muscles and ligaments or spinal subluxations not infrequently cause it. Except when due to direct injury or to spinal lesions resulting from injury the underlying cause of neuralgia is the toxemia resulting from wrong habits of living.
Neuralgic pains may appear in any part of the body, but occur most often in the region of the forehead, face and chest.
The symptoms most characteristic of neuralgia include the pain along the course of a sensory nerve that may be involved. Often there is general debility and more or less anemia. People subject to neuralgia usually are the very active type and are in perpetual motion, much of the work being wholly unnecessary, and many of the pleasures such people enjoy usually are of the nerve-destroying kind.

Neuritis is an inflammation of a nerve as the "itis" signifies. There may be one, several or many nerves involved. When many nerves are affected the condition is called multiple neuritis.
There is little difference between the causes of neuritis and neuralgia. Toxemia and exhaustion of nervous energy through wrong habits of living are the leading causes of practically all cases except those resulting from some crushing, severing or straining nerve injury or some specific poisoning, such as lead-poisoning. In most of these cases there is a definite starvation for vital mineral elements and vitamins. The condition called beriberi, the chief symptom of which is multiple neuritis, is due chiefly to deficiency of vitamin B. Excessive consumption of alcohol is a frequent cause of neuritis.
The symptoms of neuritis are pains, quite similar to those of neuralgia, except more severe because of the inflammation. Whereas neuralgic pain is relieved by pressure, the pains of neuritis are aggravated by it; and whereas neuralgic pains usually are relieved by heat, neuritic pains are more often relieved by cold. Sciatica is inflammation of the nerve trunk of the thigh; lumbago is neuritis of the nerves in the lumbar or lower back region.
Multiple neuritis (involving a number of nerves) gives rise to pain, numbness, loss of muscular control, but especially of some of the muscles below the elbow and below the knee (causing inability to raise the forearm or the foot in extension), sometimes a muscular atrophy or mental symptoms. It results directly from poisons in the blood, such as those causing many other diseases, and also to such poisonings as lead, arsenic, alcohol, etc. The extremities are the regions most frequently and seriously involved.
In any case of neuralgia or neuritis it is wise, if possible, to discover and remove or overcome any existing cause or causes. It will be necessary in all cases to improve the quality of the blood. This will require eradication of any toxic elements and at the same time, or later, a provision of all of the elements and vitamins. In most of these cases the absolute fast is of benefit, but when there is a general debility the fruit diet as a rule will be better. Either diet may continue as long as general conditions will permit. There should be ample quantities of water taken into the body, by drinking and, if the judgment of one qualified deems this necessary, by the enema.
The strict milk diet will be especially helpful in these cases, particularly in neuralgia. If this diet is not used, then there should be ample amounts, and yet no more than the body requires of milk, fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, butter and cream, olive oil or nut oil, and egg yolks. Milk and cottage cheese should form the chief protein. Sweets and starches should be in the form of sweet fruits and whole grain cereals. Neuralgia cases especially need general as well as local rest - because as a rule they have been overactive. In the case of neuritis local rest of the part is especially indicated; but if there is a general debility or if there is a multiple neuritis or if severe general symptoms also appear there should be general rest. Air-baths and sunbaths are helpful in both conditions. Spinal treatments by the various methods frequently advised in this volume are of great benefit in both neuralgia and neuritis.

Although care must be taken not to use such cold baths as to shock the nervous system severely, cool (tonic) baths should be taken when reaction is satisfactory. The tepid or barely warm bath will be excellent in most cases. If the pain is extreme a decidedly hot bath or a hot local bath or application may be given, particularly in neuralgia. Cool compresses or cool bathing of a local part without drying, in the case of neuritis, will be helpful.
Heat to the local part by fomentations or by the hot-water bag, electric heating pad or other means will give relief in neuralgia, and often in neuritis. Some of these cases respond well by a mild degree of sunburn to the local region. Hot abdominal packs may be given frequently for general favourable effect. When possible there should be moderate exercise which, of course, should be taken regularly but not over strenuously. Care must be taken to avoid those movements and those forms of strenuous physical activity that may tend to aggravate pain.
Neuritics particularly must learn to take life, themselves and their work less seriously. They must learn to relax and let non-essential work go. They must learn how to play and enjoy life. While the pain lasts they may not be able to enjoy life very well, but they will find life becoming less burdensome if they follow some such program as has been outlined here.
My firm belief is: "Finding a cause leads the way to find a cure". So, it is basically important to understand everything from its deepest core. 

http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-And-Overcoming-Neuralgia---Neuritis---Painful-Nerves&id=9738633