For Holly - herniated disk

[Guest guest]

December 19, 2004 Health Sciences Visit the HSI website Contributing Editor: Health Sciences Institute e-Alert, 4/2/2003 Crash Dummy I've read that Hippocrates, the ancient Father of Modern Medicine who famously instructed doctors to "First, do no harm," treated soldiers with damaged joints by sticking a hot poker into the afflicted joints. It's easy to imagine that more than one soldier might have challenged him on the "no harm" maxim - screaming at the top of their lungs, no doubt! As potentially damaging as Hippocrates' joint therapy might seem, it's reported to have worked, probably by coaxing the body to repair the spot that received the hot poke. This "self repair" is the basis of a modern treatment called prolotherapy - a technique that relieves the pain of damaged joints by healing connective tissue. Bring on the nutrients I've been in four car accidents in my life - more than my share, obviously. As a result, I still have nagging aches and pains, particularly in my shoulder and back. About two months ago my osteopath suggested that prolotherapy might repair some of the damage that's causing the pain. I'd previously heard about prolotherapy so I decided to give it a try. But when I mentioned to friends and colleagues that I had started this treatment, I was surprised to find out that few people had heard about it. First developed in the 1950's, prolotherapy is a method of prompting the body to heal damaged ligaments and tendons - both of which receive poor blood circulation, depriving them of healing nutrients. In prolotherapy, a solution of simple compounds (usually dextrose or calcium carbonate) is injected at the point of the injury. This triggers an inflammation response that increases the blood supply and delivers the nutrients necessary to promote the growth of new cells and repair damaged connective tissue. In a 1987 double-blind clinical study published in The Lancet, 81 subjects with lower back pain received either prolotherapy injections or an inactive placebo solution. Within six months, almost 90 percent of the subjects in the prolotherapy group reported improvements of more than 50 percent. Only 39 percent of the placebo group reported the same results. These results are consistent with other studies that have demonstrated as much as a 200 percent increase in the tensile strength of afflicted tendons and ligaments. Know your practitioner In 1998, prolotherapy suddenly received some high profile attention when former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop publicly endorsed the procedure after undergoing successful treatments. Nevertheless, prolotherapy still remains somewhat on the fringes of alternative medicine, most likely due to the limited number of doctors who are trained in the technique. Also, the procedure is a little expensive, but in cases where it offers an alternative to surgery or years of drug treatments, it's a bargain. The health problems sometimes treated with prolotheraphy include: arthritis; tendonitis; fibromyalgia; knee injuries; carpal tunnel syndrome; torn tendons and cartilage; degenerated or herniated discs; and even migraine headaches. In my case, I've experienced a reduction in pain and a greater range of mobility in my two months of treatments. That's the obvious plus. In the negative column (there's no getting around it) the treatments can be a bit painful. This is why some doctors, mine included, will add an anesthetic to the injected solution. A mild soreness sometimes lingers in the joint for a day or two, but it's not enough to keep me from going about my normal activities. From what I've read, adverse side effects of prolotherapy are rare and are usually the result of a misstep on the part of an inexperienced practitioner. Because of this, it's highly recommended that you receive these treatments from a doctor who you know and trust Prolotherapy is one of the physician specialties listed on the web page for the American College for Advancement in Medicine (acam.org). Other than myself, I don't know anyone who's undergone prolotherapy. If you've tried this technique and have insights about it that might be useful to other members, please send along a message and share your experience. ...and another thing Want to hear a good one? No more than 10 percent of your calories should come from sugar. That's according to a March report from a panel of 30 international nutrition experts assembled by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. But that's not the good part. In the U.S. - where obesity has almost become a recognized "lifestyle" choice - the Institute of Medicine (a branch of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences) stated just last September that 25 percent of the calories in the average diet could safely come from sugar. 25 percent! That's like saying that a healthy diet includes a Mars bar after every meal! But even that's not the good part. Here's the good part: on, the vice president of scientific and technical affairs for the U.S. National Soft Drink Association, reacted to the WHO/FAO report by stating that the scientific literature on obesity shows "no association between sugar consumption and obesity." That's "none." As in "zero." Sugar on one end of the spectrum - obesity on the other. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. And it gets better: on went on to say that many studies show that restricting specific food ingredients can actually CAUSE people to gain weight. In other words, if you drink a six pack of Yoo Hoo every day, and you decide to cut Yoo Hoo out of your diet completely, don't come crying to Mr. on when your weight skyrockets. on seems to be employing the strategy that if you call a spade a diamond, and you continue to insist that a spade is a diamond, sooner or later you'll convince at least a few people that a spade is a diamond. To Your Good Health, Health Sciences Institute Sources: "Pain Management: Prolotherapy" The Atkins Center, atkinscenter.com "The Lancet Study" Whitaker Wellness Institute, whitakerwellness.com "Prolotherapy" prolotherapy.com "What is Prolotherapy?" prolodoc.com "Prolotherapy" medical-library.net "Prolotherapy Treatment Gains Adherents" Sylvia Wood, Albany Times Union, 1998, getprolo.com "Recommendation: 10% of calories from sugar" USA Today, 3/2/03, usatoday.com "Finally, World Experts Tell Us We Should Limit Our Calories From Sugar" Dr. ph Mercola, 3/22/03, mercola.com Copyright © 1997 - 2004 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C. Alternative Market Health Disclaimer! The information provided on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this site. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. Re: another animal story -HollyI am sorry to hear that you are not doing well. Being in pain is a very hard way to live and it certainly contributes to depression. What can you do about the bulging disk? My husband had one years ago and I can still remember all the pain. He was constantly wanting to lie down. Sitting really was hard for him. Would physical therapy help? Have any of your symptoms improved since explant? Have you done any more detoxing? Sometimes it can take a really long time to see a difference. I remember that dimonds tried alot of detoxing at first and got very depressed when she got no results. She quit posting on this site for a long time. Then much later, she came back and she was actually improving. I think it had been close to two years. Though not in perfect health, she has made great strides in getting back a life. I will be praying that you will too. I can understand your depression though, It has been one of the hardest foes I have ever fought, much harder than any of my more physical symptoms. And like my other symptoms, it waxes and wanes and I often don't even know what triggers it. Until I got sick with these implants 3 years ago, I was never chronically depressed. Depression is a vicious cycle--it is caused by our illness and the illness itself further depresses us. In other words, it is both part of the illness, and a reaction to our loss. I bet your Nikky is there for you. I know there have been many days when I cried and my smokey jumped right on me and stuck his little face right in mine to try to get me to stop! It always made me so aware of how loved I am and that in itself made me feel just a little less down. God bless you as you seek relief from your pain.Love, kathy-- In , seabrez@a... wrote:> Dear Patty,> > Thank you as always for your kind words. It is always wonderful to > re-connect.> > I am not doing well. I hurt my back moving furniture in April and have > been dealing> with alot of pain as well as the usual symptoms. I was unaable to climb > stairs and then unable to walk.> We did a MRI and found that I had a bulging disk. It suddenly got worse > about 6 weeks ago> and I have been in bed on ice and pain pills ever since. I have had 2 > epidurals .> > Sometimes the pain is sooo unbearable I can bearly take it anymore.> I feel like such a burden to everyone in my life.> Between the pain and major pain medication I am very depressed.> So...I find it difficult to write. Sometimes I just delete all messages > because it's too much to read and respond.> I hate feeling this way...but its the truth.> > I am so glad you and others are doing so well . I send good wishes and > a hug to those that continue to stuggle.> I wish you all could come out here to Hawaii. It's always nice to know > I'm not alone.> Thank You to all of you that share your stories of the good the bad and > the ugly.> > Happy Holidays to you all... Love, Holly>